The Yellow Silk - Don Bassingthwaite [69]
"I got lost." Laera found her voice. "A woman found me."
"Rana," said Veseene. She pushed past Tycho and sat on the couch, drawing Laera down beside her. "She saw you two at the Ease last night and when she couldn't get any sense out of Laera, she brought her here. I got her calmed down. She told me what happened last night. She also told me what else has been going on during her music lessons."
"Nothing has been going on! Nothing!" Tycho stepped up and knelt down in front of the couch. "It was just-"
Veseene's hand darted out and slapped him.
The blow wasn't hard, but it hurt him more than Tycho could have imagined. He looked down at the floor in shame then up again. He turned to Laera. "It was flirting, Laera. That was all. I'm sorry." He stuck out his chin. "Go ahead," he said, "take a shot."
Laera didn't hesitate. Her slap had more strength behind it, though, and it caught his lip against his teeth. Tycho reached up and touched his mouth. His finger came away with a spot of blood on it. He wiped it on his pants. "Better?" he asked. Laera nodded. "Good." He stood up. "Your father is looking for you."
"I know." She looked up at him. "He's already been here. It was the first place he looked."
Tycho blinked in confusion. "Then what are you still doing here?"
"I sent him away," said Veseene. "I told him I hadn't seen her."
Laera sat up straight, taking Veseene's hand in her own. "I still want to leave Spandeliyon, Tycho. I want to travel with you. If you'll have me, I want to be your apprentice."
"What?" exploded Tycho. "No! No!" He stomped around the room. "Of all the stupid… "He flung himself down on the edge of his cot. Head in his hands, he told Veseene and Laera everything. Her uncle's duplicity brought another gasp from Laera, but Veseene just sat still and listened. When Tycho had finished, she gestured for him to come closer. He did.
She slapped him again and glared at Li. "Didn't I tell you he gets into enough trouble on his own?" The Shou shrugged.
"It's not all his fault," he pointed out. "It was only because he's helping me that Brin came here last night." Veseene grunted and looked back at Tycho. Her former apprentice threw up his hands.
"I'm an idiot," he said. "Go ahead. Say it." He turned to Laera. "Go home," he said. "You'll be a lot safer there. I'm not leaving Spandeliyon any time soon and I'm not even going to think about taking you as an apprentice right now. I have to go steal beljurils from one ruthless gang boss just so I have a chance at appeasing another ruthless gang boss!"
Laera folded her arms. "I don't have to leave Spandeliyon, but I'm not going back to my father's house."
Tycho stared at her in amazement for a moment before grinding his teeth together. "Bind me, you're as stubborn as he is! Fine! Just… "He searched for alternatives that would at least keep Laera out of their way. "Just stay here, then. Keep an eye on Veseene. We can sort this out after I've finished getting the Hooded good and mad at me!" He rose and went back into the back room, aiming an angry kick at Jacerryl's packs in passing.
He heard Veseene's shuffle behind him a moment later. "What is it?" he snarled. "Do you really think I should take Laera as an apprentice? I'm not ready to have an apprentice of my own!"
"Actually, I think you are," Veseene said calmly. "And I think that if Laera is willing to ride out all of the rejections you've been giving her, she might make a good apprentice, too."
Tycho turned and dug into his chest. "But half of her expectations come out of ballads and romance tales. She knows almost nothing about the world outside of Spandeliyon!" He stiffened and turned around. As he expected, Veseene's eyebrows were arched high. "Don't you dare say she reminds you of a certain Spandeliyon dock rat."