Page 12 of Monster Married
After some more talking in LaGuardia, the two of them left, and Sonyo waved to me as he went, a big smile on his face.
“They were both Raikenga,” Nokim said to me, then to Lissir, “Do you remember when we were that young?”
“Wait. That school place you all attended is near here?” I asked. “Near where the cola—Koa Esher come from?”
Lissir tugged on my wrist, and we walked on. “There are several Raiken, not just one. There is one here, though we didn’t start here. You don’t need to be scared of the Koa Esher. There are many fully trained protectors stationed at Esaka’s Raiken because it’s so close to the border. Also, while the moor is pretty on this side of the border, it is far more treacherous beyond the walls?—”
“And more haunted!” Nokim chimed in.
Lissir sighed. “And more haunted on the other side of the border. Esaka’s city wall is old and strong, and has been built with magic that helps keep everyone safe. There is nothing to be afraid of here.”
Vergis clicked his tongue. “I almost forgot about the wall. Esaka’s pretty well known for its wall, right? Wasn’t the Esaka Raiken a koto-sa-ko before?”
Nokim nodded. “Yes. You know your Aër history well, Vergis.”
“Thanks. So do you.” Vergis’s tone was flat.
Lissir sighed. “Oh, stop this. Nokim doesn’t mean to offend you, and you know it. You’re right about the Raiken. It was a koto-sa-ko before, and there will at least be one mage stationed there to periodically check on the wall. Why do you ask?”
Vergis narrowed his eyes at me. “It means they have a library with ko texts left, if we’re lucky. If we’re very lucky, there might be something in there about whatever the hell this weird twink-magic of Rory’s is.”
“Neither a twink nor magic,” I mumbled. “Well, maybe magic. I don’t know. How about we just forget about this whole magic business and never go back to the Stone of Destiny? Wouldn’t that work for everyone? Then it doesn’t matter what magic I have or don’t have because no one can use it ever again, right?”
Lissir clicked. “It works well enough for the next two to three hours, because we have other matters to attend to.” He turned a corner into a much narrower street cast in shadows thanks to the tall buildings on either side. He stopped in front of one with a door that had a sign with LaGuardia writing mounted right above it and slid it open. “Works for as long as it takes to get you two dressed nicely.”
I tried to stop, but Lissir pulled me across the threshold into an ocean of colors and fabrics. They hung on the walls and on clotheslines. Tailored shirts and pants, belts, and even shoes were set out on display shelves not too dissimilar from the ones in the department store where I’d first met Inkiri. There was even a mannequin here, except this one had horns and was taller, though somewhat narrow in the shoulders, especially compared to Inkiri and Fellisse.
“Two to three hours?” I asked in a small voice when two bagua turned their attention to us in a salesperson-like way that was clearly universal. They wore delicate-looking clothes that consisted of many layers, and both wore horn makeup—sunflower yellow and cherry, respectively—to match their clothes.
“Us two?” Vergis crossed his arms. “I didn’t sign up for this.”
Lissir turned on Vergis and grabbed his horn like he had done back at the house. “I got shot at. I bled. I nearly died. You will give me this, Vergis.” He wasn’t even overacting like I might’ve been. His delivery was flawless. He turned to me without letting go of Vergis’s horn. “Won’t you?”
“Yes!” Nokim said and clapped his hands excitedly.
I shrugged, not sure what I was getting myself into. “Sure.”
“Say that you promise.” Lissir’s coal-bright eyes twinkled.
Vergis hissed. “Let go of me already, dammit!” One of the salespeople, the one in sunflower colors, was cautiously advancing.
I lifted my chin. “Uhm, I promise.”
Vergis bit out a litany of sailor-worthy curses, before he, too, caved. “Fine, you overgrown ox, I promise.”
Satisfied, Lissir let go of Vergis’s horn. “Wonderful! You both make me so happy!”
He smiled at the salesperson, and they smiled back in a way that told me I was in for the kind of costume fitting I wasn’t going to enjoy.
Chapter 5
Over the next two to three hours—which felt like much, much longer—the eager salespeople fussed over both me and Vergis while Lissir chatted with them nearly nonstop. They’d directed our party to an area with floor cushions for Nokim and a low chair for Lissir, and they brought the two of them snacks and drinks while Vergis and I were made to try on outfit after outfit.
When Lissir switched back to English to check with me whether the sellers could touch me while they helped me in and out of way too many clothes, his accent came out much thicker. I did like that no one pawed at me, at least not without asking first. I didn’t like that I didn’t get to try any of the snacks.
Nokim and Lissir had stepped out a few minutes ago to try on something my sunflower-yellow seller had brought in for them. Sadly, he hadn’t brought in any extra snacks for Vergis and me, and I wasn’t sure whether I was allowed to ask.
Vergis had caught the attention of the seller in cherry red, who’d started a crusade to accessorizing Vergis. While I didn’t understand the words, I could read the body language well enough to understand that he was particularly enthusiastic, almost like a server who wanted to make extra sure you tipped them well.
