flat.
Inos
and Azak must have sailed by now, but a mage ought to be able to arrange
good-quality transportation, and perhaps even speed its passage. Most ships
stopped in at all the major ports along the coast. So she would pursue, with
Master Rap’s assistance, and at Brogogo, therefore, or Torkag, they would
intercept the sultan. Then Rap could cure Inos’s injuries and use some occult
persuasion on Azak to get the marriage annulled. It was still, of course, a
marriage in name only.
Once
Inos and the faun had been reunited under Kadolan’s tutelage, they could all
start giving some thought to the problem of Krasnegar. And if that was
insoluble, then a comfortable estate within some pleasantly civilized corner of
the Impire ought to be within reach of a mage. just like one of the poet’s
romances-the lovers would find a happy ending!
Feeling
extremely pleased with herself-and properly grateful to the Gods, of
course-Kade selected another pomegranate. These tropical delicacies certainly
helped to compensate for the absence of some of her more familiar favorites.
The
two youths ate much faster than she did, but all three seemed to reach their
capacity at about the same time. Thinal belched and pushed his chair back. He
set to work paring his toenails with a fruit knife. Kadolan dabbed her lips
with a linen napkin. Rap poured her another cup of coffee, and one for himself.
Then
he glanced at the door and frowned. “You have a visitor, ma’am. I think I can
keep us unobserved.”
That
seemed likely, after their unremarked return across the palace complex. Before
Kadolan could ask what sort of visitor, Mistress Zuthrobe came hurrying in,
veiled and wide-eyed with fright.
“His
Highness Prince Kar, ma’am!”
Again
Kadolan opened her mouth but was prevented from speaking. Without waiting for
her invitation, Kar strode out onto the balcony, shadowed by two of the
fearsome family men. He came right to her chair and stared down at her with a
sinister little smile, as if he were a teacher and she an errant pupil.
She
had met the baby-faced chief of security a couple of times at the wedding rehearsals,
but even those brief, formal encounters had explained why Inosolan found him so
intimidating. The presence of two obvious interlopers at Kadolan’s table was no
help in this instance, even if Kar did not seem to notice them.
He
turned to regard the Zuthrobe woman, who was fidgeting in the background with
the apparent intent of chaperoning the unorthodox interview. He did not need to
speak-his expression alone was enough to send her fleeing back indoors. Then he
resumed his baleful inspection of Kadolan.
“You
are expecting company, I understand?”
She
plied him with her most innocent smile. “Well, Inosolan called on me last
night. I am aware that she has departed.”
“And?”
A smile so thin on Kar implied a scowl. From the corner of her eye, Kadolan
could tell that the invisible Thinal was making obscene gestures at Kar,
causing Rap to grin faintly.
“And
I understand that the departure is to be kept secret as long as possible. I
thought I could start a rumor that they had eaten breakfast here; muddy the
waters a little.”
His
eyes were chips of pink granite. “His Majesty is touring the northlands this
morning.”
“Oh!”
Kadolan said. “Well, that’s nice. Then I have provided a secondary alibi?”
“You
have weakened a cover story that cost enormous preparation. You did not eat all
that by yourself.”
Beginning
to feel flustered, she waved a hand at the empty air beyond the balcony. “Of
course not, your Highness”
Now
his smile would have frozen the marrow of her bones had she not had a mage
within reach. “I feel that these quarters are inadequate, ma’am. We may be able
to find you something more appropriate and more easily guarded.”
“These
are quite satisfactory. I find the antiques fascinating. Something is wrong?”
“Intruders
are prowling the palace. Guards have been
Inos
and Azak must have sailed by now, but a mage ought to be able to arrange
good-quality transportation, and perhaps even speed its passage. Most ships
stopped in at all the major ports along the coast. So she would pursue, with
Master Rap’s assistance, and at Brogogo, therefore, or Torkag, they would
intercept the sultan. Then Rap could cure Inos’s injuries and use some occult
persuasion on Azak to get the marriage annulled. It was still, of course, a
marriage in name only.
Once
Inos and the faun had been reunited under Kadolan’s tutelage, they could all
start giving some thought to the problem of Krasnegar. And if that was
insoluble, then a comfortable estate within some pleasantly civilized corner of
the Impire ought to be within reach of a mage. just like one of the poet’s
romances-the lovers would find a happy ending!
Feeling
extremely pleased with herself-and properly grateful to the Gods, of
course-Kade selected another pomegranate. These tropical delicacies certainly
helped to compensate for the absence of some of her more familiar favorites.
The
two youths ate much faster than she did, but all three seemed to reach their
capacity at about the same time. Thinal belched and pushed his chair back. He
set to work paring his toenails with a fruit knife. Kadolan dabbed her lips
with a linen napkin. Rap poured her another cup of coffee, and one for himself.
Then
he glanced at the door and frowned. “You have a visitor, ma’am. I think I can
keep us unobserved.”
That
seemed likely, after their unremarked return across the palace complex. Before
Kadolan could ask what sort of visitor, Mistress Zuthrobe came hurrying in,
veiled and wide-eyed with fright.
“His
Highness Prince Kar, ma’am!”
Again
Kadolan opened her mouth but was prevented from speaking. Without waiting for
her invitation, Kar strode out onto the balcony, shadowed by two of the
fearsome family men. He came right to her chair and stared down at her with a
sinister little smile, as if he were a teacher and she an errant pupil.
She
had met the baby-faced chief of security a couple of times at the wedding rehearsals,
but even those brief, formal encounters had explained why Inosolan found him so
intimidating. The presence of two obvious interlopers at Kadolan’s table was no
help in this instance, even if Kar did not seem to notice them.
He
turned to regard the Zuthrobe woman, who was fidgeting in the background with
the apparent intent of chaperoning the unorthodox interview. He did not need to
speak-his expression alone was enough to send her fleeing back indoors. Then he
resumed his baleful inspection of Kadolan.
“You
are expecting company, I understand?”
She
plied him with her most innocent smile. “Well, Inosolan called on me last
night. I am aware that she has departed.”
“And?”
A smile so thin on Kar implied a scowl. From the corner of her eye, Kadolan
could tell that the invisible Thinal was making obscene gestures at Kar,
causing Rap to grin faintly.
“And
I understand that the departure is to be kept secret as long as possible. I
thought I could start a rumor that they had eaten breakfast here; muddy the
waters a little.”
His
eyes were chips of pink granite. “His Majesty is touring the northlands this
morning.”
“Oh!”
Kadolan said. “Well, that’s nice. Then I have provided a secondary alibi?”
“You
have weakened a cover story that cost enormous preparation. You did not eat all
that by yourself.”
Beginning
to feel flustered, she waved a hand at the empty air beyond the balcony. “Of
course not, your Highness”
Now
his smile would have frozen the marrow of her bones had she not had a mage
within reach. “I feel that these quarters are inadequate, ma’am. We may be able
to find you something more appropriate and more easily guarded.”
“These
are quite satisfactory. I find the antiques fascinating. Something is wrong?”
“Intruders
are prowling the palace. Guards have been
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