by Sharon Green
When we returned to the front hall we picked up the bags again—Naran insisting on taking three of them—carried them out to the coach, then put them in the boot. While Naran stowed them properly, I turned back to the house to relock the door. If it was at all possible, I meant to reclaim that house one day. Leaving it open to thieves and defense-less against invasion wasn't something I felt prepared to do. I took two steps back toward the house—then stopped short when the large figure of a man came forward out of the shadows to the left. I quickly put a ring of flame around him, freezing him in mid step, then just as quickly let the flames die. I knew the man, even though I hadn't expected ever to see him again.
"Popping up like that without warning can be dangerous, Dom Meerk," I said to the man who had been helping Lorand locate his friend Hat. "I'm afraid Lorand isn't here right now, and it's extremely unlikely that any of us will be back in the near future. If there was something you wanted to tell him, I'll do my best to pass on the message."
"I didn't mean to frighten you," he said as he came closer, somehow no longer sounding quite as low-class as he always had. "I know what you're capable of, so I was an idiot for not letting you know I was there ... and I'm not here looking for Dom Coll. I found out that you'd gotten away from that noble who claimed you, so I waited here in the hopes that you would come back, even for just a few minutes."
"I seem to have missed something here," I said, shaking my head against the confusion. "How did you hear about something that happened only a few hours ago, and what happened to the way you used to speak? And while we're on the subject, why would you want to be here in the first place?"
"There are long stories behind the answers to each of those questions, and we don't have the time to go into them now," he replied, running a hand through shaggy hair. "What I will say, though, is that my former accent was part of my disguise, and that I'm a member of an organization dedicated to finding out the truth about what the nobility is doing. We've suspected for some time that they're using unfair and illegal means to keep themselves in power, but we haven't been able to prove it. You and the rest of your Blending will be able to prove it for us."
"And then what?" I asked with a sound of ridicule.
"You'll expose them? And what after that? If you expect them to hang their heads in shame and meekly hand over the reins of power, you're dreaming. They'll have their guardsmen arrest the lot of you, and while you're all being thrown into the Deep Caverns or sent to work in the mines, they'll have parties to laugh at your naiveté."
"If there were only a few of us, that's probably what would happen," he agreed with a faint smile. "In point of fact there are thousands of people in our organization, all of them having been questioned by Middle talents in Spirit or Earth magic before being accepted as members. And since a large number of our people happen to be guardsmen, we're not in as much danger of being arrested as you might think. But the same doesn't hold true for you and the others with you, so will you please let me take you to a place of safety? I promise to tell you everything once we get there."
"I think we ought to trust him," Naran said quietly when I hesitated. She'd come over to stand beside me when Meerk had appeared, and had heard everything he'd said. "I have the feeling that my friend—whose coach we're using—is one of his members, even though she's never said so."
"I know who you mean, and you're right, she is," Meerk said with a nod. "So is the man driving the coach, so if you like you can speak to him first. But whatever you do, you must do it quickly. I can't possibly be the only one who'll think of checking this house."
"All right, I'll take the chance," I agreed, forcing myself away from indecision. "I just hope for your sake that you're telling the truth." -
"As justifiably nervous as you are, I don't dare do anything else," he said, looking soberly serious. "If you ladies will get into the coach now, we can be on our way."
"One more question," I said as Naran turned toward the coach. "Do you happen to know where Jovvi and Lorand are being kept? We haven't been able to locate them yet."
"You and the two men in the coach were easy to trace, but we haven't had the same luck with the rest," he admitted heavily. "I have everyone able to walk, hobble, or crawl out looking for them, so hopefully we'll know something soon. I promise we won't give up until we find them."
I nodded at that, the only thing I could do, then went and locked the door of the house before turning toward the coach myself. Meerk helped me inside, checked the boot to make sure everything was properly secured, then went to climb up on the box with the driver. When the coach began to move again, Naran and I exchanged a glance. She looked slightly less unsure than I felt, but we'd really had no choice. We needed a place to stay and we needed help in locating Jovvi and Lorand, and if Meerk had been telling the truth we'd found someone to supply both. But I couldn't stop worrying about Lorand and Jovvi, and where they might be that no one could find them. If they were dead, Meerk's people would have no need to prove anything against the nobility. If Lorand and Jovvi were dead, I'd see to it that there weren't any members of the nobility left to be accused....
TEN
I think we're about to have some distinguished visitors," Kambil announced softly*to the others. They currently relaxed in the main sitting room after sharing a late breakfast, which they'd indulged in after sleeping late. "Four carriages have just come up the drive, with three people in each carriage."
"An even dozen," Bron remarked with faint amusement. Are they counting on finding safety in numbers, or are they ring to impress us?"
"I'd bet on the impressing," Selendi said as she rearranged her skirts. "If they were worried or afraid of us, they wouldn't have come themselves."
"And they wouldn't have canceled the full meeting Zolind called," Homin added. "Having found out that they no longer have a Seated Blending to work through must have upset them, so they've come to make their positions secure again."
"I think I'll ask why the rest of the Advisors haven't come with them," Kambil mused aloud. "I'm certain it's because the rest of the Advisors were under Zolind's control and therefore don't want us Seated, but I'd like to make sure. It would be a shame to do away with people we might be able to make use of instead."
The others chuckled, understanding exactly what he meant. Once they were Seated and had taken up residence in the palace, Zolind's most loyal supporters would be seen to one at a time until there were none of them left. And the empty seats would not be refilled, not until they decided on the replacements. Letting the Advisors themselves choose their own membership had brought a lot of deadwood to their ranks, so from now on Kambil and his Blending would take care of the matter.
"Gentles, I have the privilege to announce a number of members of the Advisory Board," a servant appeared to say, looking properly impressed as he bowed them into the room. Kambil rose to his feet to bow in supposed respect, making Delin do the same as the others followed suit of their own volition. It would be necessary to remember to make Delin move around a bit more than usual, just to keep their visitors from becoming suspicious.
"Well, I see that what we were told is quite true," the apparent leader of the twelve, Lord Velim Shoons, announced with the most hollow joviality Kambil had ever heard. "Our new Blending is still in their former residence rather than at the palace preparing for the Seating ceremony. We must discover the person or persons responsible for this affront to them, and have them properly punished."
The men who had arrived with Lord Velim murmured their supposedly full agreement, doing no better with the charade than their spokesman. Velim was beyond middle years and rather stout, just as most of his fellows were, with thinning blond hair streaked with gray. Kambil had never met the man personally before, but observation from a distance had shown him to be one of those who reacted rather than thought. It was said that Zolind had allowed Velim his seat on the beard because the man was easy to manipulate, then had regretted the choice when Zolind's political oppon
ents found manipulating the man just as easy-Lord Velim, this is a great honor," Kambil said with another bow, seeing the fool's chest swell over being recognized. "But I'm afraid I don't understand. We were told returning to our residence was standard procedure, as arrangements had to be made for us at the palace. Wasn't the truth?"
Not entirely," Velim said with the broad smile of a man who suddenly believes he's found people he can control. "The five of you couldn't be expected to know any better, of course, but no real harm's been done. We're here to escort you to the palace personally, while the servants pack your things. The coaches should be here at any moment, so if you would be so good as to ready yourselves ...?" The man's words actually ended in a half question, as though he'd already forgotten that he was supposed to be in control. Kambil exchanged happy glances with the others as they all assured the fool that they would be delighted to get ready to leave, and then they excused themselves in order return to their bedchambers. In actual fact they could have locked out the door that moment, but it would never do to the group of fools know their visit had been expected. Kambil sent Delin to his own bedchamber while he, Kambil went to get a coat, then he followed Delin to the latter's room. What to do with the man so completely under his control had been a disturbing question in Kambil's thoughts, the decision he'd come to wasn't wholly satisfactory. Once at the palace they would each have their own wing, and Delin would have to be as active in his as the others were in their own. At least until the ceremony was over, that is, and they were seated.
"Delin, old fellow, I have some good news for you," Kambil murmured as he faced the man standing empty-minded in the middle of the floor. "I'm going to bring part you back for a while, as a joke on all those fools down-stairs. You won't remember everything and you won't be entirely free of control, but a lot of you will still be back. What do you think of that, hey?"
"Kambil, what's happening?" Delin said suddenly with confusion, one hand going to his head. "What are we doing here in my bedchamber?"
"We're getting ready to be escorted to the palace," Kambil replied, putting concerned worry into his voice. "Don't you remember that we won the competitions, and now we're to be Seated as the new Five? I agreed to wait for you out in the hall while you got your coat, but when you didn't appear I came looking for you. You haven't had another blackout spell, have you?"
"No, no, of course not," Delin assured him hastily with a forced smile. "I've just been preoccupied lately, so I haven't been paying the closest attention. Who did you say was here to escort us to the palace?''
"Twelve of the Advisors, led by Lord Velim Shoons," Kambil supplied smoothly. "Don't you remember how they marched into the sitting room downstairs, all but holding out their hands with their Advisor's rings like talismans in front of them? Most of them are extremely nervous about being this close to us, but they came anyway because they believe their political positions depend on it."
"And they'll do anything necessary to maintain themselves in place," Delin said, nodding even as he sneered. "But as long as they're determined to see us Seated, we shouldn't be too critical, should we? Well, let's not keep them waiting."
He walked to the wardrobe where his coat hung and took it out, looking as though he hadn't a care in the world. Kambil, who felt his confusion and fright clearly, knew better, but certainly wasn't about to comment. A confused and frightened Delin would be a cautious Delin, asking no questions that would betray his weakness. Kambil would keep very close tabs on him to be sure he remained cautious, but for the rest of the time Delin would again be on his own.
They walked downstairs together, where their three groupmates waited with three of the Advisors. The other nine had returned to their carriages to wait, they were informed, mostly to keep the new Five from feeling outnumbered. They all chuckled dutifully at the joke, then went out to climb into their own coaches. Velim and the other two Advisors chose to ride in their carriage rather than join them in the coaches, to make sure they didn't "crowd" the Five. Kambil smiled and thanked them for their concern, making no mention of the fact that they'd lied through their teeth.
"Who did they think they were fooling?" Bron asked once he and Kambil and Delin were settled in one of the coaches. "They're obviously terrified of us, and probably wish they were anywhere but here."
"They have reason to be terrified of us," Delin murmured with very obvious satisfaction, gazing out of the window at the nearest Advisor-filled carriage. "Most of them won't survive our Seating by more than a few days. They were the ones who allowed their underlings to throw our lives away, putting us in a position where our own people would destroy us even if our opponents didn't. One doesn't forgive something like that, not until it's been fully revenged."
"Which it will be," Kambil said, exchanging a glance with Bron. It was annoying to have to put up with Delin's madness again, but it would only be for a short while. After that Delin would sit quietly in his apartments when he wasn't needed for the Blending, and his servants would be adjusted to the point of seeing nothing odd in his behavior. Until then the man could simply be agreed with, which would avoid awkward confrontations.
With one Advisor-filled carriage leading the way and the other two following the coaches, they really did make a procession of their trip to the palace. The gate guards came to attention as the vehicles passed, making no effort to stop any of them. They'd obviously been warned in advance of the arrival, as had the palace staff. Dozens of them lined the approach to the main entrance, the rest undoubtedly lined up near the areas of their various duties. It would have been unwieldy having the hundreds of servants all waiting in the same place to greet their new superiors; dozens made the approach crowded enough, leaving barely enough room for the carriages and coaches.
They left the coaches to the applause of their audience, too much of which Kambil found to be either simply for form's sake or actually hiding hostility. He hadn't realized that that many palace workers would be displeased and disillusioned, but maybe the reaction was due to their predecessors. As soon as possible he would walk about and get to know some of the servants involved, and in that way would find out if there was anything which needed the attention of the Blending.
The group of Advisors escorted them to the area where the Five's individual wings began, but not simply for form's sake.
"Those servants will introduce themselves later," Velim said with a vague wave meant to indicate the five separate groups of servants. "Before they show you around your new domains, though, we'd appreciate a few minutes of your time."
"Of course," Delin responded with distant superiority thinly covered by a charming smile. "In which of our wings would you prefer the meeting to be?"
"There's a sitting room right here, meant to be used for purposes such as this," Velim responded, indicating a doorway half a dozen steps short of the area of divergence. "We've arranged for tea and cakes to be provided, and if you desire anything else you need only ask for it."
"If we desire anything else, we certainly shall," Delin allowed regally, then led the way toward the sitting room. Kambil joined the others in following, happier now about having had to restore Delin. The man knew nothing about what they'd done since returning to the residence after the final competition, so whatever Velim wanted to "discuss" would come as a surprise to the man. Even though Kambil suspected he already knew what the Advisor had in mind....
The "sitting room" turned out to be a good deal larger than ordinary, more like a conference room with easy chairs and no table than like anything else. Five of the chairs stood together in a row facing all the rest, and Delin headed directly for the set of five. Kambil let him seat himself in the center chair before sitting down beside him, then they all took a moment to tell the servants how they liked their tea. After another moment the small army of servants had brought their tea and left, and Velim cleared his throat.
"As I said earlier, we apologize for the unconscionable delay in bringing you here," he began, obviously tryi
ng not to sound tense and nervous. "To make up for the unintended slight, we've arranged for you to move directly into your various wings of the palace, and the Seating ceremony has been scheduled for tomorrow morning. Anyone of any importance will certainly be there, and two days after that we'll hold the public ceremony."
"Won't the current Seated Five be annoyed at having to share their wings?" Delin asked after sipping his tea. "And I do hate to be indelicate, but it's impossible to miss the fact that Advisor Zolind isn't among you. Does he intend to repair his absence now by coming to the ceremony tomorrow, or will he be 'regrettably detained' the way he clearly was today?"
"There is—ah—sad news where Lord Zolind is concerned," Velim replied after exchanging a glance with one of his brother Advisors. "Last night our good friend passed away, apparently from heart failure. His send-off cremation is tonight, which is why the Seating ceremony has been delayed until tomorrow."
"That's distressing news," Kambil said as the others exclaimed in shock, only Delin's surprise being real. "Advisor Zolind worked with us through most of the time of the competition, and we upheld our end of the bargain we made with him. I assume that your being here means you're prepared to uphold his end for him?"
"Ah—we'll have to discuss that agreement at another time," Velim hedged, suddenly and momentarily panic-stricken. He obviously knew nothing about a bargain, and Kambil could see that he wanted it to remain like that. If it hadn't been the perfect way to lever concessions from the Advisors, Kambil might have been willing to forget about the nonexistent bargain himself. As it was ...
"You still haven't answered my question about the outgoing Five," Delin prompted, only partially recovered from the shock of learning about Zolind's death. "You seem to have given us freedom of their wings, which, I've been told, only they can give. Are we likely to have to defend ourselves from them, or does the invitation come from them rather than from you?"