Betrayer

One also—” He ran out of air, grew downright dizzy, damn the restriction of the vest. “—has Guild deployed in support of Machigi.”

Tabini said, expressionless, “And what outcome does Lord Machigi want?”

“He wants to ally with the aiji-dowager under the terms she has presented him. These terms are—” Another breath. He was aware of Tano at his back and another presence, which had limped there. Somehow Lucasi had gotten down from the truck and come with Tano. Now he heard another. He was not sure which one, but he did not breach etiquette to turn and look.

“These terms are that he take firm governance of the Marid as a whole. By the Guild action, he will hold that position. He will ally with the aiji-dowager in a trade agreement. He will shift his routes eastward. He will expect the Edi people—to become neighbors within the aishidi’tat. Under your governance. That is his position. The Marid—will be a member state—of the aishidi’tatc” Someone else had arrived at his back. Two sets of footsteps. They were all there. He got a breath. He was getting there. “One asks—one asks support—from your office.”

“We want you back,” Tabini said grimly. “And we have you, paidhi-aiji. You have delivered his position. Now, by the same antiquated custom, you represent us. And we want your uncompromised opinion. What do youthink we should do about Machigi?”

“One found him—intelligent. A strong leader. Sensible.” His heartbeat had been going strong. Now it began to get out of hand. “You should deal with him. He has problems in his district. Poverty. Traditions. The aiji-dowager—” He was going to need to sit down. He got a breath. Remembered he was standing there like a fool with a very illegal pistol in hand, dealing with Tabini, whose guard was hair-triggered. He wanted to put it back into his pocket, but any move with it could have Tabini’s guard reacting. He gave a little bow, having completely lost his train of thought. “Deal with him, aiji-ma. His paths go several ways from here. Be careful with him. Treat him well. I want to put this gun away, aiji-ma. I need to put the safety on.”

“Help him,” Tabini said sharply, and immediately Jago was on his right, taking the gun, and Banichi on his left with his hand inside his elbow.

“Get him on the bus,” Tabini said.

“I have not been injured,” Bren objected. “One is just a little dizzy, aiji-ma. One will do quite well—” They paid him no heed at all and took him toward the bus door. “Is the aiji-dowager safe?” he asked.

“My scheming grandmother is perfectly well,” Tabini said. “Get aboard. Sit down. Nadi, get the paidhi a drink.”

Alcohol would not do well at all. He did not intend to drink it. But Banichi and Jago put him into a seat, and then Algini helped Lucasi up the steps: Tano made it under his own power, but barely.

“We shall leave the Najida truck to transport the Edi wounded,” he heard Banichi say, and Tabini came back aboard, and the door shut definitively.

“We need to contact the Taisigi,” he said to Jago, who had sat down beside him in a largely empty bus.

“That will be done, Bren-ji,” she said, and just then the drink arrived, orange, which he wanted more than anything; he tasted it carefully, and found no hint of alcohol. So he sipped it, a hit of sugar, moisture, and a relief to his throat. It was almost beyond him to hold it. But the plush seat had a drink holder. And a cushion for his head. He was filthy, head to foot. His hands left muddy marks on the sweating glass.

“Everybody needs orange,” he said. “Tell them that.”

“That can be arranged.” Tabini leaned on the seat, as the bus started up. “Quite the storm you raised, paidhi. You try to drown my son, you invade the Marid—when you come back to Shejidan, kindly manage things more quietly.”

“One is grateful,” he said in an unsteady voice, “one is exceedingly grateful for your understanding, aiji-ma.”

“Ha!” Tabini said, slapped the seat back, and walked up to take hold of the upright pole beside the driver, while his bodyguard moved back into the seats. The bus pulled up beside the truck, backed around.

“The equipment,” Tano said. “The paidhi’s—”

Notes were in the baggage, Bren thought.

“Hold the bus a moment, aiji-ma,” Algini said, and went back down the steps toward the truck. A handful of Edi stood in view of the open door. They said nothing, just leaned on their rifles and watched.

A moment or two more and Algini brought the baggage onto the bus and left it on the bus steps.

More fruit juice arrived. Algini took one and sat down next to Tano.

Bren heaved a sigh. Thought about unfastening the coat and the damned vest, but it was beyond filthy, and he was, and he told himself if he just didn’t move for the length of time it took to get to Kajiminda or Najida or wherever they were going, he would be fine.

He drank another sip. Two. And set the drink back in the holder and let his eyes shut. Jago was beside him. Banichi and the kid were aboard, Banichi talking to the senior of Tabini’s bodyguard, somewhere back there; Algini and Tano were in the seat opposite, and they were going somewhere safer, aboard a powerful huge bus that had left a sizeable force of Guild in Tabini’s personal service.

He’d done as much as he could do. He rested his head against the backrest and shut his eyes, which began a short, confusing slide toward sleep.

Safe, he said to himself. Whatever happened. Safe. He’d gotten his people out. That was what he knew for certain.

20

« ^

Mani and Father were shouting at each other. That was not unusual.

It did make it a good time for one to be out of range. And Cajeiri did not want to go back to his rooms, where he would hear nothing at all, and he was not supposed to be downstairs in the area where nand’ Siegi was operating on Tano.

He had been down there when Lucasi came down to see Veijico, but he had decided that it was better to stay outside and not interfere. Veijico was happy, and Lucasi was happy; in fact, there was happiness just all over the house, for most everybody. The staff had gotten nand’

Bren back, and they were ru

He and nand’ Toby and Barb-daja had all been outside when the bus had come in the first time, with Father and his guard, and nand’ Bren and Banichi and Jago and all; and nand’

Bren had walked off the bus on his own, limping just a little and incredibly dirty. Nand’ Bren had bowed a hello to him—to him, right after his father had passed, and he had bowed back and asked nand’ Bren if he was well, which had been a stupid question.

“I have someone to see you,” nand’ Bren had said, and Algini had just started to help Lucasi down from the bus.

“Nandi,” Lucasi had called him, and had bowed very contritely, and had not even asked questions.

“Your sister will be very happy,” he had said.

And meanwhile nand’ Bren hugged Toby and even hugged Barb-daja, which did not surprise anybody who had been much around humans. And Barb-daja had made a fuss, and Toby had said Bren looked like hell, but he knew nand’ Toby meant it kindly.

Besides, it was fairly true. Nand’ Bren was a mess. And he limped on, with his bodyguard, and with nand’ Toby and all, and mani had met Father in the hall, and then nand’ Bren.

“Pish, pish,” she had said, waving him away. “Your guard will debrief. Go. Go, paidhi. Well done! Extremely well done!”

“Aiji-ma,” nand’ Bren said, with a bow. “Thank you.”

“Pish! Thank us? It seems rather the other way about, does it not? Ignore the damage, paidhi-ji. We shall see it set to rights. Shall we not, Grandson?”