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“Good day to you, Ryshad.” Avila sat across the room beside the fireplace, expression bland, ankles crossed beneath a frivolously yellow-sprigged white gown.
“Where were you?” barked Esquire Leishal.
“Retrieving what was stolen from the House, Esquire,” I said politely.
Temar took a pace to stand beside me, one hand laid on the leather bag. “We believe everything is here.”
Avila shifted in her seat with a rustle of silk but I’d have had to turn my head to look at her. I didn’t feel that would be wise; displeasure hung in the air like the promise of summer thunder.
“You didn’t have time to tell anyone where you were going?” asked Ustian.
“I chose not to, Esquire.” I faced him squarely. “The person who gave me the information asked me to keep it in confidence.”
“There are no secrets between sworn man and master,” snapped Fresil. “What do you mean by taking D’Alse
“Your pardon, but I answer neither to Ryshad nor to any D’Olbriot.” Temar’s face was stern. “I crossed the ocean to seek these stolen treasures. Life and honour are both my own to risk in that quest.”
“Maitresse Den Castevin has no high opinion of your honour,” retorted Fresil.
In the corner of my eye I saw Avila sit forward, mouth thin with anger. The Sieur nodded to her and she stayed silent but from the surprise on Fresil’s face I’d wager any coin she was giving him a very hard look.
“A great number of people tell you things in confidence, Ryshad,” Ustian said genially. “Two are waiting to see you as we speak.”
Camarl rang a little hand bell and a blank-faced footman ushered two people through the far door, my brother Mistal and Charoleia’s errand boy, Eadit, who was looking like a mouse in a room full of cats. I really did hope he wasn’t here to ask for her dance card because I couldn’t see Messire taking kindly to that.
“Fair Festival, advocate.” Camarl’s smile was broad with all the confidence of rank. “Anything you wish to say to Ryshad can be said before the Sieur and Esquires.”
Mistal bowed elegantly to the assembled nobility. “I’ve been trying to determine who is paying Master Premeller to act as a friend of the court.”
“Why bring the news to your brother and not to Esquire Camarl or the Sieur?” asked Leishal sternly.
“I did not wish to presume on their honours’ time.” Mistal bowed again.
“Just tell us what you’ve found out,” Ustian invited.
Mistal raised a hand to the front of the advocate’s gown he wasn’t wearing. “Master Premeller owes a sizeable sum to one Stelmar Hauxe, goldsmith.”
“Money-lender,” commented Leishal with disapproval.
“Quite so.” Mistal smiled without humour. “According to the advocate who shares his rooms, Premeller’s just defaulted on the interest for the second quarter ru
“Why does Hauxe want Premeller snapping at our heels?” Fresil barked. “We’ve never done business with the man.”
“Hauxe rents premises by the quarter from Aymer Saffan,” continued Mistal, “who leases them by the five-year from Tor Bezaemar.”
“Which proves nothing,” Leishal grunted.
“Saffan has just granted Hauxe a season’s exemption on his rent,” offered Mistal.
“You’ll never trace that back to Tor Bezaemar,” Fresil scoffed.
“Indeed.” Ustian was considering this news. “I could imagine a handful of explanations before implicating another noble House in deliberate malice.”
Training in the courts made Mistal equal to this. “Would any of those alternatives explain Premeller’s unexpected hostility to D’Olbriot? Has he ever shown any predilection for honourable disinterest?”
The Sieur raised his hand and everyone fell silent.
“Ryshad, introduce your other visitor,” Camarl prompted.
“This is Eadit.” I tried to put some reassurance in my voice. “He works for the person who helped us secure the stolen artefacts.”
“Speak, boy!” barked Leishal.
Eadit cleared his throat nervously. “I came to tell you Fe
Camarl spoke up at once. “I passed on Esquire D’Alse
Messire dismissed both with a gesture and Mistal hustled Eadit out of the room.
“More conjecture and gossip,” scowled Ustian.
“We can’t set any of this before the court,” Fresil agreed.
“You ca
“We have different fields of combat in this day and age,” Fresil said sharply. “Never fear, Demoiselle, we’ll set as much before Imperial justice as we can when the sessions resume after Festival. In the meantime we can take other steps against Tor Bezaemar, and who knows, sufficient provocation may prompt them to betray themselves.
“That would lend weight to our arguments,” agreed Leishal to general approval.
“If your Emperor declares against them in this court?” Temar folded his arms abruptly. “Will that curb their malice?”
“We’ll have won a significant battle,” said Ustian with a smile of amusement.
“Not the war?” persisted Temar.
“That will take a little longer.” But Leishal’s dour words made it clear the outcome wasn’t in question.
“That’s our concern, not yours, D’Alse
“I could not have done so without Ryshad,” Temar said pointedly.
“Quite so.” The Sieur’s bland face was unreadable. “And now you can prepare to celebrate your good fortune at the Emperor’s dance.” He smiled at Avila, who raised a sceptical eyebrow. “My lady Cha
“I must secure that bag first,” said Avila. “If you are finally letting your tenantry inside your walls, Ostrin knows who might slip in u
“As you see fit. Cha
Camarl rang the bell to summon the doorkeeper. I moved to follow Temar.
“Where are you going, Ryshad?” barked Ustian.
I turned back, opting for silence as the safest response.
“Sit down, Ryshad,” Messire invited. I took a chair by the table as the door closed behind me.
“If you recovered D’Alse
“His name is Jacot, and if I’d been able I’d have dragged him here by his heels,” I answered readily. “But Temar and I would’ve had to fight through twice our number to do that. I’d have risked it with another sworn or chosen, but I wasn’t about to chance D’Alse
“So he escapes to boast he robbed D’Olbriot and lived to tell the tale,” snapped Ustian.
“Why didn’t you take enough men to capture this thief?” the Sieur asked mildly.
“I thought discretion more important than a show of strength,” I replied steadily.
“There’s blood on your boots, Ryshad,” Messire pointed out. “Someone spilled it. Granted I don’t see you or Temar wounded, but you’d have been safer with sworn swords around you.”
“I didn’t want to risk the safety of the person who betrayed the thief to me,” I said, shutting my mouth on further explanation.
“Who seems remarkably well informed as to the vermin crawling round this city’s underbelly,” Messire observed. “I take it we’re talking about that Lescari lad’s employer?