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I nodded.
“Will you tell me who this is, if I ask?” the Sieur enquired casually.
“I will but I would ask you not to ask.” I looked straight at him. “If we compromise that person’s safety, we can’t expect help from that quarter again. We recovered the Kellarin artefacts, Messire. I judged that more important than bringing the thief before your justice.”
“Did you?” Fresil plainly disagreed. “Young Temar holds your oath now, does he?”
I kept my eyes on the Sieur. “I serve D’Olbriot in serving D’Alse
The Sieur’s smile came and went. “I don’t want to curb your initiative, Ryshad, but I said you were to inform myself or Camarl of such plans. I’m surprised I failed to make myself clear.”
I looked at the expensive carpet. “I’m sorry, Messire.”
“I also thought I’d made it plain D’Alse
I stared at the Sieur’s diamond-studded shoe buckles.
“Enough of this,” snorted Leishal crossly. “What are we going to do about Tor Bezaemar?”
“We buy their timber for props and for charcoal for the Layne mines,” said Ustian promptly. “Den Ferrand has land over that way that could supply us instead.”
“Tor Bezaemar hides keep our ta
“We could split it between them and Den Gaerit,” suggested Ustian.
“What about closer to home?” Leishal demanded. “Where are Tor Bezaemar holdings in Toremal in relation to our own?”
“Myred, the city plans.” The Sieur snapped his fingers at his son before glancing at me. “What are you waiting for?”
“Your orders, Messire,” I said politely.
“Would you take them, if I gave them?” he asked lightly. “I’m sorry, that was unworthy of us both.” He sighed. “Finish this Festival as you started it, Ryshad, watching over D’Alse
Camarl looked up, startled, as he unrolled a detailed plan of the northern side of the bay.
“Never mind that.” Leishal was bending over the parchment. “Look here, we own the road that gives access to all these Tor Bezaemar holdings.”
“So we do.” Fresil smiled with happy malevolence. “I’m sure it’s time we levied a toll thereabouts to pay for remaking the roadbed?”
“Those are mostly tapestry weavers in that district?” The Sieur stood and turned his back on me, taking a ledger from a shelf and leafing through it. “Camarl, make sure none of our spi
I left, closing the door softly behind me.
“So they didn’t skin you for a hearth rug, then?” The footman waiting in the corridor gave me a nod.
“Not this time.” I walked swiftly away. If the i
“Enter,” Avila snapped. She sat at the table, artefacts spread out before her, ru
“What did the Sieur want with you?” asked Temar.
“To remind me where my oath rests.” I looked at Avila. “Is everything there?”
“Thus far.” She looked up at me. “What plot is Guliel hatching with those brothers of his?”
I rubbed a hand over my face and wished for a shave. “As close to outright war with Tor Bezaemar as he can manage, without actually calling out the barracks.”
“On Temar’s unsupported word?” Avila hushed his indignation with a curt word.
“The Sieur and Esquires must have their own reasons for suspecting Tor Bezaemar’s ill faith,” I told her. “I can’t imagine they’d be doing this otherwise.” I wondered what the Sieur knew that the rest of us didn’t.
“What are they doing?” Temar demanded.
“Wherever their businesses touch on each other, wherever Tor Bezaemar holdings or tenants rely on D’Olbriot services, the Sieur and Esquires will find ways to make Tor Bezaemar feel the shoe pinching. They’ll break contracts if they can, refuse to buy or sell, deny Tor Bezaemar men passage over D’Olbriot lands, refuse carriage for Tor Bezaemar goods in D’Olbriot ships.”
“Will D’Olbriot interests not suffer? Will Tor Bezaemar not retaliate?” protested Avila.
“Fresil and Ustian will make sure Tor Bezaemar losses outweigh any D’Olbriot suffering.” I sighed. “But it won’t do the tenantry of either House any favours.”
“What does this mean for us?” Temar wanted to know.
“For Kellarin? You wanted less interference in your affairs, didn’t you?” I queried. “D’Olbriot’s certainly going to be too busy with this to tell you how to run your colony.”
“We will be caught up in this regardless.” Temar looked at me. “And if Tor Bezaemar or their allies believe hurting Kel Ar’Ayen will hurt D’Olbriot?”
“Any artefacts we still seek at once become pieces on this game board.” Avila was pale with anger.
I had no answer to that.
“These Sieurs, these Esquires, they can do this?” Temar began pacing round the room. “Has your Emperor no power? Even Nemith the Whorestruck knew better than to let two Houses break each other’s horns like this! His decree to end a quarrel was law.”
“A decision in the Imperial Courts should cut a lot of this short,” I offered.
“When?” Temar flung an impatient question at me. “Aft-Summer? For-Autumn? This year? Next?”
“Who’s to say your courts deliver justice, when Raeponin is denied?” Avila was packing the artefacts back into their coffer with rapid, angry hands. “When nothing holds a House’s mouthpiece to the truth but their unsupported word?”
I was about to protest, at least on Mistal’s behalf, when a footman followed a brisk tap on the door.
“My lady Cha
“My compliments to Lady Cha
The footman left with alacrity and I didn’t blame him. Avila headed for the door. “You two, bring that.”
Temar and I carried the coffer between us, following Avila up the backstairs, sharing a puzzled look. We’d barely reached Temar’s opulent room when Casuel came hurrying along the corridor. “Demoiselle, Esquire,” he puffed. “How can I be of service?”
Avila stalked into Temar’s chamber and looked around with disfavour. “Where best to hide something? Under the bed?”
“The first place someone would look.” I was glad to let Temar give the obvious answer.
Avila smiled thinly. “Then that is the place we want. Put it underneath.”
“But—”
“Master Mage.” Avila cut through Casuel’s protest with a voice like steel. “Can you make this box invisible?”
Casuel thought for a moment. “Weaving an illusion of empty space might be more effective.”
“As you see fit, it is your magic’ Avila looked impatient as Casuel waited, smiling hopefully. “At once, if you please.”
“Of course.” Casuel dropped to his knees and threw a dizzying burst of magic beneath the bed, azure shifting to jade and blending to startling sunset hues. I blinked as the afterglow faded slowly from my eyes.
“I should have done this before,” muttered Avila, pulling up a stool. She sat down and drew a deep breath, laying her hands on the cream and crimson silk coverlet. “Zal aeba