Marai fought her way back outside and went on to the next tavern down the street. They hadn’t seen or heard of Ruenen, either. Five other taverns later, Marai felt disheartened and rather annoyed. Had she been wrong about Ruenen? Was he actually hiding out as he should? Or maybe he wasn’t in Kaishiki at all. Maybe he’d been in the woods where the portal had originally dropped Marai. It had never been exactly precise with its locations when she’d used it before . . .
She was about to return to the woods when she overheard a conversation between two women at a table, giggling behind their fans.
“He’s been playing at the Three White Cranes for a few days. I love his music. I’ve already watched him twice. And he’s handsome, in that Middle Kingdoms way.”
Marai’s ears perked up. It was a slim chance. There could’ve been a dozen bards from the Middle Kingdoms here.
“What’s his name?” the second woman asked.
“He goes by the Prince of Bards.”
Marai’s heart leapt. Of course he would call himself the Prince of Bards.
Reckless, as always, but Marai found herself smiling under her hood. She rushed over to the Three White Cranes, on the outskirts of the city, farther from the main gate and castle. It was a smaller building made of stone and wood, not nearly as busy as the other taverns. Before Marai reached the door, she spotted three dark cloaked figures, weapons at their hips, inching towards the tavern from the shadows. They communicated silently using hand gestures and covert glances.
Bounty hunters.
If they were searching for him, they were most likely searching for Marai, as well. They’d recognize her instantly.
She crept around back and found the kitchen door, then skulked in, ignoring the cook shouting, “You can’t come in here!”
Marai stepped through the sliding door into the main tavern, which was also quite busy, but with lower-class patrons. The surrounding walls consisted of thick, translucent paper stretched over bamboo frames. The hunters hadn’t yet entered, so Marai continued to scan the crowd for him. Perhaps the hunters were waiting for Ruenen to show himself.
“Is the Prince of Bards performing here?” she asked a man sitting at the bar, drinking rice wine.
“He’s up next.”
Her pulse quickened, hands went clammy. Was she really going to see Ruenen again? What would she say to him? How would he react?
He’s alive, and that’s all that matters.
Marai took a seat next to the man at the bar and waited, too. Her eyes stayed glued to the door, watching for the hunters. Minutes passed and she heard the audience begin to applaud, her back to the stage. She didn’t have the courage to turn around and look at him, but she grinned when she heard his voice.
“Good afternoon, my fine friends. I’m the Prince of Bards!”
Marai’s heart pounded in her chest as she heard the rich strummed notes of a lute.
I’ll tell you a tale,
One that tore out my heart,
Of betrayal and abandon,
I don’t know where to start.
It’s not one of love,
Of romance and laughter,
She left me alone,
Won’dring now what comes after?
Marai snorted loudly. Ruenen was pissed.
The man next to her at the bar glowered.
It was marvelous to hear Ruenen’s sonorous voice. Giddy with relief, her grin widened in amusement. Perhaps the lyrics should have bothered her, but at that moment, Marai didn’t care that he was mad at her. She cared that he was alive. She’d take his anger over his death any day.
Stay focused. Her gaze locked on two dark figures entering the room from the main door. Marai spotted a third emerging from the kitchens. She stiffened; her hand went to Dimtoir’s hilt.
I’ll drink ‘way the mem’ries
Rip the dagger from my chest
Curse the good thoughts of her
And burn all the rest.
Gods, he really is angry, she thought briefly, tracking the movement of the hunters.
As Ruenen continued to sing his song of ire and revenge, the hunters closed in from three sides. Marai leapt to her feet and caught the attention of the nearest hunter. She pushed her cloak aside to reveal Dimtoir. Her hood fell back, and the man’s eyes lit up. The bounty on her head must have been hefty, indeed.
The other two hunters spotted Marai and halted.
Marai looked over her shoulder to make sure the three hunters followed her as she backed into the kitchens, drawing them away from innocent civilians and Ruenen.
“What’s going on? You aren’t allowed in here,” shouted one of the cooks whose apron was covered in brown sauce.
