Kiram laughed. "She wishes she beat me up this badly. No I.I got into a fight on the street. And it really doesn't matter who it was with. It's over and he's in worse shape than I am."
"A lot worse?"
"I think I broke his knee." A weird mix of pride and horror wriggled through him. "He tried to stab me and I kicked his knee backward. I heard it tear."
"Good." Javier's tone was harsh. "I hope you crippled him."
Kiram hoped he hadn't. He didn't want to be responsible for that. "I'm too tired to think about it."
"You should stay here. I mean with the Grunitos, not in the stables." Javier rubbed his shoulder gently. "Nestor's been wanting you to come for weeks now. He'll be overjoyed."
The voices of two bickering grooms carried to them and both he and Javier drew apart. Neither of the grooms appeared but Javier turned back to Lunaluz.
"Help me bed him down and then we'll get you up into the house."
Between the two of them they finished brushing Lunaluz down and returned the stallion to his stall. Then Kiram followed Javier out of the stables and down a series of winding garden paths towards the back of the Grunito house. Rows of irises filled the flowerbeds and the perfume of lilacs hung in the air.
Soon the sound of music washed over them. Through wide windows Kiram saw the silhouettes of men and women dancing in close couples. He watched them, remembering the night he and Javier had danced at his mother's house. They hadn't ever gotten to share a Cadeleonian dance.
Wistfully, Kiram brushed Javier's fingers with his hand. Javier turned to him questioningly.
"Do you mind if we don't go in just yet?"
"Why would I mind?" Javier arched a brow. "I was the one who escaped to the stables to groom a horse rather than remain inside. But don't you want to warm up inside? At least sit down?"
"I'd rather stay out here with you for a little while." A breeze brushed over Kiram's face; it felt almost warm. Overhead, brilliant stars gleamed around the golden orb of the moon. "I hadn't noticed before, but it really is a beautiful evening for a dance."
Javier studied him a moment then he took Kiram's hand. As he drew Kiram close, Kiram realized his intent. They could hear the music and the moonlight offered them just enough illumination.
At first they were both self-conscious and uneasy. They jostled and knocked knees and laughed at themselves. But then Kiram allowed himself to relax. He forgot about the stables behind them and the house ahead. He focused on Javier's body and his own-the heat of their hands, the rhythm of their footsteps. They looked only at each other.
A familiar grace came to them then; their motions coupled in a perfect synchronicity that could have been battle or sex. But there was no desperation here, no conquest or loss. Their two bodies united in one dance, simple and beautiful and only meant for the two of them.
The music stopped and they stood, still lost in the moment. Kiram thought he might kiss Javier or that Javier might kiss him.
"What the hell is going on?" Elezar's voice boomed through the darkness. Kiram jumped. Javier straightened and turned to face Elezar.
If he hadn't recognized the voice, Kiram might not have known Elezar at first glance. He looked too refined, dressed in scarlet brocade, his hair blackened, gold powder glittering across his face. Even his expression was strange in its uncertainty-both anger and confusion showed as he stalked closer to them. Kiram realized that Elezar was furious with jealousy but didn't understand why. Or perhaps he couldn't bring himself to admit why.
"I'm teaching Kiram the quaressa," Javier said offhandedly. "The Haldiim don't have any dances like it and he can't follow to save his life."
Elezar glared at Kiram but then his heavy brows knit together in dismay at what he saw. He glanced back to Javier.
"Did you beat his face into a tree first?" Elezar demanded. "Or did you bloody his nose after he trod on your toes?"
Kiram lifted his hand to his nose. During their dance he'd somehow forgotten the discomfort of his injuries but now the throbbing ache returned to his awareness.
"I had to soften him up somehow," Javier replied.
"I've been told that a bottle of gin is a lot more effective," Elezar returned with a smirk. His anger seemed forgotten. "So what really happened? Not that it wouldn't take a trouncing to get most men to dance with Javier."
"I got into a street fight with a couple of drunks," Kiram explained before Elezar could think more about what he was saying or Javier could respond. "And before you ask, I won. I beat one man badly enough that I don't think I can show my face in the Haldiim district for a while."
"I told him he could stay here," Javier finished.
To Kiram's relief Elezar replied, "Absolutely."
Inside the Grunito house, musicians struck up a new melody. It sounded familiar but Kiram couldn't quite put a name to it.
"He's not exactly in a condition to present to our guests, though," Elezar commented.
"That's why we were biding our time out here," Javier replied as easily as if it were the truth. "We've been waiting for a chance to slip in through the card room, but it looks like it's still full."
"It will be all night, what with Morisio making his living in there." Elezar sighed. "There's the back staircase around the kitchen. We could haul Kiram up to the second floor that way."
"I'm not a sack of flour," Kiram protested. But Javier and Elezar had already agreed that the kitchen would be the best route. The three of them went quietly.
Near a fountain they caught sight of a man gracefully opening the front of a young woman's gown. The woman offered neither protest nor assistance and seemed to Kiram strangely docile in the man's hands. Kiram wasn't sure but he thought he recognized Atreau's voice as the young man murmured sweetly to the woman. Kiram, Javier and Elezar skirted the couple-the woman's dress was now up around her waist-slinking through the shadows of rosemary hedges they reached the kitchen door.
Inside, only the faint glow of embers in the hearth offered any illumination. An aged dog glanced up from the hearthstones but only wagged its tail as it caught sight of Elezar.
"Wait here," Elezar whispered.
He strolled through the gloom of the kitchen, going first to the dog and patting its big head, then his figure receded into the darkness of the scullery. Kiram could smell the tang of Cadeleonian yeast and cow's butter hanging in the air.
Elezar returned with three tallow candles and thrust them to Javier. Kiram caught a pungent whiff of their animal odor even at a distance.
"I figured you'd be able to light them," Elezar said.
Javier scowled at the candles and for a brief moment Kiram thought Javier found them too rank to light. But then he realized that to set the candles aflame Javier would have to open the white hell.
"We'll attract less attention if we go through the dark," Kiram said.
Elezar snorted derisively.
"Sure. No one will notice us crashing into pots and knocking over cooking stools," Elezar replied. "We'd be very stealthy then."
"I'm just saying that too much light might attract someone. Maybe we could leave the door open to let in the moonlight." Kiram's attention wasn't really on the argument but on Javier's silence and the close tension of his body-the shaking intake of a single breath then its painfully slow release.
"Just light the candles," Elezar said.
All three of them stood in the dark for what seemed far too long.
Then a huge flash of white light flared up from Javier's hand. Elezar's frown and Javier's clenched brow were both clearly illuminated. Kiram guessed that his own expression of concern was probably caught by the sudden burst as well. The light dimmed in an instant to be replaced by flickering candle flames.
Something like suspicion still showed in Elezar's expression.
"My nose hurts," Kiram announced, hoping to draw Elezar's attention from Javier.