an agony spell. The exchange could have been misconstrued. “The fix is simple. She’ll explain her panic attack to the truthseekers.”
“That’s not all.” Gangee rubbed his mouth and chin as if wiping away words he didn’t want to say. “There’s a rumor you plan to obstruct her courtship with Warran as part of your political strategy.”
“The Commission won’t heed anything that preposterous.”
“You could be right,” Gangee said. “Nevertheless, I heard from several sources today you’ve set your sights on Anisette. I disagree you’ve done anything openly, but it’s ironic there’s a grain of truth in the rumors.”
“How could anyone have guessed?” Embor said, aghast. “The only ones who know are members of our cabinet. Would one of us have—?”
“Don’t look at me,” Gangee interrupted with a glimmer of teeth. “I value my appendages.”
“The information has to have come from inside.” Embor began listing individuals and how he’d question them. A leak amongst his advisors and staff, even when it pertained to non-critical information like relationships, was unacceptable.
Gangee held up his hands. “Hold off on interrogations. There’s no mention of the Seers in the rumor. Could be the Torvals spreading it as proof of poor sportsmanship.”
“Any dealings Warran has with her are a waste of everyone’s time.” The hours she’d spent in Warran’s company, though it hadn’t escalated to a bond test, made Embor grind his teeth. If he weren’t careful, Gangee would be doing dental work on him next.
She wouldn’t be spending another second in Warran’s company if he had to lock her—no, Warran—in a deadspace dungeon.
“The rumor could have come from anybody with a political stake, or even a social one.”
“There’s no evidence. It isn’t possible anyone could have detected my interest in the princess,” Embor said stiffly.
Unless… A memory of bowing to her in front of Warran, Cassandra and the children crossed his mind. Blast.
“I agree. Your interest in Anisette is undetectable.” Gangee tapped the clipboard. “Based on your interactions today, if you mean to court her, you might want to—”
Embor waved off the advice with a sharp gesture. Skythia’s jabs about his non-relationship with the princess were enough. “Let’s not stray from the subject. I still see no issue with having the Commission investigate the use of spirit magic on Anisette. It will lead directly to the Torvals.”
“There’s one piece of evidence pointed at Warran and Ophelia. The timeline. However flimsy, there are two pointed at you. The argument and the rumors. The truthseekers would include you in their investigation.”
“That is…” He wanted to say ridiculous, but Gangee wasn’t a man who indulged in the ridiculous. It was why he was one of Embor’s closest advisors. “Possible. They wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to scrutinize me.”
The Commission for Truth, a subcommittee of the Younger Court, was none too fond of Embor. Five years ago, he’d initiated a full analysis of the AOC, doubling the workload of many truthseekers for a search that hadn’t turned up the evidence of foul play Embor was positive existed. The AOC’s directors ran the agency as close to the vest as he and Skythia ran their cabinet. But there was no way they were blameless after what he’d experienced at the hands of four of their agents—agents who’d claimed the AOC was more corrupt and evil than they themselves were.
The fact the AOC supported the Torvals’ campaign was also significant. Embor and Skythia’s policies were at odds with the AOC agenda to increase traffic to and from humanspace.
“I’m willing to risk it. The truthseekers will find nothing relevant,” Embor said. He could curtail his secret project for a time, and if they uncovered his energy globe use, it was hardly indicative of the sixth arts.
“We can’t involve you in a muddle right before the
“That’s not all.” Gangee rubbed his mouth and chin as if wiping away words he didn’t want to say. “There’s a rumor you plan to obstruct her courtship with Warran as part of your political strategy.”
“The Commission won’t heed anything that preposterous.”
“You could be right,” Gangee said. “Nevertheless, I heard from several sources today you’ve set your sights on Anisette. I disagree you’ve done anything openly, but it’s ironic there’s a grain of truth in the rumors.”
“How could anyone have guessed?” Embor said, aghast. “The only ones who know are members of our cabinet. Would one of us have—?”
“Don’t look at me,” Gangee interrupted with a glimmer of teeth. “I value my appendages.”
“The information has to have come from inside.” Embor began listing individuals and how he’d question them. A leak amongst his advisors and staff, even when it pertained to non-critical information like relationships, was unacceptable.
Gangee held up his hands. “Hold off on interrogations. There’s no mention of the Seers in the rumor. Could be the Torvals spreading it as proof of poor sportsmanship.”
“Any dealings Warran has with her are a waste of everyone’s time.” The hours she’d spent in Warran’s company, though it hadn’t escalated to a bond test, made Embor grind his teeth. If he weren’t careful, Gangee would be doing dental work on him next.
She wouldn’t be spending another second in Warran’s company if he had to lock her—no, Warran—in a deadspace dungeon.
“The rumor could have come from anybody with a political stake, or even a social one.”
“There’s no evidence. It isn’t possible anyone could have detected my interest in the princess,” Embor said stiffly.
Unless… A memory of bowing to her in front of Warran, Cassandra and the children crossed his mind. Blast.
“I agree. Your interest in Anisette is undetectable.” Gangee tapped the clipboard. “Based on your interactions today, if you mean to court her, you might want to—”
Embor waved off the advice with a sharp gesture. Skythia’s jabs about his non-relationship with the princess were enough. “Let’s not stray from the subject. I still see no issue with having the Commission investigate the use of spirit magic on Anisette. It will lead directly to the Torvals.”
“There’s one piece of evidence pointed at Warran and Ophelia. The timeline. However flimsy, there are two pointed at you. The argument and the rumors. The truthseekers would include you in their investigation.”
“That is…” He wanted to say ridiculous, but Gangee wasn’t a man who indulged in the ridiculous. It was why he was one of Embor’s closest advisors. “Possible. They wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to scrutinize me.”
The Commission for Truth, a subcommittee of the Younger Court, was none too fond of Embor. Five years ago, he’d initiated a full analysis of the AOC, doubling the workload of many truthseekers for a search that hadn’t turned up the evidence of foul play Embor was positive existed. The AOC’s directors ran the agency as close to the vest as he and Skythia ran their cabinet. But there was no way they were blameless after what he’d experienced at the hands of four of their agents—agents who’d claimed the AOC was more corrupt and evil than they themselves were.
The fact the AOC supported the Torvals’ campaign was also significant. Embor and Skythia’s policies were at odds with the AOC agenda to increase traffic to and from humanspace.
“I’m willing to risk it. The truthseekers will find nothing relevant,” Embor said. He could curtail his secret project for a time, and if they uncovered his energy globe use, it was hardly indicative of the sixth arts.
“We can’t involve you in a muddle right before the
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