Mistress of the Empire. Janny Wurts
defended. ‘But there have been several ventures in the markets that have gone awry. Mara has lost allies among the merchants who also have Anasati interests.’ In visible relief, he finished, ‘The silk auctions did not suffer.’
‘Yet,’ Incomo supplied, unasked. ‘The traditionalists continue to gain influence. Ichindar’s Imperial Whites more than once had to shed blood to stop riots in Kentosani.’
‘The food markets by the wharf,’ Arakasi affirmed in spare summary. ‘I heard. Our Emperor would do more to stop dissension if he could manage to sire himself an heir that was not a daughter.’
Eyes turned toward the Lady of the Acoma as her staff all waited upon whatever she might ask of them.
Thinner than she had been on the occasion of Ayaki’s funeral, she was nonetheless immaculately composed. Her face was washed clean of makeup. Her eyes were focused and keen, and her hands settled in her lap as she spoke. ‘Arakasi has revealed that we are confronted by a new threat.’ Only her voice showed the ongoing strain she yet hid behind the Tsurani façade of control; never before Ayaki’s loss had she spoken with such a hard-edged clarity of hatred. ‘I ask you all to grant him whatever aid he may ask without question.’
Lujan flashed Arakasi a sour glance. ‘You had already dirtied her cushions, I now see,’ he murmured with injured irritation. Keyoke looked a touch disgruntled. The discovery was belated that the patrol which had finally caught the Spy Master lurking in the corridors had done so only after he had held a conference with the mistress, undetected by any. Aware of the byplay, but obliged by code of conduct to ignore it, the other two advisers inclined their heads in acceptance of the mistress’s wishes. Only Jican fidgeted, aware as he was that Mara’s decree would create additional havoc in the Acoma treasury. Arakasi’s services came at high costs of operation, which caused the hadonra unceasing, hand-wringing worry.
A breeze wafted through the open windows above the great hall of the Acoma, carved into the side of the hill against which the estate house rested. Despite the brilliance of the lamps, the room was thrown into gloom in the farthest corners. The cho-ja globes on their stands stayed unlit, and the low dais used for informal conference remained the only island of illumination. Those servants in attendance waited a discreet distance away, within call should they be needed but out of earshot of any discussion. Mara resumed, ‘What we speak of here must be kept in our circle alone.’ She asked Arakasi, ‘How much time do you need to spend upon this new threat?’
Arakasi gave a palms-upward shrug that revealed a yellow bruise on one wristbone. ‘I can only surmise, mistress. My instincts tell me the organisation I encountered is based to the east of us, probably in Ontoset. We have light ties between there and Jamar and the City of the Plains, since the cover was a factor’s business. An enemy who discovered our workings to the west would see nothing beyond coincidence in the eastern connection. Yet I do not know where the damage originated. The trace could have started somewhere else.’
Mara chewed her lip. ‘Explain.’
‘I did some cursory checking before I returned to Sulan-Qu.’ More nervelessly cold than Keyoke could be before battle, the Spy Master qualified. ‘On the surface, our trading interests seem secure to the west and north. The recent expansion I have regrettably been forced to curtail was located south and east. Our unknown opponent may have stumbled onto some operation we just set in place; or not. I cannot say. His effect has been felt very clearly. He has detected some aspect of our courier system, and deduced of our methods to establish a network to observe us. This enemy has placed watchers where they are likely to trap someone they hope they can trace back to a position of authority. From this I extrapolate that our enemy has his own system to glean advantage from such an opportunity.’
Hokanu settled an arm around Mara’s lower back, though her manner did not indicate she needed comfort. ‘How can you be certain of this?’
Baldly Arakasi said, ‘Because it is what I would have done.’ He smoothed his robe to conceal the welts the splinters had marked on his shins. ‘I was almost taken, and that is no easy feat.’ His flat phrases implied a total lack of conceit as he raised one finger. ‘I am worried because we have been compromised.’ He lifted a second finger and added, ‘I am relieved to have made a clean escape. If the team that gave me chase ever guessed whom they had cornered, they would have taken extreme measures to be thorough. Subterfuge would have been abandoned in favor of my successful capture. Therefore, they must have expected to net a courier or supervisor. My identity as Acoma Spy Master most likely remains uncompromised.’
Mara straightened in sudden decision. ‘Then it seems a wise course to absent yourself from this problem.’ Arakasi all but recoiled in surprise. ‘My Lady?’
Misinterpreting his reaction for hurt feelings that his competence lay questioned, Mara attempted to soften her pronouncement. ‘You are too critical to another problem that needs attention.’ She waved her dismissal to Jican, saying, ‘I think the trade problems can wait.’ While the little man bowed his acquiescence and snapped fingers to call his secretaries to help gather his tallies and scrolls, Mara commanded all the other servants to leave the great hall. When the great doubled doors swept closed, leaving her alone with the inner circle of her advisers, she said to her Spy Master, ‘I have something else for you to do.’
Arakasi spoke his mind plainly. ‘Mistress, there exists a great danger. Indeed, I fear the master in command of this enemy’s spy works may be the most dangerous man alive.’
Mara betrayed nothing of her thoughts as she nodded for him to continue.
‘Until this encounter I had the vanity to consider myself a master of my craft.’ For the first time since discussion had opened, the Spy Master had to pause to choose words. ‘This breach in our security was in no way due to carelessness. My men in Ontoset acted with unimpeachable discretion. For that reason, I fear this enemy we face could possibly be my better.’
‘Then I am decided on the matter,’ Mara announced. ‘You shall turn this difficulty over to another that you trust. That way, if this unspecified enemy proves worthy of your praise, we suffer the loss of a man less critical to our needs.’
Arakasi bowed, his movement stiff with distress. ‘Mistress –’ Sharply Mara repeated, ‘I have another task for you.’
Arakasi fell instantly silent: Tsurani custom forbade a servant questioning his sworn ruler; and moreover the Lady’s mind was set. The hardness in her since the loss of her firstborn was not to be reasoned with; this much he recognised. That Hokanu sensed it also was plain, for even he refrained from speaking out against his Lady’s chosen course of action. The uncomfortable truth remained unsaid: that no one else in Arakasi’s vast network was either careful or experienced enough to counter a threat of this magnitude. The Spy Master would not disobey his mistress, though he were in mortal fear for her safety. All he could do was work in convoluted patterns, obeying her command in the literal sense, but evading what he could through general action. For the first, he must ensure that the man placed in nominal charge of digging out this new organisation could report to him on a regular basis. Disturbed as he was that Lady Mara should dismiss this dire threat with such ease, he respected her well enough to at least hear her reasons before he came to judgment against her. ‘What is this other matter, my Lady?’
His attentive manner smoothed Mara’s sharpness. ‘I would have you discover as much as may be learned about the Assembly of Magicians.’
For the first time since taking service with Mara, Arakasi seemed startled by her audacity. His eyes widened and his voice dropped to a whisper. ‘The Great Ones?’
Mara nodded toward Saric, since the slant the explanation must take had been his particular study.
He spoke up from the far side of the circle. ‘Several events over the last few years have caused me to question the Black Robes’ motives. By tradition we take for granted that they act for the good of our Empire. But would it not shed a different light on things if, in fact, that were not so?’ Saric’s wry humor dissolved before a burning intensity of unease as he added, ‘Most critically, what if the Assembly’s wisdom is pointed toward their