Auguries

Requiem of the Moth S03 C07

They take their places before the priest. The priest speaks the words and they reply as instructed. They share the cup of spiced diluted blood—spiced with dill for luck and bark from a tree called white willow for long-lasting love.

For the traditional jewellery exchange, Yun presents Usira with one of his carnelian earrings. Warned beforehand, he knows that Usira has nothing to give in return but is surprised when Usira’s father steps forward and drops something in his hand: a small obsidian hairpin. It must have been fashioned before commoners were forbidden from wearing their own precious stones, a family heirloom. Yun is still as Usira uses it to pin a strand of hair over his right ear.

Later, they move to the balcony attached to Shuli's quarters to complete the last ritual: giving their blood to a pair of Calpia Moths to drink before releasing them into the deep. When Usira unfastens the latch and opens the cage door, they take off together, fluttering up into the magenta-veined gloom.

“An auspicious omen,” Shuli says.

“Hard to believe,” Usira mutters. Yun squeezes his hand and hopes it’s reassuring. He'll take all the luck they can get.

Instead of the lavish banquet, they take a light meal in Shuli's receiving room. Zakiva excuses herself after barely a word to Usira but at least they’re relieved from her disgruntled presence. When Usira's parents bid them goodbye, he instructs his puppets to escort them back.

Promising Usira he will return soon, he visits his workshop. When Zhiven and Zhiva return from the drip house quarter, he walks over to his office. If the disaster has taught him anything, it’s that he has to fix their reputation and looming financial problems as soon as possible.

---

“Are you so caught up in bonded life that you’ve deluded yourself into thinking he could replace me?”

The familiar smoky voice drifts into his office first, followed by a black silhouette. Yun isn’t sure if she deliberately pitched her tone so as not to startle him or if it’s merely a side effect of her nature. Ulan is a ghost. Her speech and manners suggest noble upbringing but all inquiries into her identity have turned up a whole lot of frigid nothing.

Glaring at her, he gestures with his quill. “If you’ve only come to nag, leave now. I’m busy.”

In one fluid dancer’s motion, she takes off her mask and perches on the edge of the desk, with her hip so close to his hand that he feels her warmth. “I know, which is why I’ve come to help. You did well keeping quiet about the bonding after that ceremony but Noe stock still fell by a lot. Investors are pulling out of your holdings like hounds smelling the rot. If your reputation isn’t restored, you’re looking at financial ruin.”

“How I’ve missed your sense of drama.” At her deadpan look, he sobers up. “I’ve been taking precautions, stashing away as much raw silver and gems as possible—not a lot but better than nothing. As for the crisis,” he sighs, “Usira is a fast learner. I’m counting on him to help counteract the reputation problem.”

“You’re waiting?” Ulan is incredulous. “You don’t have time to sit around while he’s playing puppet mansion with his tutors.”

Yun rubs his left eye. It feels as if a pickaxe is pounding away at his temple.

Ulan leans closer. “Are you unwell?”

Ignoring her concern, he jumps out of his chair and downs the cup of tea offered by Zhiven. “I’m trusting Usira will do his duty in time. Until then, there’s something more urgent I need to discuss with you.”

Ulan still has a delicate furrow between her pale brows but eventually she nods. “Go on.”

“I’ve been meeting with the clan elders, trying to talk them down, but they’re not pleased. I’m expecting an attempt to replace me as treasurer of the Noe.” Perhaps he spoke too soon, bragging to Usira about his hermit habits. Word on the wind is that even his other position might be in danger, despite the fact that Vessi are city officials, not beholden to any single clan.

“Only the clan head can do that.”

As if on cue, there’s a knock. Zhiven admits the courier, who bows in the mechanical way of all Noe puppets—his own excluded. “Greetings from the esteemed head of clan Noe to Noe Yun, honoured Vessi and treasurer of clan Noe. My mistress wishes to remind Noe Yun that she has given him a most urgent task and that he reportedly has not spent as much time in the workshop as needed for its completion. She is asking if there is anything hindering his progress that she can provide and hopes to hear an update from him soon. Honourable Noe Yun, may I ask for confirmation that the message has been heard?”

“I have heard the message. Go.” Upon registering the correct phrase, the puppet exits. Yun clicks his tongue. “Little more than walking parrots. I should be ashamed.”

He turns to Ulan just in time to catch her eye roll. “So Zakiva isn’t pleased with you either. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were asking to get kicked out of your clan.”

Yun gestures for Zhiven to bring more tea and returns to his chair. Time to get serious. “What I say next must not leave this room.”

Ulan widens her eyes, the tea forgotten in her hands as soon as she has accepted it. Finally she nods.

“Zakiva is too old-fashioned, too rigid in her thinking. She does not innovate. Do you know what happens to clans who don’t innovate?” They die.

“You wish to dethrone her,” Ulan whispers. Her amber eyes are glowing in the dim. “And who will you put in her place?”

“Shuli.”

She wrinkles her nose. “You, who always works alone, who never shares his secrets or plans with anyone, want to put someone else on that throne? Why not take the title for yourself?”

“You of all people should understand that I prefer staying in the shadows. We have that in common, don’t we?” She presses her lips together, not rising to the bait. “The paperwork, the public attention are little more than shackles. I can accomplish much more as I am now. If giving up some control to someone like Shuli is the price I have to pay, I’m willing to pay it.”

Ulan’s face betrays her lingering doubt but she doesn’t protest further. Yun watches her closely. “You know, I’ve changed my mind about your presence here. There’s something you could help me with, if you’re willing.”

“I am willing if it serves our interests.”

“It doesn’t.”

She arches one brow. “Why would I do it then?”

He leans forward. As usual, the evil grin effect is lost on her but he simply can’t shake the habit. “Because you feel bad for trying to have me assassinated? Because I’ll give more to your organisation if my clan is in a better place? Because you like me and you want to see me happy? Pick any reason.”

She sighs. “Let’s hear it.”

Author Notes

Sometimes you need chapters in a serial that don’t provide a big bang, that are gearing up for future action. It can’t be avoided. I hope I still provided some entertainment with the bonding ritual and the progression of Yun’s machinations. What could he possibly want from Ulan? Any ideas?

Since I don’t have much to say about this chapter, I’ll share that I’m editing and writing this from a small café in Helsinki, Finland. I’m visiting for one week on a work trip and we have some fun activities planned. Beyond the excitement of being in a new country, it’s amazing how well our client is taking care of us here. I mean, our hotel has a sauna (completely normal in Finland, or so I hear) and a rooftop pool! Definitely going to enjoy that later.

There will be no newsletter next week because I’m moving into a new apartment, which will be exciting but also exhausting. I’ll have to jump in right after coming back from Finland. The rest of April should be back to business as usual.

Talk to you later!