The Verenthenon was beautiful, and Brin hoped he would be impressed. While not forbidden, the rotunda was reserved for official business, which left it empty much of the time. Brin had been there often as she attended every meeting conducted beneath the dome. She also found it a good place to write when the weather was bad.
“Here, I want to show you something.” She pulled him up a flight of stairs to the platform where Persephone and Nyphron made their speeches. The sunlight shone through the skylights, but it was late in the day and the dais wasn’t illuminated. She led him to its center and then whispered in his ear. “Say something.”
Her heart beat quickly with the intimacy of being so close, her lips so near to him.
“Something,” he said, and his eyes went wide in amazement at the tremendous volume produced. “How did you do that?” he exclaimed. Spoken louder, these words echoed. He turned, searching for the speaker who was mimicking him. Then the truth dawned, and he smiled.
Brin smiled, too.
She led him off the stage, and they circled around and went out to the tiered benches. “This is where all the important people sit when Nyphron and Persephone are addressing them.”
She took Tesh’s hand again and led him across the tile to a door in the back.
“I discovered a world of hallways and doors beneath this place. I tried nearly every one. Most are open but some are fastened shut. Behind a few, I’ve heard noises. Maybe they keep some livestock down here: goats or pigs. Haven’t seen any, but it’s kinda interesting. Come on, I’ll show you.”
* * *
—
They dipped their heads under an arch, descended a set of stone steps, and entered a carved-out passageway. The upper portion of the corridor was made of blocked stone, the lower section hewn from natural rock. They were entering the body of the butte, and Tesh had to admit it was a little creepy, like going into a cave. Still, he didn’t care. He was alone with her and that was all he wanted.
“Did you get your armor?” Brin asked as she grabbed a torch and led him down the steps.
“No.”
“You couldn’t find Roan?”
“Oh, I found her. It’s just—they want me to wait. I’m not sure why.”
He knew exactly why. They said he would grow out of it in just a few months. He was the only one who could go toe-to-toe with Sebek. They’d sparred twelve times, but he was too young for armor. He wasn’t going to tell her that.
“You came down here by yourself? Isn’t this a little scary?”
Brin shrugged. “I’ve seen worse. I went with Persephone to Neith, and let me tell you, dwarfs know how to dig deep. This is nothing.”
“Oh, right,” Tesh said. “You fought a raow, didn’t you? I suppose this is a walk in a dewy field next to that.”
She waved the torch at a clot of cobwebs, burning them away. “It’s a little scary, but not with you—not with Techylor who’s fought Sebek twelve times and only received one scratch.”
She has been watching!
“Speaking of scary,” he said, “have you had any more visits from the raow?”
“No, just that one night.”
She stopped at the bottom of a narrow corridor. Across from them, an open door revealed a small chamber with dry straw on a dirt floor. Brin stared at it as if trying to make up her mind about something.
Tesh had an idea what it was—at least he hoped he did. There were few places in the city where two people could be alone.
Tesh moved past her into the room. “It’s all right. Nothing to worry about in here, see?”
She stood in the hallway, watching him with big eyes, biting her lower lip.
Tesh put his hand to the wall. “Stone is dry.” He sniffed. “No mildew or mold. Not a bad little place. Nicer than my home in Dureya actually.”
Brin placed the torch in a sconce outside and entered, taking unusually short steps.
As she moved toward him, Tesh found he had to take two breaths to gain the same amount of air. He placed his hands on her hips, drawing her closer. As he did, he noticed Brin was having the same issue with the air, her chest rising and falling. Tesh leaned in, pressing against her. She was trembling; he was, too. Their lips, less than a finger’s width apart, drew in a common breath.
His arms slipped around her. She answered by closing her eyes. Then as his lips touched hers, Brin arched up, meeting him.
Tesh had never kissed a girl before. The moment he felt the press of her lips, he stopped thinking.
Nearly every combat instructor had stressed the need to be in the moment, to not be pondering the future or past. Such a thing wasn’t as easy as it seemed. So much of everything was held in the vessel of what came before and the anticipation of what came next. Blocking out those thoughts was as hard as forgetting he existed. Tesh was certain he’d never achieved that singular state of perfection, never even knew what he was aiming for, until that kiss. In one flawless moment, Tesh forgot the rest of the world. He might have stood pressed against Brin for hours, or days, lost in the smell of her skin, the feel of her hair. His only thought: I can’t believe I’m really doing this.
Legs weak, they slid down the wall to the dirt and straw. Some part of him wondered how he was still getting air, but it was a thought with no more substance than the cobwebs.