Geva felt herself flushing at the praise — Kesst thought she was thoughtful, capable, self-possessed? — and she desperately flailed for an appropriate answer. “Well, I do think Rathgarr has… changed, in some ways,” she said. “And I know he’d absolutely love to share a meal with you, or go shopping together. Tomorrow, maybe? Although wait” — she felt her brow furrowing — “is shopping actually something you can do here?”
Kesst gave a small, too-aware smile, a wry shake of his head. “Yes, it is,” he said. “And if Rath actually wants to do it, you can tell him to come ask me himself. Now” — he’d paused outside the door to a room, and waved her inside — “what do you think of this, for your schoolroom?”
Geva blinked at him, and then around at the corridor — they’d come all the way back up into the Ash-Kai wing — and then stepped into the room. It was a large, low-ceilinged room, and it was surprisingly well-illuminated, thanks to the long, jagged opening cut into the opposite wall, showing a strip of bright blue sky. And while it was very chilly, there was an empty fireplace against another wall, as well as what appeared to be adjoining doors, one on each side wall.
“There are smaller rooms attached on either side,” Kesst said, leading Geva over to look into one. “It’s the biggest set of unoccupied rooms in the mountain, and the whole thing actually used to belong to Kaugir — Grim’s vile father, the one who ran Rath out. But after Grim offed his father, he had the rooms cleared, and ever since, he’s refused to step foot in —”
“Wait,” Geva interrupted, her hand hovering aimlessly in midair. “Did you just say — Grimarr killed his ownfather?”
Kesst was giving her an odd look now, and a slow, wary nod. “Yes, of course,” he said. “Very graphically. I’m not usually one for violence, but Kaugir was a steaming pile of putridscum, and he deserved every moment of it. He even went after my poor damnedmother, and she had to pretend like she cared about him, pretend to be his sweet obliging mate, but —”
Kesst bit his lip, wincing, and then jerked a quick shake of his head. “Look, I’d never say Grim’s been perfect,” he continued, “but he saved us, when no one else could. And ever since then, he’s kept trying his best. Doing everything he can to make this mountain a better, safer place for all of us.”
There was a fierce glint in his eyes, as if he expected Geva to argue, or refuse. But her thoughts were already darting back to all the things Jule had already said, while her eyes again swept over the large, lovely, well-lit space. Her schoolroom.
“I love it, Kesst,” she said, and she meant it. “This is perfect. It has light, heating, plenty of room to spread out and grow. And maybe using this as a schoolroom” — she gave him a hopeful half-smile — “maybe it’s a bit poetic, then, isn’t it? Turning it from a place of oppression, into something new?”
Kesst’s answering grin was swift and stunning, and unmistakably relieved, too. “Yes, exactly, sister,” he said. “Especially since it’syou, you know? They tried to get rid of Rath forever, but now” — Kesst drew in a breath, his eyes flaring with strange, sudden meaning — “he’s finally come home again, for good. And his faithful mate will fill his enemy’s old, empty rooms with life and hope again. Withjoy.”
Oh. Something bright and powerful surged up in Geva’s chest, her blinking eyes held to Kesst’s sharp, glittering gaze. Held to his certainty, his determination, his… vision.Home again, for good.With joy.
“Yes, brother,” she whispered, over the longing in her throat. “Let’s get started.”
34
For the rest of the day, Geva and Kesst bustled around the mountain, preparing the new schoolroom for the next day’s arrival of twelve new orcling students.
Kesst continued to be incredibly helpful, what with his intimate knowledge of the mountain, and his instant awareness of how to find whatever items Geva needed. Ranging from quills and charcoal and paper — held in large supply in the Ka-esh storage-room — all the way to toys, decorations, and furnishings. In addition to the storage-rooms, it turned out that multiple rooms around the mountain contained unused furniture, and soon they’d collected a variety of shelves, tables, and mismatched chairs.
It also turned out that Kesst seemed to know every single orc in the mountain by name, and he was all too willing to make cheerful introductions, amidst a steady stream of clever, highly amusing quips and anecdotes. To the point where Geva’s belly soon hurt from laughing, and she found herself becoming increasingly inured to the more shocking sights they encountered along the way, framed as they were by Kesst’s casual, lighthearted commentary.
“I can see you’re busy, Abjorn,” he blithely said, perhaps mid-afternoon, once they’d inadvertently walked in on the alarming sight of a gasping, bloody-faced Abjorn being pinned to a table by his neck, while a huge, unfamiliar orc viciously slammed into his upraised arse. “But we really need this table. Could you please go get yourself annihilated somewhere else?”
To Geva’s ongoing astonishment, Abjorn shakily nodded, and signalled at the huge orc behind him. Who then bodily threw him onto the floor, before kneeling behind him and continuing on, as though nothing out of the ordinary was occurring.
“Thanks, brother,” Kesst airily replied, as he plucked up the blood-streaked table, hanging it over his back as he turned toward the door. “And make sure you go see Eft after you’ve come down again, hmmm?”
Abjorn somehow managed a wave goodbye, before choking out a sound much like a cry. And despite Geva’s ever-increasing tolerance toward these matters, she still found herself warily eyeing Kesst as they walked up the corridor again, her face gone decidedly hot.
“Er, I don’t wish to judge,” she said uncertainly, “especially when I’m still learning about orc culture and practices. But do you really think that’s… safe?”
She was distantly relieved at the sight of Kesst’s grimace, the swift shake of his head. “Abjorn’s always been reckless,” he replied, “but it’s definitely been getting worse these days. Attention seeking, no doubt. Trying to get a certain taciturn Ash-Kai to take notice.”
He shot Geva a knowing half-smile as he spoke, but she found herself blinking, and frowning back toward him. “You don’t mean… Sigarr?” she asked, blinking again at Kesst’s answering nod. “But just yesterday, Abjorn was complaining that Sigarr was too overbearing and overprotective.”
But Kesst only gave a merry laugh, and another shake of his head. “That sounds like exactly what youwouldsay,” he informed her, “when you want the object of your lifelong worship to bend you over his knee, and have his filthy way with you.”
Geva laughed too, but she still wasn’t even slightly following. “But — Sigarr said Abjorn always worshippedRathgarr,” she replied. “Because Rathgarr was always — kind to him.”
The amusement rapidly faded from Kesst’s face, and he shrugged, shifting the table on his back. “Yes, well, and then Rath left,” he said, clipped. “And luckily, Abjorn had someone else to turn to. Someone else to take care of him.”
Right. Geva winced, the apology already rising on her mouth, but Kesst fervently waved it away, nearly dropping the table in the process. “Look, I’ll get over it,” he said flatly. “Eventually. I always do. And Ihavehad a lot of support these past years, all right? And now that I have Eft” — his voice visibly softened — “he’s always been there for me, and done everything he can to keep me safe.Always.”
Oh. Geva couldn’t seem to look away from his face, her thoughts again catching on Rathgarr, and all his cryptic, secretive plans, whatever the hell they were. Against Ulfarr, and Grimarr, and the Skai.To avenge this, he’d told Kesst.To take back what is ours.
“I’m so glad to hear you have support now,” she told Kesst, her voice fervent. “And look, it’s probably not my place to say, but” — she drew in a breath — “I think Rathgarr just wishes he could have been that for you. He wasn’t able to be here to keep you safe, so now he wants to make up for that, however he can.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but he’s too late,” Kesst replied, though there was no malice in his voice, only a cold, clipped certainty. “Eft and Grim have already been cleaning up around here, foryears— and even the Skai have done a hell of a lot, too. So if Rath really wants to reconcile with me, he can forget the vengeance, and forget the gold.Forever.”
