Part 17 (1/2)
Shar patted him on the cheek, then departed with a smile, Hayden and Omen in her wake. Ekko shook his head slowly as he pa.s.sed Indris, a smile sketched on his thin lips.
”Shar is quite something,” Ekko rumbled.
”Want her?” Indris asked caustically.
”I heard that.” Shar's voice came from up the stairs.
He knew when to quit. With a last quick look around the gloomy cabin, Indris followed his friends out into the warm afternoon air.
It had not taken long to reach the Wine Dark River where it coasted down the lazy waters of the Anqorat River delta. There were other boats nearby, feluccas, skiffs, and water taxis that plied the silt-stained waters before the Anqorat poured, ink-like, into the Marble Sea.
The floating wine house was comfortably filled. He and his friends sat on cus.h.i.+ons under an awning on the top deck, where the breeze was cool and their conversation would not be overheard.
Hayden, Omen, and Ekko took positions around the table, eyes intent on everything around them. Their forbidding expressions discouraged any casual patron from straying too close.
Roshana soon arrived with Nehrun in tow. Femensetri had decided to come with them, though she had forgone her usual Sq ca.s.sock and over-robe for a traditional silk jacket, kilt, and black silk boots. Her hair was braided, her mindstone camouflaged amid the black pearls and silver links of the circlet about her brow. There was no sign of her crook, though Indris knew it would be somewhere within easy reach.
Mari arrived shortly after the others had taken their seats. She sat at a vacant place at Indris's left hand, while Shar sat to his right. An apoplectic Nehrun reached for the knife at his side.
”Nehrun!” Indris glared at his cousin.
”What?” his cousin said belligerently. Mari locked her eyes on Nehrun; her lips quirked in a tiny smile. Nehrun snarled, ”It's an Erebus! Why are you wasting my time? Roshana was a little light on the details. I've a father to find and a House to run in his absence.”
”That sounds fascinating,” Mari drawled. ”Why don't you tell me how that's going, and we can compare your version with what I know?”
”On the topic of your father, I've questions for you, boy.” Femensetri's voice was low and hard, her expression grim. ”Seems you've been busy making friends in places Ariskander'd hardly approve of.”
Nehrun shot to his feet, face drained of color. Roshana took his wrist in a white-knuckled grip that clearly caused her brother some pain. ”Sit yourself down, Nehrun. Indris is here to help. You'd do well to let him.”
He looked around at the others like a cornered dog. ”How dare you-”
”We'll talk about who dares what very soon,” Indris said quietly. ”Now sit yourself down. Mari has information that might help us find Ariskander.”
”Very well!” Nehrun held up trembling hands up to silence the Scholar Marshal. ”I'll hear what this bit...what Pah-Mariam has to say.”
Mari began the tale of what occurred after she left Samyala, though she did not speak to the hours she and Indris had spent in each other's arms. From Nehrun's nervousness, Indris had the impression Mari was omitting other details, though no doubt she had her reasons. She had not been welcomed yet into her father's schemes, though was sure she would be. Mari suspected she was being watched, though she was relatively certain she had eluded pursuit on her way to the Wine Dark River.
”I implicated the logical suspects in the plot,” Mari offered. ”Nazarafine, Kembe, Siamak, and Femensetri. I know the House of Pearl is prided for its neutrality, so I left Ziaire's name out of it. My father knows Indris is alive and that he'll attempt to rescue Ariskander.”
”His reaction?” Femensetri said over the surprised protests of Nehrun and Rosha.
”What we expected.” She smiled at Indris. ”But there's more. My father is taking steps to ensure Nehrun won't be Awakened.”
”That lying b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Nehrun growled. He clenched his fists until his knuckles and fingers whitened. ”I should never-”
”Should never have what?” Rosha asked. Nehrun settled deeper into seat, lips turned in a sullen curve.
Mari went on to tell them how Thufan had been charged with collecting an Angothic Spirit Casque from Teymoud, which would then be taken to where Ariskander was being held in the Rmarq. Indris noted Femensetri's surprised expression at the mention of the casque, though the Stormbringer did not say anything. What point was there in frightening the others? Mari went on to give them the time and place where the casque would be collected.
”How did you discover all this?” Femensetri's voice held an undertone of approval.
”There are old, disused tunnels snaking through the residential chambers of the villa we're in,” Mari said. ”Most of the entrances have been sealed, though once you're inside the suites, it's relatively easy to get around. They're small but can be navigated. You can learn a lot if you don't mind tight s.p.a.ces and the dark.”
”Won't the others find them?” Rosha asked.
”Possibly. Thufan probably already has, but he trusts the people who sleep in those rooms anyway. If not, it's my risk to take.”
”Mariam, you said the Great House of Erebus has parts of a Torque Spindle in its possession?” Femensetri scowled at Indris. ”That's something we didn't know.”
”It's in parts, though between Kasra and Brede they'll no doubt get it working.” Mari sipped her drink.
”Brede, that shemdet kahouri,” Femensetri snarled in High Avn. ”Rotten cow should've taken her own life rather than allowed herself to be broken by the Angothic Witches.”
”What?” Mari blurted, her eyes darting between Indris and Femensetri. ”She was-”
”Yes,” Femensetri muttered. ”Brede was a very promising librarian of the Sq Order of Scholars. She was past ready to undertake the trials of knighthood when she was captured in Angoth and lost to us. Indris, you should do something about her if you get the chance.”
”There's always something...” he mumbled into his drink.
”Eh?” Femensetri eyed him darkly.
”Nothing.”
”What are you going to do, Indris?” Rosha asked.
Indris would not be drawn out. ”The less you know, the less you can reveal.”
”I'm going with you,” Nehrun said stubbornly. He avoided Rosha's and Femensetri's angry stares.
”Whatever for?” Hayden drawled from his place nearby. ”You ain't going to have a chance to tell Corajidin about what we'll be doing anyway.”
Nehrun glared at the old man. ”Ignorant dung-heel! What are you accusing me of? None of this is my fault!”
”I suspect it's all your fault,” Indris countered. ”Corajidin took your father for reasons of his own, but you gave him the opportunity. You've been profoundly stupid, Nehrun. You'll be lucky to walk away from this alive.”
”Of course I'll walk away-”
”Don't be so sure,” Rosha countered. She turned to Indris. ”I'll go with you.”
”Neither of you will come with us,” Shar corrected. ”Either one of you suddenly vanis.h.i.+ng will attract notice. Omen, Hayden, Indris, and I know what needs to be done. With Ekko's help we're confident we can find Ariskander and Far-ad-din and bring them home. Besides, you'll be needed here.”
”For what?” Rosha asked.
”To help depose Corajidin,” Indris said. ”He must be removed from power quietly and as close to legally as possible. He murdered the Asrahn and abducted a rahn of a Great House. On top of that, whether he's giving explicit orders to his agents or not, power is being abused here.”
”Couldn't we wait until the next a.s.sembly?” Mari asked, troubled. ”My father is so ill he'll fail the ritual, which means the problem will resolve itself.”