The woman in the purple dress gasped. “That could be disastrous for his career and any prospects for him or his son. He may only be a baron, but he has wealth and influence.”
The other two nodded before the pink one crossed her arms over her chest. “As a widower, you think he would have looked for a new mother for his son. But no, he has remained single. He enjoys his bachelorhood too much.”
The purple woman gave them a sidelong glance. “Maybe he enjoys the slaves too much as well.”
All three giggled at that. “I feel he’s not the type to do that kind of thing.” The blue woman looked down.
“Do you hold a flame for him?” asked the purple one, eyebrows going up.
“Hush, do you want my husband to hear?”
“So you do?” The woman in the pink dress gave her a sly smile.
“No, I think Baron Andor wouldn’t be meeting with the king to be reprimanded for something so trivial.”
The purple woman tapped a finger near her mouth. “That is true. Ah! Did you hear that Lord Parnel has been courting Count Quint’s daughter?”
Azara turned her attention away. She had more than enough information for right now; it had driven all thoughts of the play right out of her head. She recognized the baron’s name from Jin’s report, and it had to be the same person. Which meant they could learn more than they thought from him.
As she continued to wait for Jin, a slow smile spread across her face. The theatre truly was a magical place.
* * *
Jin watched Azara finish another circuit of their room, the shush of her gown the only sound except for their breathing and her footsteps. She was tightly wound after the theatre. And not for the reason he’d initially thought.
“Why don’t you change into your nightgown, and we can sit together and discuss the play?” That would give her the time she needed to think, and keep her from disturbing any of their neighbours. If they kept their voices low, it should be safe. If necessary, he could cast a silence spell.
Azara studied him, then nodded and headed for the bathroom. Privately, Jin wondered where she’d found so many nightgowns that looked like something a grandmother would be comfortable in. They hadn’t been in the clothes prepared for both of them.
Using the brief time he had, Jin changed out of his own formal wear, feeling a certain amount of relief as he took off the restrictive clothing. He missed his official robes. They were far more comfortable and practical overall. The closest he got was his nightclothes, which he hastily donned. The last thing he wanted was Azara to walk out and catch him in his natural state.
Settling himself onto the side of the bed that had unofficially been designated as his, Jin wondered what had happened to get Azara riled. She’d been fine for the first half of the play. It wasn’t until the intermission that she’d gotten like this, practically vibrating. She must have discovered something interesting. She’d given the play her full attention for the last half, but as soon as it ended, she’d tensed right back up again.
She hadn’t said anything on the carriage ride, just jiggled one foot the entire time, eyes locked straight ahead. With the way she was acting, Jin suspected she’d heard something of fire mages here and was all alight to go investigate. Depending on the information, he might need to put the brakes on that plan. The last thing they needed to do was charge in without a plan or information.
When Azara finally came out of the bathroom, she was in her nightgown, her hair half-unpinned with her dress in her arms. She busied herself with hanging that up, grabbed her brush and joined him in bed. He watched as she pulled the remaining pins from her hair and created a pile on her nightstand. Only then did she face him as she brushed her hair.
Jin met her gaze. “How did you like this play?”
“I liked it better than the first.” She lowered her voice. “I overheard something about your baron.”
“I’m glad.” Jin shifted closer to Azara so that his one leg brushed up against hers. Leaning forward with one hand on the small patch of mattress between them, he held her eyes and kept his voice barely above a murmur. “What did you hear?”
She met his gaze, her hands stilling. “He’s been frequenting the slave auctions far more often than is normal as well as he’s been spending far more time at his estate. He used to be known for indulging himself, but the rumour said he’s recently met the king. He’s also said to be busy with work.”
Jin frowned. “It’s...promising. There’s a chance he could even be more highly placed in the government work than the earl.”
“Promising? There’s every possibility he’s buying fire mages and keeping them at his estate. We should investigate the place.”
He hid a wince. Azara’s eyes were bright, and she was practically bouncing in the bed beside him. Jin found it difficult to share her enthusiasm and certainty. Rumours were all well and good, but hardly solid evidence. If they did investigate and were caught, and if it turned out Baron Andor had nothing to do with fire mages or Nalbin’s massing of troops, they’d have blown their identities for no gain. “If we’re found out, it would end very poorly.”
Azara shook her head, smiling at him. “That’s where my plan comes in. You’re already familiar with the baron. As it’s approaching summer and getting warmer every day, you can mention how hot it is and how we’re not dealing with it well. You can subtly fish for an invitation to visit his estate. Once there, we can look around without raising suspicions.”
Jin sighed. “It’s not a bad plan, but the baron isn’t the type to issue that kind of invitation. Especially to so new an acquaintance as me.”
She leaned closer to him, her eyes boring into his own. “Don’t downplay your own abilities. You’ve done very well in negotiating with the merchant and the other nobles, and you’re far better than I am at both navigating those places and in using subtlety. I’m sure you could finesse him into the invitation.”
Azara’s trust was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, she had listened to him. On the other, in situations like this, she didn’t believe him when he hesitated or considered something out of his reach. And it didn’t help that Baron Andor struck him as the sort who had very clear ideas of where servants and where nobles belonged. Jin fell into the servant category as far as the baron was concerned. “I don’t think this is a strong enough idea to try. The baron strikes me as touchy and the type of person who would never invite one of his inferiors to visit his estate.”
Azara crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, do you have a better idea?”
Now he winced visibly. “Not at this time, but I haven’t thought about it yet. We could always see about visiting the slave auction at the same time as he is. That might yield useful results.”
“We don’t know when he’ll go there or if he’ll ever return. You’re meeting him tomorrow. The more information and the faster we get it makes us more effective. If we wait, he may move permanently to his estate.”
Jin couldn’t deny that point, though he didn’t feel even a subtle attempt to get an invitation would end well. Still, he didn’t have any other ideas.
With her gaze on him, Jin bowed his head. “Alright. I’ll make the attempt.”
The grin she turned on him almost made it worth it. Almost.
* * *
Standing in front of the baron’s desk again, Jin kept his face pleasant as he waited for the man to finish writing something down. Used to such tactics, but from the emperor who was a master of them, Jin kept quiet. It was only another few moments before the baron set aside his pen and graced Jin with his attention.
“Again, you show yourself to be both punctual and polite. It is something I appreciate.”
Jin gave him a little bow. “As I appreciate the opportunity you have given me.”
A cold smile answered that. “The first experiments with
your teas have been very promising. I will order one hundred doses of each. I will also order twenty doses of your wakefulness tea to test its effectiveness. When will you have all of it ready?”
“Within three days, my lord.” Jin thought he could do it in two, but it was best to overestimate with men like the baron.
“Three it is then. Have you had any success in procuring any other teas, as of yet?”
“Regretfully no. I fear that will not be possible until we return to the Empire for a resupply.”
Baron Andor raised his eyebrows. “We?”
“My wife and I. It would not have done to leave her alone in the Empire, even with my family.”
“No, I suppose it would not. You must have not been married long, to worry so. And has she acclimatized to Nalbin?”
He wasn’t going to get a better opening than this. “We have been married nearly four years. As for her acclimatizing, yes, and no. She is quite taken with the theatre.” Jin always found his lies went better with a bit of truth mixed in. “She is originally from Pocale and finds the weather here quite warm. We’ve talked of visiting the countryside, which we’ve heard is cooler.”
The baron nodded. “It can be. In other places, it is hotter. It depends on where one is going, and the quality of the accommodations. My own estate has thick walls and is quite cool, though as it is ancient, it lacks a few of the modern amenities found here. Something I endeavour to change.”
“It must be steeped in history. I have seen many fantastic buildings here in Lound, and have hope to see many more during our time in Nalbin.” Jin watched the noble, gauging every movement to see if he should push forward or back off. The last thing he wanted to do was to lose an information source. Especially one of his more highly placed ones.
“It is indeed. Though the Empire has as much, if not more history preserved in its buildings than we do here. I have heard tell of ancient scrolls that have survived millennia.” The baron leaned forward, eyes locked onto Jin.
It felt a little like being a mouse in the gaze of a snake but having endured the emperor in anger and at his most imperial, this didn’t make Jin sweat. “There have been such discoveries, yes. The Palace City has much more history, but I have not had the honour of being allowed there. It is rare merchants are. I have visited the ancient gardens and the observatory. It was splendid to see the stars come close through their telescopes.”
“You are a man of learning then, not just of business.”
Jin smiled. “I am nothing so great. My father took a strict view on what we should learn, so that we might expand the business and stand on our own feet.” The strict part was true, but the rest... He thought his father would prefer if all of his children remained under his control.
“A wise man. I appreciate you coming personally to conduct this business. There are some who would leave such things to underlings, or people without...refinement.”
“I could trust no other to deal with someone of your stature. To do otherwise would be to risk my business.”
The baron turned on that cold smile of his. “Yes, that is true. See my butler on the way out to complete the agreement and to sign the necessary documents. I await delivery of the tea with anticipation. I do hope you won’t let me down.”
Jin bowed deeply. “I can only hope that I, and my products, live up to your expectations. I will endeavour to do everything in my power to do so.”
“I leave it to you.”
Bowing once more before he left, Jin could feel the baron’s eyes on him as he exited the room.
Chapter Eighteen: Flames
Jin had to walk to the nearest shopping square before he could find a carriage, and during that time, the feeling of eyes on him didn’t dim. Rather than react, he kept his eyes forward and did his best to stroll as if he had all the time in the world. But his back itched as if he had dozens of bayonets pointed at him.
When he did hail a carriage, he used the movement to check his surroundings. Getting in, he did the same, trying to disguise the movement as a casual glance. Several people seemed to have gotten closer to him, but the man in a grey vest by the milliner’s shop seemed to be staring more than the others.
There wasn’t much else he could do at the moment, so he gave directions to the inn and leaned into a seat that smelled faintly of cigars. If he was being followed on foot, he’d escape the tail. If the man was prepared to give chase in another carriage, Jin would have to keep an eye out. And there was always the chance he wasn’t being followed at all. He’d been on edge when he’d come out of the last meeting with the baron, though he hadn’t felt eyes on him the way he did now.
It reminded him of the magi graduation exams in the Imperial service. All those gazes, each hoping for the others’ failures, some resorting to more direct tactics. Those caught were expelled. Memories of mocking laughter and trap spells had Jin grimacing. Being ahead of the others had only brought more sabotage attempts. He certainly didn’t miss those days.
Not that being the emperor’s chief magus was easy. The jealousy, jostling for power and underhanded tactics remained the same. Jin was better at ferreting it out or ignoring what he didn’t need to deal with.
And he got the distinct impression that those eyes were something he was going to have to deal with. He wasn’t sure if his watcher was sent by the baron or one of the man’s rivals. It could be a rival tea merchant, out to steal the secrets of their goods. There were too many possibilities and not enough information.
Rather than chase the same thoughts around and around his head, Jin focused on a different path. He’d see what Azara thought. She had a sense of these things and was often good at coming up with the most efficient solution.
The longer they were together, the more Jin appreciated the emperor’s interest in her. Azara was more than her crystal power; she would have been deadly with a weapon in her hand, or her natural fire magic. She was a sharp sword aimed straight at those who would use or harm fire mages. He thought she could use the tempering of patience and listening to outside wisdom, but no one could deny she was effective.
If she could be convinced to stay in the Empire, and he found himself hoping she would, he could see Azara being a great partner for a magus, much the way the twins worked. Her siblings had the same issues magi did, that mid—to long-range fights were their golden area. On the other hand, Azara excelled in short—to mid-range, allowing her to protect one target easily. And if that target were to be a magus of skill with a wide knowledge of spells...
She could also be a very effective bodyguard for the emperor. Especially in situations where visible weapons and magi were forbidden. Her power was innate to her body, so it wouldn’t be a lie if she was asked if she was carrying a weapon or if she knew offensive magic. She’d said it before. The crystal wasn’t true magic.
When there was time, Jin thought he might see if Azara would allow him to study the crystal. His celestial majesty would want him to investigate the possibility of replicating it, but they might be able to discover more about it, maybe help her discover new ways of manipulating the crystal. He thought she might like that, might even get a smile out of her...
His thoughts were interrupted by the slowing of the carriage. Jin stiffened before he squared himself then forced his body to relax. When the driver opened his door, Jin glanced about as he hopped down. The flick of the coins to the carriage driver gave him another chance to check around.
While he didn’t see the man in the grey vest, there was another who had the same heavy sideburns. Hiding a frown, Jin headed straight into the inn and the waiting Azara.
She was sitting on the bed, one leg jiggling when he opened the door. She leapt up, her eyes bright. “Well? How did it go? Did you get the invitation?”
He glanced around, but the room looked like it always had, except a few of Azara’s belongings were sca
ttered about. Jin sighed. “No, we’re stuck with the heat.” He sat on the bed beside her, leaning towards her ear and ignoring the faint scent of lavender and some unidentified spice that always seemed to hover near her. He blamed the scented soaps for the distraction. “I think I was followed out of the baron’s manor.”
She jerked to stare at him, leaving precious little space between their faces. She didn’t seem conscious of that. “Are you certain?”
He shook his head. “He may have followed the carriage, but I could be wrong.”
Azara tapped her knee. “Could it be a way of checking out our story? Or did the baron seem to be suspicious of you?”
“He didn’t, and I suppose they could be verifying the information, but why send someone to directly follow me?”
“To ensure you’re not meeting others? It could be nothing. I’d hate for us to draw suspicion because we think we’re being watched. We should continue as we have been, but be especially cautious. That should cover all angles.”
Jin looked at Azara, noting how she was relaxing now that she had a plan. He wished he could be so sure of things. Still, she did have a point. There was nothing they could do at the moment, so they should proceed as if everything was as it had been. But Jin didn’t think the itch of his back would go away until they were certain they were safe.
* * *
A familiar smell gently pulled Azara out of sleep. It was oddly comforting, yet at the same time, there was something she had to keep in mind about it. Her eyes snapped open as she recognized the scent, eyes picking up the waft of smoke overhead. Something was on fire.
A glow from out the window and the thickening stream of smoke along with screams below told her what she needed to know. Jin was rousing himself, eyes bleary as he looked around. “The hotel’s on fire.”
Jin went from sleepy confusion to movement, rolling out of bed and reaching for the nearest pair of pants. Azara jumped out of bed, reached over and scooped up her carpetbag. Jin’s paranoia last night had made her pack it. Except, she couldn’t call it paranoia anymore.
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