David Coe - Shapers of Darkness

“Don’t you think he does that everyday? Don’t you think that he has to? Think of who he is, and what it is he hopes to accomplish. Of course he lies. You’d have to be a fool to think otherwise.”

“This lie was different. I know you think he’s brilliant and perfect, but in this instance he was careless and he got caught. That’s his fault, not mine. And if you’re smart, you won’t defend him too strongly. Because if he’s revealed as a traitor, you will be as well.”

“And you think you won’t?”

He shrugged. “I’m not certain that I care anymore.”

She stared at him a moment longer with obvious distaste. Then she stepped past him to the door. “You are mad.”

“If you care for me at all anymore, you’ll say nothing about this to the high chancellor until we’ve spoken with Harel.”

She paused briefly, though she offered no response. After a moment she pulled the door open and left him.

There seemed nothing unusual about the day’s discussion in the high chancellor’s chamber. Dusaan gave no indication that he knew the chancellors and ministers had met, although Kayiv found it difficult to believe that he hadn’t heard of the gatherings. Once again he ended their audience early, but since he had done so the day before, Kayiv could hardly read anything into this. Kayiv also noticed that Dusaan never once looked his way, nor did the high chancellor so much as glance at Stavel. And as Kayiv left Dusaan’s chamber, he saw as well that Nitara lingered by the doorway, as if intending to speak with the high chancellor when the rest of the Qirsi had gone.

The minister left the palace, then doubled back through another entrance and made his way to Stavel’s chamber, taking care not to be seen.

Almost as soon as he knocked on the chancellor’s door, Stavel pulled it open and ushered him into the chamber. He looked panicked, his eyes wide with a wild, frightened expression, and his face grey save for two bright red spots high on his cheeks.

“He knows!” the chancellor whispered, the moment he had closed the door again. “Dusaan knows!”

Kayiv gave a small shudder, but he kept his voice calm as he asked, “How can you be so sure?”

“Didn’t you see him just now? Didn’t you notice how he was treating me?”

“He didn’t even look at you.”

“Exactly! We can’t go through with this!”

“If that’s how you feel-”

“How I feel? Aren’t you afraid of him?”

Of course he was. Kayiv knew Dusaan was far more than an arrogant chancellor or even a simple traitor. He would have been a fool not to be afraid. And yet in that moment he found that he felt strangely calm, as if he thought himself somehow immune to the high chancellor’s power.

“What did the chancellors say when you spoke to them yesterday?” he asked, ignoring Stave’s question.

“They don’t believe he’s a traitor, and while they were angered by what he told Harel, they aren’t willing to confront him or, for that matter, to speak with the emperor.” He took a long breath and it seemed to steady him some. “And the ministers?”

Kayiv smiled thinly. “They chose not to take any action until they knew what the chancellors intended to do. It seems it’s up to the two of us.”

“I’ve already told you, I won’t go through with this. The man is no traitor, and after considering the matter for another day, I don’t believe his transgression warrants taking any action at all.”

It shouldn’t have surprised him. Dusaan was a formidable figure in the palace. All of Harel’s Qirsi knew that they could be banished from the emperor’s court in an instant if the high chancellor but wished it. Kayiv should have known from the start that, dependent as he was on the courage of his fellow Qirsi, he couldn’t prevail. Still he couldn’t help but feel angry, as if all the others had betrayed him.

“Very well, Chancellor,” he said, reaching for the door handle. “We won’t speak of this again.”

“One of the other chancellors tells me that you arranged all this because Dusaan stole Nitara from you.”

He spun around to face the man. “That’s not true!” But he felt his face burning with shame.

“You wanted to get back at him, and you used me to do it.”

“Dusaan lied to us! That’s why I did it!”

“I’m not certain I believe you.”

Kayiv shook his head. Dusaan had defeated him, and with ease. His ties to the master of arms might keep him alive for a time, but eventually the high chancellor would find a way to kill him. In the meantime Dusaan would make him an outcast within the court. He knew that he’d probably be best off leaving now to avoid the humiliation, and to put himself as far from danger as possible. “It doesn’t matter,” he muttered. “Just out of curiosity, who told you this?”

“Why would you want to know that?”

Because that person may well be a traitor, too . “Never mind.”

He left the chancellor’s chamber and walked back to his own. Pushing the door open, he saw a small piece of parchment resting on his bed. His heart abruptly pounding, he took a tentative step forward, then another. Half expecting to see some threatening missive penned in the high chancellor’s hand, Kayiv was relieved to see that the note came not from Dusaan, but from Nitara. Almost instantly, however, he felt himself growing suspicious. No doubt she had told the high chancellor of their discussion earlier in the day and all that Kayiv had said against him. It seemed equally clear that she would play a role in meting out whatever punishment Dusaan had decided upon for Kayiv’s betrayal. He briefly considered fleeing the palace immediately; that would have been the wisest course.

But the thought of never seeing her again was too much for him to bear. “Come to my chamber at once,” the message read. Very well. This would be the last thing he did for her.

He started toward the door, paused long enough to strap a dagger to his belt, then left his chamber and walked down the corridor to Nitara’s door.

“Come in,” she replied when he knocked.

He let himself into her chamber, his breath catching at the faint scent of her perfume. She was sitting on her bed, and seeing him, she stood. She looked pale and frightened, much as Stavel had a few moments before, though it had the effect of making her appear even more lovely than usual.

“Thank you for coming,” she said.

“You told him everything, didn’t you?”

“I had no choice.”

He gave a harsh laugh. “Of course.”

“I swear it’s true, Kayiv. I wasn’t going to tell him, but he asked me to remain behind, and when we were alone he demanded that I tell him what had been said at our meeting.” She took a step toward him, then seemed to hesitate. After a moment, she looked away. “I’m afraid for you. I think you should leave Curtell.”

His throat tightened, and he feared that he might retch. “Why?” he managed. “What did he say?”

“It was nothing he said. I think he believes I still have feelings for you. He asked his questions, then sent me away. But he was behaving strangely. I think he intends to kill you.”

Kayiv nodded. No surprise there. “What about Stavel?”

“I don’t think he’ll hurt him. He thinks Stavel an old fool. But you turned on him. You joined his movement, and then betrayed him. He’ll want blood for that.”

Again, he was surprised by how calm he felt. True, he had already realized that he would have to leave the palace, but the thought of doing so seemed to have no effect on him.

“You say that he still thinks you have feelings for me. Do you?” He regretted the question as soon as it crossed his lips, and he dreaded her answer.