A Business of Ferrets (Bharaghlafi Book 1) by Beth Hilgartner Page B

on Squirrel’s arm had the face of a predator. Squirrel chose his role and played it out. "What? You want a message carried?"
    "I have a message for Mouse," Elkhar repeated.
    "For who?"
    "For Mouse ." Elkhar's temper began to fray.
    Squirrel opened his eyes wide and put on his best alert and willing face. "I'm happy to carry messages, sir. I charge five Commons a trot, and I'm fast. Just tell me how to recognize this Mouse person and where to find him."
    Elkhar lifted Squirrel so that the boy's face was level with his own. "It's no good, boy," he said, with the careful diction of someone really furious. "I heard you, when you came in. You said: 'Mouse sent you flowers.'"
    Squirrel's face lightened. "But I didn't say 'mouse.' I said 'Ma.' My mother . 'Ma sent you flowers.' She always does, for Ythykh-Fair. No one else remembers, and he likes the smell, and the colors."
    Elkhar didn't reply, only stared into the boy's face.  Squirrel looked at the floor below his dangling feet, then raised his eyes to the man's cold scrutiny.
    "Sir?" he said. "Do you... Do you think you could put me down, sir? Please?"
    The bodyguard set the boy on his feet but didn't release him. "What's your name?"
    "Effryn," Squirrel told him. Definitely not the time to tip the balance with the name Ferret had given him.
    Elkhar regarded him silently for at least an eon; then, he let him go and strode out of the tavern. Neither Donkey nor Squirrel dropped the characters they had assumed for a solid five minutes. Then, Squirrel sidled over to the bar, raised an eyebrow and looked expectantly at his friend.
    "Good thing you're quick," Donkey remarked. "That fellow's no friend . Name's Elkhar—Ghytteve's man, Sharkbait said. And it sounded like he plans to do Mouse's nobleman some sort of mischief. You'd best find Ferret—but be damned sure you're not followed." Suddenly, Donkey grinned. " 'Ma sent you flowers,' indeed. Squirrel, you're a wonder."
    "I willn't complain if I'm never dangled in the air like that again," Squirrel admitted with a shudder. "Gods. I thought he was going to break me into bits."
    "Near thing," Donkey agreed. "Go on; we need Ferret."
    ***
    Owl gazed out the window at the courtiers who strolled among the bright, scented shrubbery in the formal gardens. They were too far away for their voices to carry to the boy's ears, so he amused himself by inventing their conversations. Those two were flirting, he decided of an elegant pair by the hibiscus bushes; the three men by the fountain were discussing horse racing; the flock of lace trimmed ladies were gossiping about the lone young lord by the marble bench. Something familiar about the man by the bench struck him and he craned out the window to see better. He was right: it was Cithanekh. As though he sensed the touch of Owl's curiosity, the young lord looked up; Owl saw the flash of a smile and his cautioning gesture.
    Owl drew his head back inside, still watching, as the ladies moved toward Cithanekh in a wave of dizzying color. Owl frowned slightly; he was convinced the ladies were teasing Cithanekh in that mannered way the nobles had. He was distracted, then, by another familiar presence: Rhydev Azhere, deep in conversation with an older man whose rich dress was all in shades of russet and brown. Affairs of state, Owl decided, wondering briefly who the other Councilor (for he could see the glint of a golden chain of office) was.
    A movement caught Owl's eye, and simultaneously, a wave of stillness swept the garden; conversations everywhere broke off as people stared at the newcomer. It was Arre. She smiled and nodded to people; but no one returned her greeting. Owl felt a surge of kindred loneliness at the sight of her straight back and hard won unconcern. He leaned out of the window again.
    "Ho! Arre!" he called, waving.
    She raised her head at the sound of her name; as she caught sight of the boy leaning from the upper window her face eased to a smile and she waved back. Then, she