David Coe - Shapers of Darkness

When at last the bells rang, he hurried through the corridors to the high chancellor’s chambers, wondering if Nitara had already told Dusaan about what happened in the courtyard. But when he reached the ministerial chamber, there was only one other minister there, and it wasn’t her. Dusaan nodded to him as he entered, but kept silent as others filed into the chamber. When Nitara arrived, she chose a seat that placed as much distance as possible between herself and Kayiv, just as he had done the day before. Kayiv saw Dusaan staring at her as she sat, but he couldn’t tell what passed between them.

This day’s discussion proved far briefer than most, with Dusaan dismissing them well before the midday bells. Kayiv followed the others out of the chamber, and almost called to Stavel then. But realizing that Nitara was nearby, he said nothing.

Abruptly he found himself wondering if there were others among the Qirsi who might be watching him as well. Surely it was possible that Dusaan had enlisted others in his cause during the past turn. Better to wait and follow the old chancellor until Stavel was back at his chamber. Instead, though, the old man descended one of the tower stairways to the palace courtyard, and then left the palace entirely, making his way toward Curtell City. Kayiv couldn’t have asked for more. Even if Nitara trailed behind him, she’d never get close enough to hear what they said, not without revealing herself.

Kayiv followed the chancellor at a safe enough distance that he was able to make their encounter in the city’s marketplace seem nothing more than a chance meeting. He wandered past the peddler’s cart at which Stavel had stopped to examine some wooden toys, pretending to be surprised to find the man there. With the moment at hand, with his plans about to be given life, Kayiv felt fear claw at his chest and he nearly walked on past. Certainly it seemed from the way the chancellor regarded him that Stavel wished he would.

But he drew upon what little courage he possessed and offered a hearty “Good day, Chancellor,” stopping beside him to look over the peddler’s wares. “I didn’t know that you had children.”

“I don’t,” Stavel said, clearly uncomfortable. “I just came to the marketplace to. . to walk. I’ve always enjoyed looking at such trifles.”

“I can see why,” Kayiv said. He glanced at the vendor. “You do fine work.”

“Actually,” the man said, his voice thickly accented with the brogue of lower Wethyrn, “I merely sell them. They were carved by craftsmen in the south, Caerisse I believe. They’re made from Trescarri oak, a very difficult wood to work. Only four qinde apiece.”

“I see.”

Stavel started to move on, nodding once to the peddler. Kayiv followed.

“Do you come down here often, Chancellor?”

“Only when my duties to the emperor allow.” Stavel didn’t look at the minister, and his tone carried little warmth. “You?” he asked, seemingly as an afterthought.

“Not nearly as often as I would like.”

They walked a short distance in silence before Stavel paused briefly to look at some silver work, mostly women’s jewelry, although there were some blades on the cart as well. Kayiv found himself eyeing a necklace that only a turn or two before he might have considered buying for Nitara. Looking up, the minister realized that Stavel had left him, and he hurried to catch up.

“Is there something I can do for you, Minister?” the chancellor asked as Kayiv joined him at yet another cart. “Because if there’s not, I would rather have this time to myself.”

Again the minister hesitated, afraid of what he was about to do. “As it happens, Chancellor,” he made himself say, “I do have a question for you.”

“What is it?”

“I was wondering if you had ever discussed with any of the other chancellors the emperor’s decision to begin the invasion early.”

What little color Stavel had in his face vanished. He stepped away from the vendor’s display, then turned to face the minister again. “Why would I discuss it with anyone?” he asked, his voice low and tight.

“I think you know.”

“The high chancellor’s claim that the recommendation had come from all of us.”

“Precisely.”

“I’ve said nothing of it to anyone. You told me at the time that you had discussed the invasion with the high chancellor in private just after our discussion that day. You told me that this was merely a misunderstanding.”

“Yes, I know I did.” He swallowed. Then, “I lied to you.”

Kayiv had expected the chancellor to respond in anger. Instead, he looked terrified. “I don’t want to hear this,” he said, backing away.

“I believe you should.”

“Why?”

“Because this matter bears on the safety of the empire, indeed, of all the Forelands.”

“I don’t understand.”

“The high chancellor and I spoke that day of a personal matter, one that had nothing to do with the emperor or the invasion. I told you otherwise because at the time I favored the decision to begin the invasion sooner than originally planned. It’s a lie I’ve since come to regret, not necessarily because I think the invasion should be delayed, but because I fear that the emperor is being deceived. If he’s been led to believe that this counsel came from all of us, who knows what else he’s been told.”

Stavel glanced about, then gestured for the minister to follow him. They walked in silence a good distance until they had left the marketplace and stepped onto a narrow byway between a pair of small stone buildings. “You fear that the high chancellor is lying to him?”

“I’m not certain. I think it’s possible. To be honest, Chancellor, I don’t think much of the emperor. I find his lack of wisdom. . disconcerting. If Dusaan does steer him toward certain decisions at times, it’s probably justified. But that’s all the more reason for the high chancellor to consult the rest of us. If the emperor needs guidance, best it should come from all of his Qirsi, rather than just one man.”

“The emperor chose Dusaan as his high chancellor, Minister. Regardless of how we feel about the man, we have to accept that choice and live with it.”

“I know that,” Kayiv said. “And I don’t question the high chancellor’s right to offer counsel to the emperor on his own. But when he claims to speak on behalf of all of us, that’s a different matter. Clearly Dusaan feared that his own recommendation with respect to the invasion wouldn’t be enough to convince the emperor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have bothered lying about it. He’s using us to mislead the emperor, and I don’t like it.”

“Then tell him so.”

The minister shook his head. “I’m afraid to. I’m but one minister, and I have no desire to stand alone against the high chancellor. I’d soon find myself cast from the palace.”

“So you thought to have me fight this battle for you? I don’t think so.”

“The emperor spoke to you-you’re the one who brought Dusaan’s lie to my attention in the first place.”

“Yes, but still-”

“You’re a chancellor, and you have a good deal of influence with the other chancellors. Were you to inform them of what Dusaan had done, how do you think they would respond?”

“I don’t know.”

But Kayiv could see from the man’s expression that this wasn’t completely true, and he pressed his advantage. “They’d be angry, wouldn’t they? They’d want to confront him, to ask him why he had offered such counsel without first speaking to them.”

“I fear Dusaan as much as you do. He has the power to banish any one of us from the palace, minister and chancellor alike. It’s true that I’ve been here longer than the rest of you, but that won’t save me if I anger the high chancellor.”