Shadow Gate by Kate Elliott Page B

smuggling, more for sport than for profit. A lad and a lass from competing clans who would never ever consider letting them marry made their assignation here, even though—as Marit knew—they were long since being followed by various agents from their own families.
    She picked out voices like threads from a multicolored shawl.
    â€œ. . . No one can know we are negotiating. I’ll lose the contract if the Greater Houses suspect I’m going outside the official channels. I tell you, we in the Silk Slippers clan have been providing reliable river transport for generations, and what do the Greater Houses do now? They try to force us to lower our rates, greedy bastards . . .”
    â€œ. . . If you take the cargo across the river after moon-set, Jaco’s boys will meet you just downstream of Onari’s Landing with the knives. . .”
    â€œIf the militia continues to refuse to send out long-range patrols, then the carters’ guild has agreed to cooperatewith us. We’ll send a joint mission to Toskala to appeal to Clan Hall directly, and ask them to intervene to improve the safety of the roads . . .”
    â€œEh. Eh. Yes, like that. Ah. Ah.”
    â€œI want you to kill a man.”
    Her breath caught in her throat as she strained to hear.
    â€œThat would be murder. Against the law.” The other man’s voice had a slight hoarse timbre, as though he had once inhaled too much smoke.
    â€œDo as I ask, and no charges will ever be brought against you.”
    â€œHow can you possibly guarantee that?”
    â€œWe control the council. It will never get past a vote.”
    â€œThe council does not control the assizes if the reeves bring me in to stand trial.”
    â€œArgent Hall will not charge you. They have a new marshal, hadn’t you heard? He’ll not interfere.”
    â€œThe hells. You sound certain, Feden. Considering what manner of crime you’re asking me to commit.”
    â€œYou haven’t asked the name of the target. Or why he needs killing.”
    â€œI want to know first why Argent Hall won’t interfere if it gets wind of the killing. Surely the dead man’s clan will seek justice.”
    â€œArgent Hall is too busy looking for some manner of treasure that my allies in the North seek. Something valuable taken out of the Hundred years ago that they have reason to believe has been found and brought back.”
    The smoky-voiced man’s laugh was sarcastic. “Silk? Gems? A rare cutting from one of the Beltak temples’ Celestial Golds? A stallion for stud?”
    â€œI don’t know.” This was said brusquely. “It’s not my responsibility, but if you want to keep your eyes open at the border crossing it wouldn’t hurt to get word of such a thing before anyone else did. I don’t mind telling you, I don’t trust that new marshal, Yordenas.”
    The other man hrhmed thoughtfully under his breath.He seemed distracted, perhaps spinning out fantasies of treasure and wealth as the other man—
Feden
—went on impatiently.
    â€œI don’t mind telling you I think the entire cursed mob of them are hatching a plan to overthrow the Greater Houses.”
    â€œThe reeves of Argent Hall?”
    â€œNeh, neh, the Lesser Houses and those ungrateful guildsmen. After everything we’ve done to make Olossi prosperous and safe! If we kill just one man, one of the ringleaders, it may make the rest hesitate.”
    â€œBecause they’ll see you can get away with it?” asked Smoky Voice with sharp amusement. “Don’t they already know that you in the Greater Houses can do what you cursed well please?”
    Water splashed on rock and poured away as hands emptied a bucket over stone. A door slid closed with a slap.
    â€œWhat if we ran away?” the youth demanded in a husky whisper. “We could go to Toskala, make a new life there for