Chapter Ten—As the Storm Comes

Shiro blinked awake, his eyes roaming the colored fabric above him. The bed was curtained. Moving his hands about, he realized he was atop silken sheets.

Something moved to his left, but he realized it was only Jessamine standing next to the window peering out.

He sat up and his head started pounding.

“Gods,” he muttered, rubbing his temple. “What happened?”

Jessamine turned and smiled at him seductively before sauntering over to the bed. She was wearing her green dress again. She put a hand on her hip. “You drank a lot last night. A lot.”

Squinting made his eyes feel a little better.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Squint like that.”

“Why not?”

“Your eyes are already rather narrow, Shiro.”

“What,” he asked, “you don’t like my eyes?”

Regarding him from a moment, she said, “I do.” Then she got atop the bed on her hands and knees and ambled toward him.

The dramatic movement of her hips was not lost on Shiro as he tried to ignore how attractive she was.

“What are you doing?”

She said nothing as she leaned back on her calves and put her hands on his temples. A warm sensation enveloped his head and the pounding pain reseeded to nothingness. His eyes no longer felt like grapes getting crushed.

“Is that better?” she asked.

He nodded. “Does this mean I can drink as much as I want from now on?”

She laughed, her eyes widening in surprise. “Did you just make a joke, Shiro?”

“What makes you think I am joking, jinni?”

“Hmph!” she scoffed. “We’ve been together for six months and I know you’re not one to overindulge in drink.”

He nodded. “You are right,” he said. “I suppose I was rather carried away. The excitement of Darshuun—of meeting Ali and his new wife. I got carried away.”

“We should do that more often.”

“Hmm,” he noised thoughtfully. “You are not one for restraint, are you?”

“Me?” She slid off the bed. “After my imprisonment restraint is one of the last things on my mind.” She put a thoughtful finger to her chin. “Then again, I don’t remember ever being one for restraint.”

The smile that came over her face was one of mischief.

“Reign yourself in, jinni,” he said doubtfully. “We’ve only just arrived.”

Jessamine sauntered back toward the window. Shiro found himself watching her hips sway with every step.

She sighed dramatically. “I suppose you’re right.”

He got up off the bed, his eyes going to his bag where he kept the lamp. “How Jessamine got it up here, he didn’t know, but he wanted to find out, since she couldn’t touch the lamp. Could she pick up his bag?

Atop his bag was his katana, put in easy reach. Had she, or whoever put his bag there, done so on purpose?

“Where is Ali?”

She glanced at him. “Oh, he went home. But he said he would send a runner in the morning.”

“What time is it?” He went to the wash stand and began to put water on his face.

“Almost noon,” she said.

He glanced at her as she looked up at the sky though the window. “It’s dark out.”

“Hmm,” she noised. “Because it’s going to storm. And quite fiercely it seems.”

Shiro picked up a linen and dried his face.

“My favorite kind of weather, actually.”

“What?” Shiro asked. “Storms?”

“Yes and no,” she said, glancing at him again. “Come look.”

He went up to her. “Do you see the shining sun in the east?”

“Yes.”

“And the black clouds in the west?”

“I can.”

“It’s the time before they clash, before the storm clouds overtake the hot and sweltering day. When the cool winds blow in to cool things just before the storm.”

He nodded.

And then there was a knock at the door.

“Come,” Jessamine said.

Shiro rose an eyebrow as the door opened to reveal a servant wearing fine robes. “I come with word from Master Ali.”

“What does he say?” Shiro asked.

“He bid me tell you that he requests you and your companion join him for a private dinner with his wife at their manner.”

“How do we get there?” Jessamine asked.

“A carriage will be sent to you and you will be notified when it arrives,” the servant said.

“Very good,” Jessamine said with a nod. “That is all right with you, Shiro, Dear?”

He nodded.

“You may go,” she said, waving a dismissive hand at the servant.

Her action reminded me of her comment about being a princess when they were in Xulia, the clothier shop.

She certainly is imperious enough to be royalty, he thought.

“Come, Shiro,” Jessamine said. “There is much to do and see before the rains come!”

He looked at her. The excitement in her eyes was plain to see. Her excitement made him feel similar emotions. Jessamine was… infectious.

Is she able to influence how I feel?

There was so much he didn’t know about her. Jessamine wasn’t exactly open with him. He would have to ask her about her past later.

And whether or not she could influence people’s thoughts and feelings.

“Come on, Shiro!” she pressed. “There were many things I wanted to do with you yesterday before Ali came and ruined it all.”

“You don’t like him?”

“Ugh!” She made a face. “I suppose he is all right.”

“His fortunes have changed dramatically.”

“Yes, yes,” she said, playful and yet impatient. “Let us go.”

“Very well,” Shiro said with a nod.