Consorting with Enemies

[Jay Carpenter]

Jai

What was he thinking? Who leaves the bed of a beautiful woman to punch a dreadlord in the face? Was he bored? Was he crazy? (Don’t answer that.) It just went to prove that he was a sadist. Because here he was highly uncomfortable with the fact that Nythadri and Arikan were clearly talking about him doing horrible things he had zero memory of doing when he could be snuggled up against a naked girl. 

It shuddered a chill down his spine once more, and to think that the hand of Gaemori or Raviel had done the deed only made him mildly freak out. He scrubbed his hair repeatedly each time that Nythadri caught his eye, and he found he could practically hear her speak with a simple look combined with the tension flowing through the bond. He was more than happy to leave the Dreadlord with his bloody book, especially if rest was the destination, rest or no rest.

Yet Nythadri couldn’t leave without telling Arikan exactly what she thought of him. Jai was standing by then and was beaming with a smile for her. It wasn’t a punch in the face, but it was just as satisfying. Especially when the dreadlord simply cut a curt nod and refocused his attention back to the items on the desk. Jai’s eyes narrowed upon glimpsing a drawing stuffed between the papers, which seemed out of place unless Arikan doodled in his spare time, but whatever it was that occupied him, Jai was happy to leave him to it.

He thought he might have to peel Nythadri’s claws out of Arikan’s back before they escaped to the hall. Either way, his hand was on her shoulder as they walked, though he did not need to feel the tension in her muscles to know she was pissed. It was there for comfort.

Yet true to Nythadri, when she spoke, she sounded as if nothing at all was amiss. It reminded him of the night they met when after swimming in the sea, she returned to the ball without a single hair displaced.

“Do you want to go to Bandar Eban and check on Daryen?” She asked.

He squeezed her shoulder just enough to signal her to pause. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s the most powerful channeler I know and commands an actual army. Yes, the city is crawling with Seanchan, but I’m sure I’d know if something was wrong. Besides, it sounds like this other girl is in trouble? Elsae, yes? Is that the same girl that helped me find you, um, the night that… it snowed?” He stammered over how to say it, not wanting to remember it was the last time he saw Andreu alive. When they got into a fist fight.

“I’m not keen on going back to Tar Valon anytime soon, but it’s your call, Nythadri. I trust you.”