Shadowplay

"It will be a joy to hear again the screams of your kind," the monstrous woman said to Utta, then waved the prisoners away.

42

The Raven's Friend

So it is that the true gods have reigned in peace ever since, thanks to Habbili and the wisdom of Nushash. After they die, those who bow their heads and do them homage will find themselves serving at the right hand of the mighty in the ultimate west. So say the prophets. So says the god of fire. It is truth, my children, it is true.

— from The Revelations of Nushash, Book One

B

RIONY'S MALE DISGUISE, which had already been compro¬mised by her stage costume representing the goddess Zoria, had not survived a search for weapons by the Sya

(Feival Ulian, who had left the stage as Zuriyal, wife of the rebel god black Zmeos, had also been led off to the palace in a gown. It was an open question as to which of them, he or Briony, felt more comfortably dressed.)

Briony and Estir Makewell had been shoved into a room that wasn't quite a dungeon cell, but was no chamber for honored guests, either: dank and windowless, it smelled of mold and sweat and urine, and contained no furniture but a single crude bench; the sound of the outside bar being low¬ered had a distressing thump of finality.

"Should have known there was more to you than a chance meeting," Estir sneered. "That old mare Teodoros, up to his same old tricks. Did he bring you along to get into someone's bed, then, winkle out secrets that way? Now we're all for the headsman's block, thanks to you two."

"What arc you talking about? I'm not a spy-1 had nothing to do with any of this!"

"Oh, that's likely." Estir Makewell sat back with her arms folded across her dirty dress, but Briony could see that the woman was shaking with fear, and her own anger turned to something like pity.

"Truly, I knew nothing about this. I was ru

The woman glared at her. "Don't pretend with me, girl. I saw you talk¬ing to that black fellow like he was an old friend-that Xixian. How would you know someone like that if you weren't one of Fi

Briony shook her head. At least Dawet had escaped, not that it would do Briony any good. "I know him a little, but it's nothing to do with Fi

"What do you care if you've nothing to hide?" sniffed Estir, but she seemed a little less angry. "You're right, though. We should keep our mouths closed. If that fat know-it-all's got himself in trouble, it won't be the first time. That's all I'll say, except to curse him for dragging us all into it this time."

Briony looked at the walls, so damp they seemed to be sweating. They had trudged for the better part of an hour to reach this place, which she as¬sumed must be in the royal palace, but they were several floors below the main body of the castle. I could disappear here very easily, she thought. Exe¬cuted as a spy, and that would be the last of me. King Enander would be doing Hen-don Tolly's work for him without even knowing it. Unless they're already in league…? It was hard to believe-Southmarch had never been a threat or even a real rival to Syan. What could Tolly offer to the more powerful Sya

But what had Fi

Briony fell into a frowning, miserable silence, trying to understand what

had happened and decide what she could do about it. Me, she thought, it's down to me. Keep drifting or stand up. At last she went to the door ol the room in which they were prisoned and rapped on it hard, with both hands.

"Tell your captain or whoever is in charge that I want to talk to him, I want to make a deal."

"What are you doing, girl?" Estir demanded, but Briony ignored her.

After a moment the door swung open. Two guards stood in the door¬way, only a little less bored than when they had thrown the two women into the room. "What do you want? Make it fast," said one.

"I want to make a bargain. Tell your commanding officer that if you'll bring me the man called Fi

Estir was watching her with her mouth open. "You traitorous bitch," she said at last. "Trying to buy yourself out? You will get us all killed!"

"And take this woman out," Briony said. "She knows nothing. Let her go or put her somewhere else, it makes no difference to me."

The soldiers, actually interested now, exchanged a brief glance with each other, then closed the door and tramped away up the corridor.

"How dare you!" Estir Makewell said, striding forward to stand over her. Wearily, Briony stared up at her, hoping she wouldn't have to fight the woman. "How dare you tell them what to do with me?"

Briony rolled her eyes, then grabbed the woman's arm roughly, silencing her. "Stop-I'm trying to help you." Estir stared at her, frightened. She had her mask on now, Briony realized, the Eddon mask that none of the play¬ers had seen. She made her voice hard. "If you keep your mouth shut, you and the others may walk away from this happy and healthy. If you cause a fuss, I can't promise anything."

Estir Makewell's eyes grew wide at the change in Briony's tone. She re¬treated to the other side of the room and stayed there until the guards came and led her out.

Fi

"Well, Tim, my young darling," he said, "it seems as if your disguise has been penetrated by these crude folk from outside the theatrical fraternity." He touched his swollen cheek and winced. "I swear I didn't tell them."

"'I'hey found out when they searched me. It doesn't matter anyway." Briony took a breath. The very fact that the guards had left the two of them alone in the room meant they were almost certainly listening to everything that was being said. "I need your help," she told Teodoros. "I need you to tell me the truth."

He gave her a look that contained a mixture of caution and amusement. "And who in this wretched old world can actually say what that is, dear girl?"

She nodded, conceding the point. "As much truth as you know," she said, then looked significantly around the room. "As much as you can tell."

He sighed. "I am truly sorry you were caught up in this. I have tried to tell them that you had nothing to do with it."

"Don't worry about me. I am less i

He stared at her, clearly calculating. "Tolly?"

"I may be able to protect you, but you must tell me the truth about that. I must know!

"You, protect me? Girl, you are not Zoria in truth, you merely aped her on the boards!" He smiled, but it was little more than a fearful twitch. He swallowed, leaned close to her. "I… I do not know," he said in a voice that was scarcely even a whisper. "I was given a… a task… by someone else. Someone high in the government of Southmarch."