Wind and Stone

Chapter 4: Talfryn

Chapter 4: Talfryn

The first thing to do was open up the windows and let in a little light. Some fresh air wouldn’t go amiss, either. Talfryn moved around the small home doing so, walking through the newly illuminated dust motes to the old ladder to the loft to get the one window up there, too.

“Did this person ever clean?” asked Akton, scowling around the place.

“They were on bedrest by the end,” said Talfryn. He was trying not to think too much about the former occupant of the house, an old fisherperson who had passed on while he and Akton were out dealing with basilisk shifters and rogue militias.

“Are you sure this is what they would’ve wanted?”

“No,” said Talfryn, getting annoyed now. He swung back down the ladder and fixed Akton with a look telling him to shut up about the dead. “But it’s a good place to establish a library. Close to the center of Teorg, along the main road.”

“It’s because they lived here for eight decades. Glenna was telling me how much Teorg has grown just since she took you in.”

“Enough to finally get its own library,” said Talfryn. He took a breath and looked around the space, then descended into a coughing fit. Akton moved over and clapped him on the back.

“Careful,” he said, and retrieved the water they’d brought with the lunch Talfryn’s mother had packed for them. Glenna hadn’t objected when Talfryn told her he was buying the old house with some of his stipend from work for the queen, but he doubted she liked it. She wanted him to take over the apothecary for her eventually, and she very much wanted him to get married and move a family into the place.

“Thanks,” said Talfryn, and passed the water to Akton. “I guess to get started we ought to sweep and scrub.”

“I don’t see what you’re even going to do with the place,” said Akton, turning to observe the home. It was small, but then, Talfryn didn’t think much was needed at first.

“You’re going to put up some shelves for me.” Talfryn indicated the walls between the windows. “That should be more than enough for now. I have a few stacks of books to contribute.”

“But you travel. And I know you, Tal, you’re a healer at heart, regardless of…” Akton trailed off and they both looked awkwardly away, neither of them much caring to talk about their recent adventures.

“It’s going to be an honor system,” said Talfryn. “I’m not locking the place up. I’ll keep the bed up in the loft for anyone who needs it, and people can come and go—sign out a book at the desk I want to put there, return it when they can. Get a few places to sit in here. Hopefully once it’s all put together I’ll only have to stop by to tidy and add new books.”

Talfryn could see it already, a couple of comfortable chairs, a few benches, another table. The fisherperson’s things would have to be cleared out—the kitchen table could be kept, as could the bed in the loft—but once it was clean and the shelves were up, it would be an excellent place to do research or relax. He would have loved someplace like this as a child.

“I love it when you get excited like that,” said Akton, interrupting his vision. Talfryn smiled at him.

“And I love how you hate it but are still here with me.”

“I don’t hate it,” said Akton immediately. “I just don’t see the point.”

Talfryn stepped closer and took Akton’s hand.

“What if your sister wanted to know how to identify a rock she dug up? She could come here, trade a little, and research it—maybe it’s worth something. What if your niece wanted to study in a larger city? Having an accessible library would help with that. What if all of you up in the mountains are tired of passing the same five novels around? You could borrow one from here for a few months.”

Akton turned to him, mischief in his eyes.

“All right, I concede. You have a point.”

“You capitulated fast,” said Talfryn, leaning in for a kiss. “Usually you’re more stubborn than this. What do you want?”

Akton closed the gap between them and brought their lips together. Talfryn responded, kissed back, wrapped his arms around Akton, and grabbed his ass. They’d had a bit of hurried s*x in Talfryn’s room at the apothecary since they’d returned, but it had been quick, hands and mouths without getting fully undressed together. Talfryn’s heart sped as their mouths met hungrily. He wanted more.

Akton pulled back a little.

“I think you know what I want,” he said. Talfryn glanced to the windows. “I’ll pull the curtains again, you get your clothes off.”

They kissed again. Talfryn had his shirt halfway off when a knock at the door caused Akton to swear.

“I’ll get it,” said Talfryn, pulling his clothes back on and crossing to the door, checking himself quick to see just how visible his bulge was. At the moment, not much, and the loose shirt helped. Akton remained standing by the window.

Talfryn opened the door to a tired-looking rider, horse just beyond her in the street. She dug around in her satchel until she pulled out a thick piece of paper, folded and sealed. When Talfryn took it he saw Queen Ylenia’s seal on it, fuchsia wax, hawk imprint dusted gold. He glanced back up at the rider, who yawned.

“I’ll be at the local inn tonight,” she said. “Bring your response there.”

Talfryn thanked her and turned back to Akton, seeing the question on his face.

“It’s a letter from Ylenia,” he said.

“s**t,” said Akton.