by Jim Butcher
He looked up to find Miles staring at him, something hard in the captain's eyes. But he never stirred and did not speak, letting his silence stand substitute for his support.
"I don't know how we can help her," Killian said at last, his voice a croak. "Not with only the three of us."
"Give me Ehren and Gaelle," Tavi said at once. "Free them of their final exercise. Let them investigate and see what they can find. They don't have to know anything about Gaius. Isana is my aunt, after all. Everyone knows that already. It would be natural for me to ask for their help in finding her. And… I might be able to ask Lady Placida as well. She's one of the leaders in the Dianic League. The League has a vested interest in keeping my aunt safe. They might be willing to expend some effort to locate her."
Killian's shaggy white brows knitted together. "You know that she may already be dead."
Tavi inhaled slowly. His tactics, the topic of the discussion, and the horrible images running through his head were terrifying. But he kept his breathing steady, and spoke of nightmarish scenarios in a calm, reasoned tone, as if discussing theoretical situations in a classroom. "Logically, it is likely that she is alive," he said. "If the cutters we saw wanted her dead, they would have found her body next to Sir Nedus's and Serai's. But she was taken from the scene. I think someone hopes to make use of her somehow, rather than removing her entirely."
"Such as?" the old Cursor asked.
"Asking for her support and allegiance, perhaps," Tavi said. "Hoping to gain the support of a very visible symbol if possible, rather than simply destroying it."
"In your estimation, will she do so?" Miles asked.
Tavi licked his lips, thinking through his answer as carefully as he possibly could. "She has little love for Gaius," he said. "But even less for those who arranged the Marat attack on the Calderon Valley. She'd rather gouge out her own eyes than stand with someone like that."
Killian exhaled slowly. "Very well, Tavi. Ask Ehren and Gaelle to help you, but do not tell them it is my desire that they do so, and reveal nothing further to them of the situation. Contact Lady Placida to request her help-though I wouldn't expect her to be terribly eager to assist you. By delivering a message from Gaius to her in public, you have tacitly claimed that Lord and Lady Placida are loyalists."
"Are they not loyal?" Tavi asked.
"They are not interested in choosing sides," Killian replied. "But you may have forced them to do it. In my judgment, they will not be appreciative of your actions. Walk carefully when you see them."
Miles grunted. "Maestro, I have some contacts in town. Retired Legion, mostly. There are two or three men who I could ask to look into I Sana's disappearance. I'd like to contact them at once."
Killian nodded, and Miles pushed off the wall and headed for the door. He paused beside Tavi and glanced at the young man. "Tavi. What I said earlier…"
"Was completely justified, sir," Tavi said quietly.
Miles regarded the boy for a moment more, then the pain in Killian's features. "Maybe it wasn't enough."
The captain gave Tavi a stiff, formal nod and strode from the room, his boots thudding in a swift, angry cadence.
He left Tavi with Killian, Fade, and the unconscious Gaius.
They sat in silence for a moment. Gaius's breathing sounded steadier and deeper to Tavi, but it could have been his imagination. Fade stirred and sat up, blinking owlishly at Tavi.
"With the captain gone," Killian said, "I'll have to handle the First Lord's mail. I know you want to move immediately, Tavi, but I'll need you to read it to me before you go. It's on the desk."
"All right," Tavi said, rising and forcing himself not to give voice to an impatient sigh. He paced to the desk, sat on the chair, and took up a stack of about a dozen envelopes of various sizes, and one long, leather tube. He opened the first letter and scanned over it. "From Senator Parmus, informing the Crown of the status of the roads in-"
"Skip that one for now," Killian said quietly.
Tavi put that letter down and went to the next. "An invitation from Lady Riva to attend her yearly farewell gathering in-"
"Skip it."
He opened the next letter. "From Lord Phrygius, bidding the First Lord a merry Wintersend in his absence, which is due to military considerations."
"Details?" Killian asked. "Tactical intelligence?"
"Nothing specific, sir."
"Skip it."
Tavi went through several more routine letters such as those, until he came to the last one, in the leather scroll tube. He picked it up, and the case felt peculiar against his hand, sending a slow shiver up his spine. He frowned at the peculiar leather, then suddenly understood the source of his discomfort.
It was made from human skin.
Tavi swallowed and opened the tube. The cap made an ugly, quavering scraping sound against the substance of the tube. Tavi gingerly drew out a sheet of leather parchment, trying not to touch the case any more than he absolutely had to do so.
The parchment, covered in large, heavy letters, was also made from thin-scraped human skin. Tavi swallowed uncomfortably, and read over the message.
"From Ambassador Varg," he read. "And in the Ambassador's own hand, it says."
Killian's heavy white brows furrowed. "Oh?"
"It advises the First Lord that the Canim courier ship has arrived with the change of his honor guard and will depart the capital to sail down the Gaul in two days."
Killian thumped his forefinger against his chin. "Interesting."
"It is?" Tavi asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
Killian rubbed at his chin. "Because it is absolutely not interesting. It is an entirely routine notification."
Tavi began to follow the Maestro's line of thought. "And if it is entirely routine," he said, "then why is it in the Ambassador's own hand?"
"Precisely," Killian said. "The Canim courier passes back and forth every two months or so. The Ambassador is permitted six guards at any one time, and four replacements are brought with every ship, so that no two guards spend more than four months on duty here. It is a common enough sight." He waved vaguely at his blind eyes. "Or so I am told."
Tavi frowned. Then he said, "Maestro, when I took that message to the Ambassador, he made it a point to tell me that he was having problems with rats. He… well indirectly pointed me at a hidden doorway, and I found an entry to the Deeps in the Black Hall."
Killian's frown darkened. "They found it, then."
"It was always there?" Tavi asked.
"Obviously," Killian said. "Gaius Tertius, I believe, made sure a way in was available to us, in the event that we needed to force entry. But I thought it undiscovered."
"Why would Varg take the time to tell us that he knew about it?" Tavi asked.
Killian mused for a moment and then said, "Honestly, I don't know. I can't think of any reason but for spite, to show us that he had not been deceived. But our knowledge of his knowledge could only have reduced any advantage he gained from knowing about the door-and it isn't like Varg to give away an advantage."
"I went down the passage a little," Tavi said. "I heard Varg's second, Sarl, speaking with an Aleran."
Killian's head tilted. "Indeed. What did they say?"
Tavi thought about it for a moment, then repeated the conversation.
"How nonspecific," Killian murmured.
"I know," Tavi said. "I'm sorry I didn't bring this to you at once, sir. I was scared when I left and I hadn't slept and…"
"Relax, Tavi. No one can go on forever without rest. Young men your age seem to need more than most." The old Cursor blew out a breath. "I suppose it's true for all of us. It bears thinking on, later, when there is less urgent business at hand," he said. "Is there any more mail?"
"No, sir. That's all."
"Very well. Then be about your assignment."
Tavi rose. "Yes, sir." He started for the door and paused. "Maestro?"
"Mmm?" Killian asked.
&nbs
p; "Sir… do you know who the captain meant when he said that Nedus had also trained 'Ran'?"
Tavi saw Fade's attention snap toward him in the corner of his vision, but he didn't look at the slave.
"Araris Valerian," Killian replied. "His older brother."
"There was bad blood between them?" Tavi asked.
Killian's expression flickered with irritation, but his answer was in a patient voice. "They had a falling-out. They hadn't recovered from it when Araris was killed at First Calderon, with the Princeps."
"What kind of falling-out?" Tavi asked.
"The famous duel of Araris Valerian and Aldrick ex Gladius," Killian replied. "Originally, you see, Miles was to duel Aldrick over…" He waved a hand. "I forget. Some kind of disagreement over a woman. But on the way to the duel, Miles slipped and fell into the street into the path of a water wagon. It ran over his leg and shattered his knee so badly that not even watercrafters could make it entirely whole again. Araris, as Miles's second, fought the duel in his place."
"And that came between them?" Tavi asked. "Why?"
"Miles accused Araris of pushing him in front of the wagon," Killian said. "Said he did it out of a desire to protect him."
Tavi watched Fade in the corner of his eye, but the slave had gone completely still. "Is it true?"
"Had they faced one another, Aldrick would have killed Miles," Killian stated. There was no doubt whatsoever in his tone. "Miles was very young, then, not even fully grown, and Aldrick was-is-a terror with a blade."
"Did Araris really push Captain Miles?" Tavi asked.
"I doubt anyone will ever know the truth of it. But Miles was wounded too badly to accompany the Princeps and his Legion to the Battle of the Seven Hills. He was on the way to the Calderon Valley to rejoin the Princeps when the Marat attacked and began the First Battle of Calderon. Araris died beside the Princeps. Miles and his brother never saw one another again. Never had the chance to reconcile. I suggest you avoid the topic."
Tavi turned to look at Fade.
The slave averted his eyes, and Tavi could not read the man's marred features. "I see," he said quietly. "Thank you, Maestro."
Killian lifted a hand, cutting Tavi off. "Enough," the old man murmured. "Be about your duties."
"Yes, sir," Tavi said, and retreated from the meditation chamber to seek out Ehren and Gaelic.
Chapter 29
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Ehren mumbled. "And we have a history examination at third bell." He turned his back, resettled himself onto his pillow, and mumbled, "Come back after the exam."
Tavi glanced across the cot at Gaelle, then the two of them reached down and hauled Ehren bodily up out of bed. The skinny boy let out a yelp as they dragged him toward the door of his dorm room. On the way, Tavi scooped up a pair of trousers, stockings, and boots, neatly laid out in preparation for the morning.
"Quiet," he said to Ehren. "Come on. We don't want the night watchman to come looking for us."
Ehren subsided and began to stagger along with them, keeping pace, until after several dozen paces he blinked, and murmured, "What's going on?"
"Tell you in a minute," Tavi said. He and Gaelle steered Ehren toward the overgrown area of the campus where Killian's supposed classroom was located. Tavi snagged the key to its door from beneath a nearby stone, unlocked it, and the three young people hurried inside.
Once there, Tavi made sure the shades were drawn tight closed, and murmured, "AH right," to Gaelle, who coaxed the flame of a furylamp to dim life.
Ehren gave Gaelle a self-conscious glance, reached for his clothing, and started jerking it on with considerable haste, even though his nightshirt came to well below his knees. "We're going to get in trouble," he said. "Tavi, what are you doing?"
"I need your help," he said quietly.
"Can't it wait?" Ehren asked.
Tavi shook his head, and Gaelle suddenly frowned at him. "Tavi," she murmured. "What's wrong? You look awful."
At that, Ehren frowned and studied him as well. "Tavi? Are you all right?"
"I am," Tavi replied. He took a deep breath. "My aunt isn't. She came to the capital for the presentation at the conclusion of Wintersend. Her party was attacked. Her companion and her armsmen were murdered. She's been taken."
Gaelle drew in a quick breath. "Oh, furies, Tavi, that's horrible."
Ehren pushed his fingers idly through his tangled hair. "Crows."
"She's in danger," Tavi said quietly. "I have to find her. I need your help."
Ehren snorted. "Our help? Tavi, be reasonable. I'm sure the civic Legion is looking for her already. And the Crown is going to turn the Realm upside down and shake it until she falls out. Gaius can't afford to let something happen to Steadholder Isana."
Gaelle frowned. "Ehren's right, Tavi. I mean, I'm your friend, and I want to do whatever I can to help you, but there are going to be much more capable people handling your aunt's disappearance."
"No," Tavi said quietly. "There aren't. At least, I don't think anyone with a real chance of success is going to look for her."
Ehren's expression became uncertain. "Tavi? What do you mean?"
Tavi took a deep breath. Then he said, "Look. I'm not supposed to tell you about this. But the Crown is, for the moment, extremely limited in what it can do to help."
"What does that mean?" Gaelle asked.
"I can't share specifics," Tavi said. "Suffice to say that the Crown isn't going to be turning anyone upside down looking for my aunt."
Gaelle blinked in slow surprise. "What about the Cursors? Surely they will be able to help?"
Tavi shook his head. "No. There…" He grimaced. "I can't tell you any more. I'm sorry. The only help my aunt is going to get is whatever I can bring to her myself."
Ehren frowned. "Tavi, don't you trust us?"
"It isn't that," Tavi said. "Because I do."
Gaelle stared at him, then mused, aloud, "Which means you are under orders not to speak to us about it."
Ehren nodded thoughtfully. "And the only one who could give you an order like that is Maestro Killian."
"Or the First Lord," Gaelle murmured. "Which means…" Her face went a little pale.
Ehren swallowed. "Which means that something very serious is happening-something serious enough to divert the entire resources of the Cursors and the Crown elsewhere. And that whoever gave him the order is afraid of treachery from within the Citadel, because even we aren't getting the whole story."
Gaelle nodded slowly. "And as students newly introduced to matters of intelligence, we present less risk to security matters." She frowned at Tavi. "Has something happened to the First Lord?"
Tavi used every ounce of experience he'd gained growing up with a powerfully sensitive watercrafter watching over him to keep any kind of expression from his face or voice as he answered. "I can't tell you anything more than I have."
"But if we do this," Gaelle said, "we will be in danger."
"Probably," Tavi said quietly.
Ehren shivered. "I would have thought you'd ask Max first," he said. "Why isn't he here?"
"I'm not sure where he is," Tavi said. "But as soon as I see him, I'm going to ask him, too."
Ehren frowned and glanced down at the floor. "Tavi, we have examinations for two more days-and we still have to complete our final exercises for Killian. There's no way I can do that and an investigation, too."
"I know," Tavi said. "I'm asking for a lot-from both of you. Please believe me when I say that I wouldn't do it if I wasn't desperate. We've got to find my aunt-both for her own sake and to help the Crown."
"But…" Ehren sighed. "History."
"I think we can get the Academy to give us special consideration later," Tavi said. "But I can't promise you anything, Ehren. I'm sorry."
"My admittance to the Academy was conditional. If I fail any courses, they're going to send me back home," Ehren said.
Tavi shook his head. "You've been training as a Cursor, Ehren. The Crown won't let th
em send you away if you were pulled away from your studies by duty."
Gaelle arched her brows. "But is this duty, Tavi?"
"It is," Tavi said.
"How do we know that?" Gaelle asked.
"You'll just have to trust me." Tavi gazed at her steadily.
Gaelle and Ehren traded a long look, then Gaelle said, "Well, of course we'll help you, Tavi." She took a shaking breath. "You're our friend. And you are right about your aunt's importance to the Crown." She grimaced. "I wasn't exactly having a good time with my assignment for Killian in any case."
"Oh, dear." Ehren sighed. "Yes, of course we'll help."
"Thank you," Tavi told them. He smiled a little. "If you like, I'll even help you with your assignments for the Maestro. We'll make it our own little secret."
Ehren let out a wry laugh. "I can hardly imagine where that could lead," he said. He finished lacing his boots. "So, tell us whatever you can about the attack on your aunt."
Tavi told them about the visit to Lord Kalare's garden party and what they had learned there and after, omitting any mention of Max or Brencis and his cronies from the tale.
"It would appear," Ehren said, "that Kalare dispatched these cutters who killed your aunt's entourage."
"It seems a rather glaringly obvious conclusion," Gaelle replied. "It may have been a deliberately planted encounter for Tavi's benefit."
"It hardly matters," Tavi said. "The men who took her wouldn't bring her back to Kalare's property in any case. He'd be protecting himself from any association with the murders and kidnaping."
"True," Ehren said. He glanced at Gaelle. "The staff of Kalare's household may have seen something. And odds are very good the house's chef employed the services of caterers for some of the food. They might also have seen something without realizing it."
Gaelle nodded. "There were any number of people on the streets nearby. We could knock on doors, speak to people still there. There are bound to be rumors flying about, too. One never knows when they might be useful. Which do you prefer?"
"Streets," Ehren said.
Gaelle nodded. "Then I will approach Kalare's staff and the caterers."
"If she's been taken," Tavi said, "they might be preparing to leave with her. I'll take the riverfront and check in with the dockmaster and the causeway wardens to make sure they know to keep an eye out." He half smiled. "Listen to us. We sound almost like Cursors."