Under_The_Whispering_Door_by_TJ_Klune
“But you’d know what to expect.” He realized how it sounded the momenthe said it. “Which is why we unexpect.”“Exactly,” Hugo said, as if that made any kind of sense. Wallace waslearning it was easier just to go with it. It kept his sanity mostly intact. Hugowent to the pantry, frowning at the contents as he stood in front of it. Wallacelooked over his shoulder. More jars lined the shelves, each with a differentkind of tea inside. Unlike the ones behind the counter in the front of the shop,these weren’t labeled. Most of them were in powder form.“Matcha?” Hugo muttered to himself. “No. That’s not right. Yaupon? No.That’s not it either, though I think it’s close.”“What are you doing?”“Trying to find what tea will best fit our guest,” Hugo said.“You did this with me?”He nodded as he pointed toward a dark powder toward the top of theshelf. “You were easy. Easier than almost anyone I’d ever had before.”“Wow,” Wallace said. “First time anyone’s said that about me. I don’tknow how I feel about that.”Hugo was startled into laughter. “That’s not—oh, you know what I meant.”“You said it, not me.”“It’s an art,” Hugo said. “Or at least that’s what I tell myself. Picking theperfect tea for a person. I don’t always get it right, but I’m getting better atit.” He reached for a jar, touching the glass before pulling his hand back.“That’s not it either. What could—ah. Really? That’s … an acquired taste.”He took a jar from the shelf, filled with twisted, blackened leaves. “Not oneof mine. I don’t think I could grow it here. Had this imported.”“What is it?” Wallace asked, eyeing the jar. The leaves looked dead.“Kuding cha,” Hugo said, turning toward the opposite counter to preparethe tea. “It’s a Chinese infusion. The literal translation is bitter nail tea. It’susually made from a type of wax tree and holly. The taste isn’t for everyone.It’s very bitter, though it’s said to be medicinal. It’s supposed to help clearthe eyes and head. Resolves toxins.”“And this is what you’re going to give him?” Wallace asked, watching asHugo pulled a twisted leaf from the jar. The earthy scent was pungent,causing Wallace to sneeze.“I think so,” Hugo said. “It’s unusual. I’ve never had someone take this teabefore.” He stared at the leaf before shaking his head. “Probably nothing.
Watch.”Wallace stood next to him as Hugo poured hot water into the same set ofteacups he’d used when Mei brought Wallace the first night. Steam billowedup as he set the teapot down. He held the leaf between two fingers as helowered it gently into the water. Once it was submerged, the leaf unfurledlike a blooming flower. The water began to darken to an odd shade of browneven as the leaf lightened in color to an off-green.“What do you smell?” Hugo asked.Wallace leaned forward and inhaled the steam. It clogged his nostrils, andhe wiggled his nose as he pulled back. “Grass?”Hugo nodded, obviously pleased. “Exactly. Underneath the bitterness, ithas an herbal note with an aftertaste that’s like lingering honey. You have toget through the bitter to find it, though.”Wallace sighed. “One of those things where you say one thing but meansomething else.”Hugo smiled. “Or it’s just tea. Doesn’t need to mean something when it’salready so complex. Try it. I think you might be surprised. It probably needsto steep longer, but it’ll give you a good idea.”He thought back to the proverb hanging in the tea shop. Hugo must havebeen thinking the same thing as he handed Wallace the cup and said, “It’syour second.”Honored guest.Wallace swallowed thickly as he took the cup from Hugo. It wasn’t lost onhim that this was the closest they could ever get to touching. He felt Hugo’sgaze on him as they both held the cup longer than was necessary. Eventually,Hugo dropped his hand.The water was still clear, though the brown tinge had given way to a greencloser to the color of the leaf. He brought it to his lips and sipped.He gagged, the tea sliding down his throat and blooming hotly in hisstomach. It was bitter, yes, and then the grass hit and it tasted like he’d eatenhalf a lawn. The honey afternote was there, but the sweetness was lost by thefact that Wallace hated everything about it. “Holy crap,” he said, wiping hismouth as Hugo took the teacup back. “That’s terrible. Who the hell woulddrink that willingly?”He watched as Hugo brought the cup to his own lips. He grimaced as histhroat worked. “Yeah,” he said, pulling the cup away. “Just because I love
- Page 135 and 136: They all fell into a schedule of so
- Page 137 and 138: One of the other women said, “My
- Page 139 and 140: “Because he doesn’t want to,”
- Page 141 and 142: Wallace bit back a sharp retort whe
- Page 143 and 144: stumbled around, making promises to
- Page 145 and 146: Nelson laughed. “Refreshing. Frus
- Page 147 and 148: Hugo, for his part, didn’t look a
- Page 149 and 150: “I mean, there’s always a plea
- Page 151 and 152: came here looking more alive than s
- Page 153 and 154: Nothing.“All the time you—would
- Page 155 and 156: Desdemona gasped, pulling her hands
- Page 157 and 158: “A,” Desdemona said as the plan
- Page 159 and 160: followers, and I command you to—
- Page 161 and 162: CHAPTER12That night, Wallace follow
- Page 163 and 164: “Then why didn’t you put a stop
- Page 165 and 166: “It’s not always like this,”
- Page 167 and 168: Wallace closed his eyes. Nancy was
- Page 169 and 170: “A guardian of the doors,” Hugo
- Page 171 and 172: “What does that mean?”“I can
- Page 173 and 174: green door at the end. He walked th
- Page 175 and 176: window looked out into a familiar k
- Page 177 and 178: CHAPTER13At the beginning of his tw
- Page 179 and 180: Hugo shrugged. It was infuriating.
- Page 181 and 182: everything I’m saying right now?
- Page 183 and 184: The tea shop was busy all day. Sinc
- Page 185: “What will it take?” Wallace as
- Page 189 and 190: some … some let it become all the
- Page 191 and 192: “Obviously,” Nelson said. He re
- Page 193 and 194: Wallace bit back a retort. They wer
- Page 195 and 196: but my legs didn’t work. My arms
- Page 197 and 198: “Yes,” Hugo said.“I was murde
- Page 199 and 200: behind clouds. The tea plants looke
- Page 201 and 202: people like him.” He swallowed th
- Page 203 and 204: him and he waited, waited, waited f
- Page 205 and 206: CHAPTER15Alan tried to leave.He did
- Page 207 and 208: we’re all traveling on.”Alan sh
- Page 209 and 210: we can do it after—”“Oh, hey,
- Page 211 and 212: come. “Any specific reason?”“
- Page 213 and 214: Wallace blinked. “Oh, uh. Practic
- Page 215 and 216: “How did it go?”Hugo started to
- Page 217 and 218: CHAPTER16“Are you sure about this
- Page 219 and 220: down at his tea, muttering under hi
- Page 221 and 222: “Yes,” Wallace said. “And whe
- Page 223 and 224: The tables jumped again as Alan too
- Page 225 and 226: He hated how much he focused on it,
- Page 227 and 228: “He does,” Hugo said. He looked
- Page 229 and 230: “Or I know my limits,” Wallace
- Page 231 and 232: age. He was coldly handsome, though
- Page 233 and 234: were here in February. Speaking of,
- Page 235 and 236: him. He turned to see Alan stepping
“But you’d know what to expect.” He realized how it sounded the moment
he said it. “Which is why we unexpect.”
“Exactly,” Hugo said, as if that made any kind of sense. Wallace was
learning it was easier just to go with it. It kept his sanity mostly intact. Hugo
went to the pantry, frowning at the contents as he stood in front of it. Wallace
looked over his shoulder. More jars lined the shelves, each with a different
kind of tea inside. Unlike the ones behind the counter in the front of the shop,
these weren’t labeled. Most of them were in powder form.
“Matcha?” Hugo muttered to himself. “No. That’s not right. Yaupon? No.
That’s not it either, though I think it’s close.”
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to find what tea will best fit our guest,” Hugo said.
“You did this with me?”
He nodded as he pointed toward a dark powder toward the top of the
shelf. “You were easy. Easier than almost anyone I’d ever had before.”
“Wow,” Wallace said. “First time anyone’s said that about me. I don’t
know how I feel about that.”
Hugo was startled into laughter. “That’s not—oh, you know what I meant.”
“You said it, not me.”
“It’s an art,” Hugo said. “Or at least that’s what I tell myself. Picking the
perfect tea for a person. I don’t always get it right, but I’m getting better at
it.” He reached for a jar, touching the glass before pulling his hand back.
“That’s not it either. What could—ah. Really? That’s … an acquired taste.”
He took a jar from the shelf, filled with twisted, blackened leaves. “Not one
of mine. I don’t think I could grow it here. Had this imported.”
“What is it?” Wallace asked, eyeing the jar. The leaves looked dead.
“Kuding cha,” Hugo said, turning toward the opposite counter to prepare
the tea. “It’s a Chinese infusion. The literal translation is bitter nail tea. It’s
usually made from a type of wax tree and holly. The taste isn’t for everyone.
It’s very bitter, though it’s said to be medicinal. It’s supposed to help clear
the eyes and head. Resolves toxins.”
“And this is what you’re going to give him?” Wallace asked, watching as
Hugo pulled a twisted leaf from the jar. The earthy scent was pungent,
causing Wallace to sneeze.
“I think so,” Hugo said. “It’s unusual. I’ve never had someone take this tea
before.” He stared at the leaf before shaking his head. “Probably nothing.
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