Naamah's Kiss - Jacqueline Carey [215]
I am sorry, the dragon murmured. I did what I could.
"You did enough," I assured him.
"Do you know," the princess remarked in a deceptively casual tone. "If the two of you are intent on carrying on this very strange romance, I would rather it be done through someone else's person."
Despite everything, I laughed.
She spared me a glance, rueful humor in her dragon-reflecting eyes. "Are they here? Your ruffians?"
"There." I pointed at a modest single-horse carriage laden with such fabrics and goods as a countrywoman of means might purchase in the markets of Shuntian. Tortoise, Kang, and Ten Tigers Dai were lounging alongside it looking bored.
We hurried across the square, and I leaned in close, willing my voice to carry beyond the twilight. "Tortoise. We're here."
He jumped. "Lady Moirin?"
"Aye, and the Noble Princess," I said softly. All three of them glanced around at the empty air before them, a bit wild-eyed. I sighed. "Remember the plan?"
It took a moment, but they gathered themselves, huddling to block the carriage from view while I plucked out a green silk robe of modest quality for the princess to wrap around her crimson finery and wide-brimmed conical hats with veils for both of us—mine sheer, hers dense and opaque.
"Will it suffice?" I asked the dragon.
For now.
Snow Tiger twisted the crimson scarf in her fingers. "I would feel more certain with the blindfold," she said in a low voice.
"We cannot have a blindfolded young woman seen leaving the city," I reminded her. "And I am losing strength again. Unless you wish to—"
"No." She raised one hand to forestall me. "No, it is a long journey. I must learn to accustom myself to this. It is well. Release your magic and let us depart."
I let the twilight go with regret and relief. Color returned in a rush to the sky above, the broad backs of the stick-fighters shielding us from view. Ten Tigers Dai peeked over his shoulder and turned beet-red at the sight of the veiled princess.
"Noble Princess?" he whispered.
She inclined her head.
"No, no, no!" I paled to see Tortoise and Kang turn with awestruck faces, all three of them preparing to kneel without thinking. "From this moment onward, it is only Lady Chan Song and her maid. You may give her a respectful bow, but you do not kneel to her!"
"Forgive us," Ten Tigers Dai stammered, still red-faced. "It is only… it is only that… that…"
"It is only that we will be late if we do not leave," I said firmly, ushering Snow Tiger into the carriage. "And my lady very much wishes to be home before nightfall. So." I climbed into the carriage beside her. "Let us go."
Kang leapt into the driver's perch and took up the reins, and Tortoise and Dai settled into positions on either side of the carriage.
With that, we were off.
No one looked twice at us as we proceeded through the bustling streets of Shuntian. We were a wholly unremarkable sight. Still, I didn't relax until the guards at the southern gates of the city waved us through with barely a cursory glance.
The road opened before us. Beside me, Snow Tiger shivered—and I realized that for all her courage and strength of will, she was still a young woman leaving behind everything she had known, abandoning all her filial duties to leave home in the company of strangers.
I took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently. She startled, her veiled head swinging in my direction, but she didn't pull away. "My lady, I know how you feel," I said gently. "I have done this twice. The first night on the ship that took me from Alba's shores, I was so scared and lonely that I wept myself to sleep. I think perhaps you are one of the strongest, bravest people I have ever met. But it is all right to be afraid."
The dragon crooned in my thoughts, urging me to offer greater comfort, but I did not think she would accept more than this.
After a moment, the princess squeezed my hand in return. "Thank you."
It was a journey of several hours, but for a mercy, it was a dull one. For the first part of it, Snow Tiger was quiet and withdrawn. I left her in peace,