Excerpt: Sevens

She knocked tentatively on the door. The number eight was painted in bright red at eye level. She paused, waiting for a response, then began pounding again.

“I’m coming!” a voice called from within. “Jocona above, hold on a moment!”

Just to spite him, she knocked once more before stopping. As an afterthought, she flipped her hood back and shook out her hair. The hood had acted as a good shield against most of the downpour, but her curls were still a bit damp.

The door swung open. Antoine stood, clad only in a pair of breeches. His hair was tousled, as if he had been sleeping when she woke him. Of course he was sleeping, she scolded herself. It’s past three in the morning. Normal folk don’t keep the same hours as you.

His eyes lit with surprise. “Josi?” he said, befuddled.

“The same,” she said coolly. “May I come in?”

He nodded mutely, running a hand through his hair as she stepped around him. “I hoped you’d come, but I figured it would be tomorrow,” he said, rubbing one eye, then the other. “Does this mean you’re ready to listen?”

She had her back to him as she untied her cloak with fingers that shook. “I suppose,” she said, her voice hollow. She tried not to think about what her mother would say if she saw her here right now.

Antoine pulled a few pillows from the bed onto the floor. “Come, sit down,” he offered, gesturing to her. “Rihardo’s beard, is it raining out? You’re soaked!”

Apparently her cloak hadn’t worked as well on her dress as it had her hair. “Only a bit,” she lied, coming to sit.

He stifled a yawn. “I have to say, I was surprised at your reaction back at the tavern,” he admitted. “I hardly expected you to snap at me like that.” Anger reared inside of Josi’s chest, but she worked to smother it. Antoine continued, unaware. “And I must ask, why did you choose to come now?”

“I went up to my room after work,” she said, trying to keep her voice flat and emotionless. “The owner of the tavern was there to fire me. I had nowhere else to go.”

He considered this for a moment. “Fair enough,” he finally said, “though I don’t want you to agree to this lightly. You can still spend the night, even if you say no.”

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the room around her. “Just tell me what you want.”

He launched right into it, probably worried that she would leave again. “Like I was saying before, you’re very good. Someone with your looks and talents should be able to do something besides carrying drinks around all night. There are jobs that would better utilize your skills, you know.”

That’s a new way of putting it, she criticized silently. Is he looking for bonus points for originality?

“I’ve been looking for someone like you for a long time,” he said. Oh, Lady, here he goes, Josi groaned internally. “You see, I have a bit of a—a business plan that I need a partner for.”

This was unexpected. Josi opened her eyes and looked at him. “A business plan?”

“Sort of. You see...” He faltered. “I’ve put time into how to explain this, but I’m afraid it’s still a bit confusing. See, I own some land up north. Well, technically my father does, but I’m the heir.” His mouth twisted slightly when he said ‘father’.

“What do you mean by owning land?” Josi asked slowly. “Like, a fief?”

“Yes,” he said. “My father is the Count of Cochone, so he’s responsible for the fief and the surrounding lands. The title and the fief were granted to him by King Tomas for services in the Coastal War.”

She had learned about the Coastal War when she was younger. Marise had gone to war with Saraine over the use of the northern coast. It had been settled when the two countries’ leaders came together to form a treaty, but there had been plenty of fighting. Antoine’s father must have performed some great deeds in the war to be granted such a title.

“What does that make you?” she asked shrewdly.

He waved the question off. “Nothing important. I have some land and a useless title lying around. My problem is, I’m no longer content to sit at home and help my father take care of the lands. But what am I to do with myself?”

“I suppose this is where I come in,” Josi said, her voice flat again.

“I knew you were smart,” he said. “You see, the only worthwhile thing I can think to do is to go to court.”

He waited for some sort of reaction from Josi. “I don’t think I understand,” she finally said. “How am I supposed to help you get to court? You’re the noble. What else do you need?”

“Funds,” he said simply. “Cochone isn’t a huge, sprawling fiefdom like others in the realm. The title is well enough, but I simply do not have the funds needed to succeed in the capital.”

“And where do I come in to this?” She looked down at her coarse dress. “I’m hardly an heiress here.”

“That is the simplest part!” His face lit again. “You see, I am well enough when it comes to gambling, but I think I would go mad trying to raise the funds I need by myself. But you are naturally skilled. Just think of what you could to with a bit of training!”

She stared at him. “You want me to gamble for you? That is how you plan to raise funds?”

“Not only for me,” he rushed to say. “No, for you as well!” She stared at him blankly and he sighed. “Josi, you hardly realize how good you are. I want you to come with me to the capital, to the court.”

Her eyes widened. “Wait, you want me to go to court with you?!” She wanted to continue, to say that she was no noble lady to dither over fancy suppers, and wear fancy dresses and fancy jewels and—

“Yes, as my cousin,” he said. “You would share my title and my stake at court. Wouldn’t it be fun?”

“Fun,” she said flatly. “Let’s go to court, it will be fun?”