Osric returns to bump against Sei’s hip.
“Lady Naoko was interested in my work on a theoretical level,” Radovan says. “She thought in abstractions. You have a far more practical mind.”
Sei rubs Osric’s shoulder. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“A very good thing,” Radovan says. “Do visit again when you have a chance. You as well, Your Highness.”
As he leaves the laboratory with Marek and Osric, Sei tries not to smile too hard. Maybe the experiment will have worthwhile results. Maybe it won’t. Marek and Radovan still took Sei’s idea seriously. Even if teleporting javelins don’t work, maybe the dragon corps enchanters will invent something else along the way.
Today is the most useful Sei has felt since he arrived in Draskora.
“That was brilliant, you know,” Marek says, as if Sei’s ego isn’t soaring enough already.
Sei pushes his hair behind his ear. “Really?”
“You’re going to make a tremendous impact with this.”
All right, that’s a little much. “All I did was talk to both of you.”
Marek squeezes Sei’s shoulder. The brief touch melts through Sei’s entire body. “Don’t discount the value of listening and making connections. Courtiers build entire careers on that.”
“Someone else would have thought of teleporting scalestone.” Sei touches his own shoulder, then realizes what he’s doing. Chasing the memory of Marek’s touch. “Radovan was already working on teleportation enchantments.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure someone else would have.”
Sei looks up, drawn to Marek’s contemplative sound.
“Teleportation is just a side project for Radovan,” Marek says. “He works directly for the king and queen, not the drasgard or dragon corps. If he abandoned the project, we might never have heard about it. Except you have a knack for befriending people.”
Sei is again unsure whether that’s a good or bad thing. “Thank you.”
Marek grins. “It’s a compliment—if you’re careful who you befriend. Now, did you still want to dye your hair?”
“Yes!” Sei says immediately, as Osric adds,Excuse me?“Yes, definitely.”
Marek’s grin widens. “Great. I asked Clem to set aside some time this afternoon.”
All Sei’s tiredness washes away in the thrill that Marek remembered. “Really? Right now?”
“Right now.” Marek squeezes Sei’s shoulder again. “Unless you change your mind by the time we get back.”
***
Osric abandons them as soon as they return to the garrison, seeking a warm hearth to sleep on. Sei and Marek meet Clem in the half-kitchen off the side of Marek’s lounge. There’s a wide sink set in the counter, and the tiled floor is already stained rainbow from previous dye jobs.
“What color do you want?” Clem asks as they arrange colorful bottles on the counter. “Dark blue to match Stormrider?”
“He doesn’t have to match me,” Marek says, quickly enough that Sei tries not to be offended.
“I don’t mind either way.” Sei hops up on a stool near the sink. “Matching or not is fine with me.”
Clem rolls their sleeves up their freckled arms. “That really narrows it down. What’s your favorite color?”
Sei doesn’t have a favorite color. “This isn’t permanent, right? I can always change it later?”
“I can change your hair every day, as long as Stormrider keeps giving me overtime bonuses.”
“No overtime,” Marek says. “Just stop sweeping the floors. I’ll assign that to Kamil.”
