DUALITY /#Wattys 2021

Chapter 43

"How did you do?" Ridley said. "I bet people were shocked to see you." Chi looked so handsome, dressed in a pair of soft brown slacks and a sort of cross-front sweater tunic with blue piping; not quite pajamas, but casual, and a concession to the cold weather.

"Oh, they were!" Ridley winced inwardly at the note of false jocularity in his voice. "You should have seen the sentries at the gate! They're supposed to just stare straight ahead, as you know, and then one of them broke character—" Chi leaned forward in imitation of the gesture, his eyes widening in fake shock. "'Your Highness!'" "'Soldier, please let me in. I do live here!'" Chi's lips stretched below his moustache in a perfunctory smile. "Everyone behaves the way they're trained to. 'May I get you anything, Your Highness?' And I can feel them staring when I'm not looking. Everyone's dying to know what happened that they haven't seen me in over six months, and now suddenly here I am!"

Ridley laughed, glad to have something she could say. "Can't you hear them all talking behind your back?"

"The kitchen buzzes like bees, no doubt." She looked up into his even, handsome features, those light blue eyes she loved. If only he would take her into his arms, or say something personal to her. Anything. Instead, he folded his arms over his chest. "Are you hungry or thirsty? Can I get you anything?"

"No. No, I'm fine. I ate before we left."

"That's the one thing about this. I've instructed the staff not to enter here unless I ring. You won't be able to ring down for anything, unfortunately. So, if you need anything that's not in the refrigerator, now's the time to let me know. It's there next to the bed—" he pointed. "I have some yogurt and fruit in there, and some cold drinks. I will be back for dinner, I'll order a little extra and we'll split it. Any thoughts what you might want? The kitchen will make me anything."

Ridley shrank inwardly into a fog of discomfort. How could she think of what to eat for dinner? "I can't really think about dinner now," she said, and realized her tone was giving up her disappointment in the moment. "I just—is there anything you like? As long as it isn't spicy. Surprise me."

"All right." Chi stood there. Then he tapped the side of his head. "Of course. I should show you around my humble quarters, here."

Ridley turned. "Humble" was clearly a joke. The King's bedchamber looked sparsely furnished and clean, but huge. It stretched ahead of her like a cavern. She had seen it before, on the virtual tour of Othala Chi had prepared for her when they first discussed the raid, but its size just hadn't registered then, on a little hologram.

Closest to the window, a large sitting area spread itself over a plush blue rug, around which polished hardwood floors gleamed. Two chairs, a large sofa, and a love seat in a blue and green floral pattern beckoned. A mammoth fireplace crackled with a real fire this time, ringed with a stone mantelpiece upon which sat framed family photographs. A white-canopied four-poster bed stood further into the room. Ridley hadn't known they made beds that big.

Staring her in the face, in the corner next to the balcony doors, stood the silver statue she'd seen during the virtual tour. On its head gleamed two of the twisting branches Chi had brought in the door the day they'd met, stripped, varnished, and polished.

"You finished your statue!" said Ridley. Next to it stood a long work table with dirty cloths and pots of gray and brown liquids that gave off a faint chemical smell. A drop cloth protected the floor.

"That was one thing I wanted to do before I left. I just hope the museum curator doesn't see any need to restore my restoration." Chi smiled. He indicated the room with a sweep of his arm. "Please feel free to use the sitting room, the bed, anything, while you're here. The staff doesn't come in here without my permission. I basically do my own housekeeping. Let me show you where I put your clothes."