“It does not matter.”
“Anyway, Sandis was glad to have his most hated competitor in his hand, and he could have crushed us then. But Sandis has a cruel streak, and it was not enough merely to destroy our trade and finances, which he was reasonably sure of doing. He allowed an extension of credit if my father would sell one of the family into slavery.”
“That seems unlikely.”
Roald looked at the table. “I am relating it to you as my father explained to us, your lordship. Sandis wanted a certain sum paid on the loan, and we did not have it—Sandis told my father then to sell a child….” His voice wavered. “Can you imagine it? Can you conceive of such a decision?”
Shianan swallowed and clenched his fists. “There must have been another way.”
“There was not. At least, my father could not find one. He decided to give up his youngest son.”
“Your brother.”
“Yes, your lordship.”
“Did this brother have a name?”
“His name was Luca.” Roald gave Shianan a bitter look. “I’m sure your spies, or agents, or whatever you prefer to call them, didn’t miss that detail.”
Shianan ignored this. “And so this brother was sold, and your house’s credit was extended.”
“A few days later the ship arrived, and with her cargo we were able to pay enough of the loan to reduce the danger.”
“And did you buy back the brother?”
“No—no, we didn’t. We were still short of funds, and—he was already sold.”
“Couldn’t you find him? Surely there was a record of the sale.”
“The trader had sent him inland….” Roald looked down, his face reddening. “Your lordship, let me try to explain something. To sell one’s own son—you cannot imagine it. My father could not bear to think on it. And so Luca simply ceased to exist for us. He made no further search because he could not admit what he had done.”
Shianan stared. “He sold his own son and then willfully forgot it? Pretended it had never happened?”
“We couldn’t have found him, your lordship. He was sent to be auctioned in another city.”
“It must have been far indeed if a trading family could not have followed him.”
Roald flinched at the words. “My father felt…. It was easier to pretend it had not happened. And I think he was afraid to look—he wanted to believe Luca had found good service because of his training and education, and he was afraid of finding otherwise. And he—I think he was afraid of facing him, too.” His voice wavered, unhappy. “So, your lordship, now you know the truth of it. My younger brother was sold for debt and lost to us. Now, as I said, I have only an elder brother and a sister.”
“I see.” Shianan glanced at his hands. “And how will this history affect our trading? A man who will sell his own son for profit might do more—might cheat an army, as our last merchant partners did.”
Roald shook his head. “Oh, no, your lordship. We have learned that debt is fatal. We are now a very conservative house, and you would not be disappointed in us.”
“Nicely said.” Shianan squeezed his fingers on his wine. “Your father would be proud.”
Roald stiffened. “I am not proud of all my father has done, but he did what he thought he must at the time—and he is still my father.”
“Only because he chose to sacrifice your younger brother instead of you.” Shianan shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I do not mean to argue over a man I have never met. You came here to persuade me your house would be an ideal supplier, and that is my official concern. Your family affairs make no difference to King Jerome.”
Roald’s throat worked. “We would be a good supplier.”
“Though a few years ago your house was nearly destitute? Saved from ruin by the price of a single slave?”
Roald flushed. The charm had vanished entirely. “Word got around of what had happened. It was bad for Sandis. Who would contract with a man who took a son as interest?” He shook his head. “Even strangers came to our house to show their sympathy and outrage. Sandis’ cruelty undid him. He still trades, but he has lost nearly all of his custom to us.”
“So your brother really was the saving of your house.”
Roald looked down, his shoulders slumping. “Your lordship,” he said quietly, “I was instructed to come here and sign a trade agreement with you. I intended to do so. But if you would rather I depart now, I could simply—”
“No, stay. Drink your wine.” Shianan swallowed. “As I said, King Jerome’s interest is in your mercantile promises, not in your family affairs, and you have made a very attractive offer.”
Roald smiled thinly. “The king is interested in our mercantile promises, and it is only you who finds us distasteful?” He sighed. “I cannot blame you, your lordship.” He reached for the bottle. “I find us distasteful as well.”
Shianan looked at him.
“Oh, yes. It’s true.” Roald took a drink. “This is entirely the wrong conversation for this wine. We should have something cheap which we can knock back without shame.”
Shianan lifted his cup and stared at it without drinking.
“I will tell you something none of my family knows.” Roald leaned over the table. “I tried to find Luca.”
“You did?” Shianan could hear his own surprise.
“Yes. Not right away—not soon enough—but when I went out on business, I tried to trace him. I thought it would be possible; he was well-educated, and how many clerks could there be?” He shook his head. “But I was wrong. I underestimated the man who would break us. Sandis had not only demanded my father sell a son, he had paid the trader to—to sell him as labor instead of as educated help.”
Shianan shook his head. “He would have lost too much money.”
“That’s why Father was sure he was all right. But the trader told me Sandis had made up the difference in price, just for the satisfaction of seeing Luca sold as common labor and Father’s shame if we looked for him. Holy One knows he stood to profit enough on the interest.” Roald rubbed a hand over his face. “Luca was my brother. I was horrified at the idea of him grinding in a mill or working a mine or pulling a wagon or dragging a plow. I’ve seen—it’s not easy work.”
Shianan clenched his jaw. “Why didn’t you find him?”
“He was taken to Furmelle for auction.” Roald looked down. “This was before the rebellion. I found someone to go through the old accounts for me.”
“Did you not find his purchaser?”
Roald shook his head slowly. “I thought I had. The records weren’t complete; there had been a fire. But I had thirty names who had bought labor slaves that day. I thought there was a good chance I had found him.” He bit at his lip. “He wasn’t there. I wandered the streets, hoping to see him bearing a litter—that’s popular there—or pulling a wagon or maybe selling vegetables, I don’t know. But I didn’t see him, and then the rebellion started.”
“And that interrupted your search.”
“I had to flee, like so many others. But—you can’t imagine what it was like.”
“I was there.” Shianan looked down. “You would not have been able to find one man. Families were killed in their beds. Slaves fled or banded together to fight, it was chaos. We didn’t keep records of prisoners—there were too many.”
Roald nodded. “Even if I’d been able to track him before, I could not have found him after the fighting.”
He was ashamed of what had been done. He had searched for Luca. He might not be the same man who had watched his brother dragged away in chains. Shianan took a long, shuddering breath. “If you could find him now, would you—”
“He is dead.”
Shianan’s jaw hung for a moment. “What?”
“Furmelle—it was bad. You know that, lordship. He died there.”
“He died there?”
“I’m sure he did. I can feel it. There was so much fighting, and it was so—I have to believe he died there, you see. Luc
a was not a fighter, he was a clerk. He could not have survived.”
Shianan laced his fingers together fiercely. “I was a commander at Furmelle. We sold hundreds of slaves after the fighting. Don’t you think he might have been one of them?”
“I heard what kind of men were sold then, lordship. Luca could not have been one of them. No, Luca died in Furmelle. I have only an elder brother and a sister.”
Shianan swallowed. No, Jarrick did not want to find Luca. He only assuaged his conscience by imagining he had searched for his lost brother. He was willing enough to accept defeat, to lay his brother’s loss to impartial death instead of their own fault.
Shianan clenched his fists beneath the table. He would not have Luca. Luca deserved better.
“Finish this,” he said gruffly, emptying the bottle into Roald’s cup. “And you don’t have to tell your father you’ve failed. The contract is yours.”
Roald glanced up, clearly startled. “But….”
“Your house needs this contract, yes? That is why he sent you, though we’re a long journey from the Wakari Coast. He could not leave this in the hands of a hired representative.” Shianan looked steadily at Roald, whose dull look confirmed all. “Your mercantile house is recovering, but it is not quite as comfortably reestablished as you’d like me to believe. But it is secure enough to succeed with this contract, or you would not risk everything you’ve rebuilt on this.” He dug his knuckles into his thigh. “If you fail now, then the sacrifice of your brother accomplished nothing. Correct?”
Roald swallowed visibly. “That is—correct.”
“Then you may tell your father his sacrifice was profitable. Bring me a contract, and I will have it signed by all the relevant parties.” Shianan stood abruptly. “And now, Roald, I think we have said all that matters. May I bid you good night?”
Roald stumbled out of his chair. “Your lordship.” He bowed deeply. “I—thank you—the contract—I will come again…. Thank you, your lordship.” He bowed once more and nearly fled the office.
Shianan locked the door behind him and turned. After a moment he crossed to the living quarters.
Luca leaned with his shoulder against the wall, huddled beside the door with his arms about his knees. His face was damp, and as he glanced up he rubbed briefly at his cheeks. Shianan looked at him with a hollow ache. He’d listened to every word. “Luca….”
For once, Luca did not scramble to his feet. He sniffed. “Thank you.”
“Thank you?”
“For giving him the contract.” Luca sniffed again.
Shianan’s jaw clenched. “I could have him arrested. I could ruin him. I could—take you to him.”
Luca shook his head slowly. “I don’t want to see him,” he whispered. “I don’t want him to know I’m here. I just want him to go home.” He dug his knuckles across his face. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry for what?” Shianan turned away. He could not imagine what Luca must feel. If his brother had watched as his father sold him away….
It might have been the other brother, he reflected. Thir, the eldest. But he guessed it had been Jarrick who watched.
If Jarrick Roald learned of Luca and was not glad to find him now—that might be worse. Shianan understood why Luca did not want to see the merchant.
He walked to Luca’s back and sat against the wall beside him, staring across the room. He wanted something to say, and yet there was nothing.
A slave did not have family, did not have relations, did not have connections—just as a bastard had no family. And yet Luca wept for his brother.
Chapter 53
“Tamaryl’sho.” Fasi’bel paused at the open doorway to the courtyard. “One would like to speak with you.”
Tamaryl straightened from dangling his fingers in the fountain. A few colorful fish darted toward the surface as water dripped from his fingers, hoping for bits of food. “Of course.”
It was Taro who entered at Fasi’s beckoning wave. He knelt upon two knees. “Tamaryl’sho—I thank you for your kindness.”
“I am not sure it deserves special thanks, Taro. If you were asked for more than you had sold, you were wronged.”
“Nonetheless, I thank you, and I will repay you.”
“Thank you.” Tamaryl was spared from further response by a sudden and demanding knock at the far exterior door. Fasi gestured, and Maru hurried to answer.
Two females, wearing the blue sashes of Oniwe’aru’s guard, pushed their way inside. “Tamaryl’sho,” one began, seeing him across the courtyard. “You are summoned with the human mage prisoner to the presence of Oniwe’aru, in the Palace of Red Sands.”
Maru looked worriedly at Tamaryl. “We will come immediately,” Tamaryl said. “I presume you are sent to escort us safely to the palace?”
“We are.” She gave Tamaryl a guarded look.
The two members of Oniwe’aru’s elite were not for security, but to make obvious Tamaryl’s trespass. He nodded. “Maru, go and ask Ariana’rika to join us. Be sure to knock at the wall beside her entry. Humans are very particular about that.”
Tamaryl entered the audience chamber and dropped to one knee, bowing his head. Behind him Ariana curtsied deeply.
“Tamaryl’sho.” Oniwe’aru stalked across his dais. “I thought you were beyond disobeying me whenever it suited you?”
Tamaryl caught his breath. “You know I honor you, Oniwe’aru.”
“Then why do you parade this human, claiming her as spoils, when you were to bring her to me if her condition improved?”
Tamaryl went to his second knee and placed his palms on the floor, forefingers just touching. “I apologize, Oniwe’aru. It was not my intent to disregard your instruction. I only had not yet brought her to you.”
“Hn.” Oniwe’aru did not seem appeased. “Stand, human.”
He had not told Tamaryl to rise. Like the guards, this was a rebuke.
Ariana did not know how to comport herself in this foreign court, and her voice wavered. “Your Majesty.”
Oniwe chuckled. “That is a human honorific, you know. You may address me as Oniwe’aru, unless you would prefer to use my full title.”
“What is that, my lord?”
“Altayr ni’Ai cin Celæno, Alcyon ni Pairvyn, Majja to Pleione.” He smiled at her dismay. “As I said, you may address me as Oniwe’aru.” He seated himself regally in his chair, adjusting his wings behind him. “This is Edeiya’rika, my Tsuraiya ni’Ai. Do you understand this?”
Ariana looked at the tall Ryuven female with emerald-dark hair. “Not entirely, I’m sorry.”
“You do know the Pairvyn ni’Ai.”
“Yes.” Her single syllable was tight with wariness and contempt. “Your warlord who wreaked horrific destruction on us.”
“I can see how you became a mage instead of a diplomat,” Oniwe observed dryly. “Say rather, the Pairvyn is my male champion. The Tsuraiya is my female champion. As such, she will safeguard my person during our interview, in case of any such display as the one in the house of Daranai’rika.”
Ariana’s jaw worked uselessly until she found words. “I offered no threat! I only defended a friend! You have to understand—”
“I must do nothing demanded of me by a human prisoner,” rumbled Oniwe. “You are the first human mage to survive. You will not be the first to strike a blow in our own court.”
Edeiya’rika made a sound somewhere between a cough and a dismissive chuckle, almost too faint to catch.
The aru turned to her. “Yes?”
“I do not think there is much worry, Oniwe’aru.” Edeiya passed her eyes over Ariana as if overlooking litter on the street. “She could not have presented much of a threat, or Daranai’rika would not have left her untouched.”
Tamaryl stiffened. What was Edeiya’rika playing at?
Oniwe’s curiosity was piqued as well. “Oh?”
Edeiya gave an elegant little shrug. “By my questioning of her household, when this human awoke, Daranai’rika simply�
�� left the room. I ask you, is that the action of a rika who senses danger in her own home?” Her voice was cool and nearly toneless.
Oniwe’s smile came slow and insuppressible. “It certainly doesn’t sound like it.”
Tamaryl blinked as, with a soft word, Ariana was excused and Daranai’s standing was destroyed.
“But as Tsuraiya, I am interested to know if we should expect more human mages here. I am anxious to hear your questions answered.”
“Indeed. And so, human mage, you will answer.”
Tamaryl risked a glance and somehow met Edeiya’s eyes. She gave him a significant look he did not quite understand.
“Now,” said Oniwe, “what can you tell about the disposition of your troops?”
Ariana faltered. “Your—Oniwe’aru—I don’t know. I’m not an officer, I am a mage.”
“A Circle mage is expected to battle on behalf of the king and must march forth with the soldiers.”
“But I only go where I am told, and in fact I have not yet faced battle myself.”
“No?” He frowned. “What is your position?”
Tamaryl, trapped in his penitent’s posture, held his breath. Ariana would say nothing of her parentage. Surely Oniwe’aru had no reason to suspect….
“I am the Black Mage in the Great Circle.”
“Of the Circle, yes. But only the Black?” Oniwe was openly surprised. “I should have thought, given that you are standing here, you must have been more—or less. Perhaps your king is more desperate for mages these days?” He smiled coolly. “But isn’t it odd you are the only mage to have lived more than an hour here, and you have recovered completely?”
Tamaryl peeked to see Ariana standing erect. “I cannot speak to that, Oniwe’aru, since I have not known other mages’ circumstances.”
Oniwe looked at her a long moment. “Are you quite sure you can tell us nothing of your defenses?”
“There are soldiers in our keep. I cannot say how many, I do not work with them. I know there are outposts throughout the countryside, each manned by at least a hundred soldiers. Some have more. But I do not have specific information.”
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