It normally took Clem about fifteen minutes to reach the Library’s massive front doors. But talking quietly with Lei-san made it seem much shorter, and in no time at all they’d cleared the trees, with the Library sprawled out in front of them.
Lei-san’s eyes widened. “Oh, my . . . ” she breathed.
Clem grinned. “Big . . . ain’t it?”
“You obviously know how to understate,” she said, still gaping at the building with its red brick Gothic façade and towers that took up a full acre of Long Title’s massive green lawn. “Who built this?”
“I have no idea.”
They came around to the west side of the Library in time to see Benji run by on all fours, followed closely by a wildly barking Rin. Lei-san tightened her grip on Clem’s arm. “What . . . ? What were those?”
“Rin and Benji. They’re people that think they’re dogs,” Clem said as if such a concept were no stranger than canine dogs. “They’re good folks,” he amended.
Lei-san shook her head. “Please tell me that that’s the weirdest thing I’m going to see today.”
“Maybe, maybe not. Lots of odd clones.”
“Clones?”
“Yeah,” Clem said, trying to figure out how to explain the concept of clones to Lei-san, who was obviously unacquainted with higher levels of technology. He didn’t want to frighten her. “Clones are . . . copies of other people. I’m a clone. But we’re also our own people. Different personalities.”
Lei-san paused, her smooth brow creasing as she tried to grasp what Clem had told her. “So there are . . . other yous here?”
“Sorta. They look a lot like me, but I’m the only me. The only Clem.”
“That’s a relief. I think,” she smiled. “Are there any women here? Or am I the only one?”
“Yeah, there’s women here. Most of them are either from TD or listers. Though I’ve never understood where the other folks come from.”
“Other folks?”
“In town. Or people like you. Where did you come from?”
“Dzishu,” she said, the foreign, musical word sliding easily from her lips. “But, since I’m not sure where I am now I can’t really say where I came from—relative to here.”
“I get it . . . sorta . . . ” Clem said, yawning.
“Tired?” she asked.
“A little,” he admitted, holding the door open for her. She took a cautious step inside, her eyes quickly scanning the interior as if expecting an ambush. “It’s okay,” he said. “No one’s gonna hurt ya.”
“Doesn’t hurt to be careful, though,” she said, taking a few more steps. Her face went slack with wonder as she tried to take in the massive wooden bookshelves, row after row after row all leading to the massive stone fireplace at the other end of the great hall. She turned, gazing up at the balcony that ringed the room on three sides, its wrought-iron railing directly opposite from more bookshelves that lined the walls. “Books? When you said library I didn’t think it was literal.”
“Lots of books,” Clem said, yawning again despite himself, “on nearly anything you’d want to read about. And much more.”
They continued down the corridor formed by the shelving units to the common area, with its scattering of couches and armchairs. “Is it . . . safe to rest here?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Clem said, plopping down on one of them. Maybe it was the excitement of meeting Lei-san, or the pain pill he’d taken, or a combination of both, but he was quickly getting very sleepy, and a nap was the only thing he wanted at the moment.
There was movement at his side as Lei-san sat down next to him. “When we get back I’ll fix you something to eat, and then you need rest.”
“Okay,” he said, too tired to do anything except agree. He looked down at his hand, smiling. “It’s not hurtin’ as much now.”
“Well, good,” she said, laying her head on his shoulder. “It’s the first thing that’s gone right for me in a while.”
Clem grinned, heaving himself back up onto his feet. “Let’s go find some food.”
As they turned towards the doors that would lead up to the kitchen Dante bopped through them. “Hey, Clem! You’re up!” His gaze moved to Lei-san. “Who’s your friend?”
“Hey,” Clem said, smiling lazily. “Dante, this is Lei-san. Lei-san . . . this is Dante.”
“Hiya,” Dante said.
Lei-san looked from Dante to Clem and back again, her eyes carefully studying their almost identical features. “Is he . . . a clone too?”
Dante grinned. “Yup.”
“We’re sorta cloned from the same person,” Clem explained. “But he’s got a lot of his mother in him.”
“Yeah,” Dante beamed. “Half-Mich, half-Nesmith, all trouble.”
“This is . . . confusing,” Lei-san said.
“It gets easier,” Clem said, leaning on the wall.
“You all right, Clem?” Dante asked.
“Tired,” Clem admitted.
“Well, why don’tcha go on home and get some sleep?”
“We’re gettin’ some groceries.”
“Hey, look—why don’t you two go on back and I’ll bring some down to you,” Dante said.
“Y’don’t mind?”
Dante grinned. “‘Course not. I don’t really have anything else to do, anyway.”
“That’s . . . very kind of you,” Lei-san said, smiling shyly.
Clem smiled at the teenager’s generosity. “Thanks.”
Dante winked. “No problem. Now you two lovebirds git.” He turned on his heel, heading up the stairs to the kitchen.
Lei-san looked at Clem, her cheeks flushed a dusky red that contrasted sharply with her wide blue eyes. “Love . . . birds?”
Clem blushed as she nervously toyed with a lock of her hair, trying not to look at his face. “I . . . I hope I haven’t unduly given that impression. I mean . . . we don’t even know each other, really.”
Clem had to admit he wouldn’t have minded if she had given that impression. “We . . . just met,” he said finally.
“Yes, we have,” she said, clearing her throat. “Shall we follow the young man’s instructions and return you home?”
“Sure,” Clem said, sleepily following her as she expertly led him back to the cabin, needing no directions despite the fact she’d never gone either to or from the Library before. “M’more tired than hungry anyway.”
“Then you’ll sleep, and I’ll make something to eat when you get up,” she said, closing the door behind her.
Clem nodded, his gaze focused only on the bed and its inviting softness. She pulled the covers back on the bed, then quickly stepped away. “I’ll, um . . . go outside and let you sleep.”
“Naw,” Clem said. “There’s a hideaway in th’couch. You can sleep there . . . unless you want the bed?”
Lei-san quickly shook her head. “No, no. It’s your house, you bed—I shouldn’t be taking anything from you.”
Clem stretched out on the bed with a sigh, too tired to argue. He didn’t even take off his boots. “It’s . . . okay . . . ” he murmured.
Lei-san hesitated, then picked up the soft, brightly colored wool blanket from from on top of her pack. She shook it out, then draped it over him as he drifted to sleep.
~~~~~
Lei-san watched him for a long time, finally retreating to the couch, where she curled up, drawing her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on her knees. “Oh, who are you kidding,” she murmured to herself, watching Clem’s peacefully sleeping form. “You’ll do him no good by staying.” She sighed. She was a jinnae, a Cursed One, rejected by her society and shoved away from her people. Those who came in contact with her only got hurt. Or worse. I should leave. I should get up and leave this house and never come back.
But as she looked at Clem, she knew she wouldn’t.
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