The Ether Witch

“This is ridiculous.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I don’t need to stay in bed for–”

“Don’t tire yourself out trying to argue with me,” Tam cut Eli’s protest off as he proceeded to roll up the sleeves of his white tunic while looking in the full length wood rimmed mirror.

“My lord–”

“Tam.”

“Fine! Tam! There! Tam, I’m bored! There has to be something I can be doing!”

The future duke turned around and lifted an eyebrow as he stared at Eli in silence.

It was the morning after her brother’s visit, and she was sitting upright in their bed wearing a cream satin long shirt with faint silvery flowers in its print, and were it not for the fan of hair that stuck straight up and waved about in the air with every movement, she would have looked terribly lovely.

Instead she looked hilariously lovely to Tam.

“Don’t you have any hobbies?” he asked with genuine curiosity.

“When would I have had time for hobbies?” Eli demanded with unbridled irritation.

Tam barely resisted smiling. She had become completely unguarded with him in showing her irritations and it made him far happier than it should’ve.

“Well then it sounds like it’s a great opportunity to find some.” Tam couldn’t resist the smile any longer at her exasperation. “And don’t go hovering around Luca during his lessons. He’ll figure out how to pay attention once they start giving him tests. The tutor will communicate with us if he thinks we need to intervene.”

Eli’s shoulders slumped forward. “My l– Tam. Tam, we need to figure out how you can induce a bout of madness for Lord Guk. If you are around him too obviously then someone could suspect you.”

Tam’s gaze drifted up to the ceiling.

“Bong will charm the serving staff and lace the mead. I’ve already decided to switch the drug from the first one to make it harder to trace. This one will involve two doses. So even if others around Lord Guk drink the same thing, they won’t have any side effects. Neither will he until he gets pricked with the other drug.”

“What drugs are these…?” Eli wondered while blinking intently with a frown.

“The last time we used a basic mushroom infused oil, this time we are using a hearty nutmeg mead. Everyone else will feel like they are in great moods, but once Jeong or Bong shake hands with Lord Guk, they will transfer marij to him both topically and with a prick to ensure he gets the full effects.”

“Marij? Isn’t that a common pipe tobacco?”

Tam cleared his throat sheepishly. “Yes, though my mother has managed to oversee that its more potent oils are harvested, and when mixed with the nutmeg ingredient, it will heighten the hallucinogenic effects while also making him less prone to violence. I happened to have brought some with me for this trip.”

“Won’t people be suspicious about Bong and Jeong given that they were around for the two other poisonings? Also why would your mother do such a thing to pipe tobacco?”

“Well they… They own brothels she was just trying to figure out what was being sold to her patrons.” Tam cleared his throat before plundering on. “And people might be suspicious of them… Until the third incident. We’ll make sure they are on their way to Gondol and couldn’t possibly be able to poison anyone. In the meantime, I’ll have to break into Lord Guk’s home and tamper with his space a bit to help the gossip amongst the servants.”

Eli got up from the bed hastily, despite Tam staring at her disapprovingly.

“You’re breaking into his house?! That’s far too dangerous to do by yourself!”

Tam shrugged. “I’ve done it before in significantly better guarded places.”

“Right,” Eli scoffed in disbelief. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Be socially adept?”

Eli snorted, unable to help herself.

Seeing this, Tam decided to extend his list. “Command a room? Make moving speeches? Eat while keeping my back straight? Be ambitious?”

“You don’t think you’re ambitious?” This time Eli’s laugh wasn’t as humored as it was skeptical.

Tam blinked at her seriously. “I’m doing all of this because this is expected of me. Not because I really want to.”

Eli’s expression turned enigmatically still. “What ambitions of your own do you have?”

Tam’s gaze lowered thoughtfully, though he still smiled. “I’m working that out for myself, but the first thing that comes to mind is a peaceful paperwork position, a house where every wall is a bookshelf… A life with more time for… for my own family, in a space of my own.”

He turned hesitant at saying the words of ‘his own family’, but Eli caught on quickly enough, and blushed instantly.

“Are there any personal ambitions of your own? Aside from becoming a Daxarian magistrate so that you can make the world a better, more fair place?” Tam folded his arms as he asked the question, his head tilted as he waited to hear her answer.

“I…” Eli trailed off. There was that same hardness in her features that, while not exactly illuminating as to her emotions, did show Tam that there was some bigger meaning behind the question…

The silence and distress in her eyes prompted Tam to interject carefully. “It’s alright. You don’t need to tell me.”

Turning to the door Tam’s mind had already started shifting to his tasks for the day, when Eli stepped in front of him, the back hairs on her head fluttering like a bird’s almost making Tam laugh… But given her determined gaze he could tell that was a bad idea.

“When are you planning on breaking into Lord Guk’s house?”

“Tonight.”

“What?! That’s too soon!”

Tam reached for the door around her. “We lost too much time with my absence.”

“I’ll go with you.”

Tam’s eyes cut to her. “Do you have a lot of experience breaking into heavily guarded homes?”

“No, but I could be waiting with the carriage to take you away. That way you won’t have anyone to worry about hiding you, and besides, Jeong and Bong will be keeping Lord Guk busy tonight, correct?”

Tam let out a breath of agitation. “You have worked enough to earn some time off. I’ll–”

“My lord,” Eli enunciated through her teeth. “I will rest for today, but I will be doing this with you as your assistant tonight.”

Tam’s eyebrows rose, but could tell that there was no point in arguing with her anymore or he’d be late for his appointment to meet with her brother… And given that he had not disclosed he was doing such a thing, he couldn’t quite explain to her the importance of his timely departure.

“Fine. But if there is any trouble, you will leave immediately. That’s an order for my assistant understood?”

Eli nodded reasonably and offered her hand to him as though to shake in agreement to the deal.

Chortling, Tam took her warm palm in his own, and noted that while her palms were small, her fingers were long…

He felt that damnable urge to hold her, kiss her… Gods. Everything. He wanted to do everything to her, and she must have seen it in his eyes because she swallowed, and stepped aside so he could leave.

“I hope you have a successful day studying.”

“Thank you,” Tam returned, sounding a bit more gruff than he meant to.

Luckily, Eli didn’t seem to notice as she was focused on averting her stare and fidgeting.

Clearing his throat, Tam finally was able to leave the room, though it suddenly felt like there were weighted shackles around his ankles as he did so that tried to keep him there.

Giving his head a shake, Tam shoved an impressive amount of force into his focus and willpower and managed to return his attention to the matter of Eli’s brother, and Chul Nam’s assistant, Yun, who was more than a little obsessed with her.

***

Lang Tea, as it turned out, was busy every minute of every day.

With its serving staff trained better than any other in Junya on the proper way to prepare the wide selection of teas they offered, and the bright, friendly atmosphere, it wasn’t hard to understand why.

Though Tam had been correct in his foresight that booking a room for his discussion with Eli’s brother was going to be the only way to have a more private discussion with him.

For their meeting, Tam had made a point of dressing simply, and in Daxarian clothes.

While he wouldn’t have made the choice if he were meeting with Yun as well, when he considered the gentle nature of Chul Nam, had a hunch he’d need to appear more approachable and harmless.

One’s wardrobe is like their armor. It will subtly set the tone for your daily battles. His mother had always counseled him…

And while his sister, Kat, had made a point of ignoring the advice, Tam on the other hand had leaned into it.

For years it had only been to hide himself from anyone who could become interested in him, but for this particular trip, he found himself using the advice in all kinds of situations.

“Name?” A pretty server of the tea house asked, breaking through Tam’s thoughts as he stepped up to the glowing oak podium that had previously been blocked from view by a couple that were waiting to be seated.

“Voll. Joe Voll. I’m meeting a friend.”

The hostess smiled again, peered at the scroll in front of her, then nodded. “Wonderful. Your guest is already here, please follow me.”

Tam nodded, and moved toward the stairs that would take them above the crowd of patrons filling the middle of the room.

One extravagant detail of the building that Tam had not noticed during his first visit with Lord Kin as it had been nighttime when he had been there, but the slanted ceiling that climbed to a paneled point… Was made of glass. It allowed the entire building to be flooded with bright sunlight that cast the plants on the walls in a magical glow, and illuminated the beautiful swirling steam from the various tea pots and cups, and tasty snacks on the tables before the patrons.

Tam marveled the sight, and found himself once again thinking that he needed to make a point of bringing Eli there. He also found himself feeling a twinge of jealousy over having a sound roof made of glass… He wondered if he could speak to Lord Kim about receiving the designs of how it could be done…

“Here you are, Mr. Voll,” the woman called Tam’s attention back to his present objective as she smiled and inclined herself to him while gesturing him through the sliding door, though standing just behind the hostess was Yun, looking wildly unhappy to see Tam.

“You’re late to meet Lord Nam,” the assistant informed him curtly.

“I was delayed while tending to my wife,” Tam returned breezily as he watched Yun’s eyes narrow fractionally.

Apparently the assistant was trying to stay in better control of his emotions this time.

Ah well, Tam simply took pleasure in being able to refer to Eli as his wife. Even if it was pretend.

Ignoring him, Tam proceeded into the room, and smiled at Chul who looked up from the table that was already set with a white teapot decorated with delicate yellow flowers that matched the cups.

“Mr. Voll! I hope you don’t mind, but I already ordered us some citrus ginger tea!”

Tam noted that the Zinferan nobleman was wearing a bright plum silk shirt with glittering gold designs patterned on the material, and while this color suited the young man better than the garish red outfits he had worn before, it still seemed far too ostentatious for his nature.

“Not at all, my apologies for being late.” Tam closed the sliding door with its white paper smartly, catching one last look at the disgruntled expression Yun wore as he loitered outside.

“I overheard you say you were tending to my sister, is she alright?”

“Oh, yes. If you recall yesterday I said she has a tendency to overwork herself, and so I was making sure she didn’t start straining herself today… She’s stubborn, you see.”

“Both our parents are stubborn,” Chul informed Tam with a kind smile. “She comes by it honestly. Though, her work ethic must come from our grandfather. The previous Lord Nam.” Chul’s eyes lowered, and Tam didn’t need to ask to know that the man must have passed more recently.

“Did Yun serve your father before serving you?” Tam switched the conversation while pouring his own tea. He didn’t want to intrude more than he already was into Eli’s history…

“No, his father serves my father. But he’s been studying to become my assistant since before I was born.”

Tam nodded without revealing his thoughts. “I see.”

“Yesterday, you… You more or less said I should be careful of Yun. I-I know I’m not as dignified as he is, or, or as well spoken, but I am doing the best I can to become a worthy successor of my family!” Chul’s hands had curled into fists on his lap, and his thumbs rubbed the sides of his index fingers nervously… As though he were fighting off the urge to fidget…

“Eli fidgets non stop,” Tam blurted without thinking.

Chul blinked, and sat up straighter. “R-Really? I was punished all the time for doing it.” He smiled, his eyes fixed on the teacup in front of him. “I guess we are a little alike even without us growing up together.”

“I’m sorry that your visit with her did not go as planned,” Tam said kindly.

Chul swallowed with difficulty. “It’s strange. She’s absolutely right about how we don’t know each other anymore, but I’ve always felt like I’ve missed her. I suppose I’m odd like that, but… I’d do anything for her. I just hope she is happy.”

Tam gave him a sympathetic smile. “I’ll do my best to make it so.”

Chul nodded then sniffed. He was obviously about to start crying again and so he reached for his teacup, but Tam noticed the tremor in his hands.

“Is there any other reason you would want Eli to return with you to your parents home…?”

Chul blushed tellingly.

Despite having asked on a whim, Tam straightened in alarm. Perhaps the young man was craftier than he let on.

“There is… A small reason, but of course, whatever she wants I have no problems abiding by… but… well… I-I won’t have children of my own. So-So I just wanted her to know her eldest son– Luca? He… He can inherit the title if he’d like.”

Whatever Tam had been expecting, it wasn’t that.

And then it all came together.

Yun wanted Eli and the title that would come with it… no wonder he had been after her so aggressively.

Only Tam and their supposed offspring now stood in the way.

A sense of ominous foreboding crept into Tam, and so perhaps he didn’t have quite as much tact as he should have when he asked.

“Why can’t you have children?”

Chul ducked his head. “My… My preferences don’t… They don’t align with the gender that would be condusive to-”

He was gay.

Tam blinked.

“O-Of course I have two other sisters, so it really is not in any way to pressure Elisara, but she deserved to have the first say. I haven’t told my parents yet about… About this, and I guess I didn’t want to say anything yet, but I had always wanted to talk to Elisara, and just felt as though she might understand.”

Letting out a breath, Tam realized that he couldn’t keep Eli from having this information, and resolved to tell her everything that night.

Though there was still one thing he needed to do.

“Chul, I will communicate with my wife about what you have told me, and I wish you nothing but the best. I bear absolutely no ill will to you… but that said, there is one thing I will recommend you do.”

“What’s that?” Chul looked at Tam hopefully, his eyes still shining.

If only he knew the weight of Tam’s next words…

“You need to fire your assistant.”

Chul’s jaw dropped, and Tam proceeded to reach for his own cup. “I think he might be an even bigger antagonist than you realize.”

“His family has served ours for three generations! I can’t just turn my back on that kind of loyalty.”

“If he were truly interested in maintaining loyalty he wouldn’t push you around. He’s using you. And I think he wanted to use Eli, too, if he knows your secret about passing along the title to her son.”

“No, that can’t… That can’t be!”

“Are you really going to say you haven’t noticed how obsessed he is with her?”

“I… I… He just wants… Just wants what’s best–”

“Chul, I’m not trying to make things difficult, and by all means, think about this for yourself, but… I will say this, because I have a hunch; ask Yun’s father directly if he knew anything about Eli getting sent to the royal family. Hell, Yun might know already.”

The young man’s lips trembled, but he didn’t look angry… at first.

“If they… If they did? Then I won’t only fire Yun,” Chul started quietly. “I will drive their family into the ground then salt the earth.”

Tam spilled some of his tea.

The whispery threat coming from Chul had startled him soundly.

But when the words registered, Tam couldn’t help but smile in respect.

Perhaps Eli’s brother had secret sides to himself he didn’t like showing people… Just like she did.

“If my guess turns out to be true, Chul? You let me know, and you best believe I will be helping you however I can.”