Page 12 of Measure of the Stars

“You are trying to politely avoid us,” Alain said.They didn’t seem particularly upset by it.Instead, they took a step closer, winding an arm around Wes’ elbow as though they were two friends taking a stroll.“We understand, but it is unnecessary.We will instruct you in a valet’s duties, and we will become very good friends.”

Wes tried to protest, but Alain dragged him along, still smiling faintly.

“Why haven’t I seen you before?”he asked, trying to slip free of their grasp as they walked into the captain’s cabin.

“We do not need to be seen at all times,” Alain said.“We alarm the sailors when we speak to our master below.But Lord Peter said that we should try to befriend you.”

“I’m sorry, did you say you have amaster?” Will asked, utterly lost.

Alain’s smile turned beatific.“Our demon.He is beautiful and vast, and he lies below, watching us.We are blessed to serve him.”

Wes quietly swore never to ask about Alain’s demon again.“Right.Good for you.”

“You are doing a good job for a man who hasn’t been a valet before,” Alain said, guiding Wes into Ned and Peter’s rooms.They were considerably bigger than Delauney’s, with a connecting chamber for servants and spacious windows.Peter, Duck, the baby, and Orla sat on a bench with a book, too engrossed to do more than glance up as Wes and Alain passed.

Despite behaving like a slightly malevolent ghost, Alain was clearly an exceptional servant.They had a chart of daily tasks, which they handed to Wes while they showed him how to press and lay out clothes for the evening.They walked Wes through their chores while Ned and his family drifted around them, pretending they didn’t exist.By the end of the night, Wes felt a little invisible, too.He shook off the disquieting feeling as he stepped into the main room between Delauney and Ned’s chambers with a shudder.

“We will meet you in the morning,” Alain said.“Two hours before dawn.”

“I appreciate the help,” Wes said, even though he wasn’t sure if that was true.Alain’s little smile broadened.

“We haven’t had a friend in a very long time,” they said.“We look forward to bonding with you in the typical fashion of living creatures.”

“Yeah,” Wes said.“Can’t wait.”

He fled into Delauney’s room, trying not to look like he was scared out of his skin.Delauney sat back in his chair at the desk, brows raised.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said.“Was it Alain?”

“I could have used a warning,” Wes said, keeping his voice down in case Alain was listening at the door.

“Oh, Alain’s harmless once you get used to them.”Delauney dropped a paper in one of the crates.“Peter explained it all to me.They’ve been in his family as a retainer for centuries, if you can believe it.They’re something of a...colony.There are around four or five people out there with the same demon, you see.There used to be more, but the way Peter describes it, they’re all in each other’s heads so much that they’re not really individual people anymore.”

“I didn’t know that demons could do that,” Wes said.

Delauney shrugged.“Most can’t, I think.This one must be special.Whatever the case, the various Oculuses out there seem to be perfectly pleasant people.”

“Well,thisOculus wants to be my friend,” Wes said, opening the clothes chest.“Does this mean I’m befriending five people at once?”

“Lucky you,” Delauney said, and laughed when Wes glared at him.“Try not to think too hard about it.You’ll be up all night, otherwise.Are you putting out my clothes?You don’t have to.”

“Alain might object.”Wes pulled out a floral vest.“What about this?”

“For a day at sea?Why not?Pair it with the green jacket and I’ll be a walking garden.Here, I’ll help.”

Wes would have told Delauney that nobles weren’t supposed to help their valets, but he didn’t have the heart for it.He moved over, letting Delauney do half the work for him as the ship gently turned from Staria, heading toward the scattered islands of Diabolos.

***

DELAUNEY WASN’T USEDto quiet mornings.Instead of scrambling to find clean clothes from the ever-looming piles, Delauney walked across a clean floor to a tidy clothing rack.Wes offered to shave him with the look of a man being held by knife-point, but at least the razor was sharp when Delauney politely declined.Everything had a place, and without a morning of frantic fumbling, Delauney actually sat down for breakfast.

It was almost irritating, if he were being honest.His parents and brother had suggested laying everything out in advance for years, but Delauney just couldn’t find the time to do it.When time was already a problem, takingmoreout to save for the future was impossible.He was a man in constant debt to time, and no amount of list-making and planning seemed to help.

Alain kept Wes hopping for the next few days.They seemed delighted at the prospect of making a friend, even though it was, so far as Delauney could tell, a little one-sided.They even showed Wes a painting another member of their colony had made.Delauney had only seen the painting one time, which was more than enough for any man.He knew when Wes had seen it, because Wes had slumped onto his cot with a cry of,how many eyes can one demon have?

After about a week, Delauney pulled Wes aside.

“I might be a touch too submissive to be waited on so efficiently,” Delauney said at last, after a good few seconds of nervous dithering.