Michael Stackpole - Chartomancy

He might have, too, were it not for two things. The first was his conversation with the Princess. It put him on his guard, and when Inyr moved into his circle, she’d been simple to spot as a spy.

The other thing that made him wary was really a tribute to the Desei Mother of Shadows. Save for her age and maturity, Inyr might as well have been Majiata Phoesel, his ex-fianc?e. Inyr’s eyes were a slightly lighter shade of blue, but her hair, height, and form were identical to the woman he’d left behind in Moriande. In choosing her, the Desei thought they had found him the perfect mate. Somehow they had missed the way his relationship with Majiata had ended.

Or maybe they hadn’t. Inyr Vnonol did have a maturity that Majiata had lacked. Inyr, from the beginning, had been devoted to Keles. She seemed to want nothing more than to bask in his presence, and she evidenced no interest at all in his work. By contrast, Majiata would have been very interested-at least up to the point where she realized that anything he was willing to show her would be of no value to her family.

Keles turned from his table and smiled at her. “You play beautifully. Whenever I hear the necyl played, I shall be reminded of you.”

Her head came up and she smiled more fully. “But I understood the necyl is not often played in Nalenyr. Did not one of your princes outlaw it?”

And with good cause. “He thought it sounded like a cat being gutted. That’s not what he would have thought had he heard you playing it.” He would have thought it sounded like a cat being gutted slowly.

“Now you flatter me, Master Anturasi.” She shot him a gaze that did send a flutter through his stomach. “Toward what end, I wonder?”

Keles widened his eyes. “Oh, my lady, you do not think I mean to seduce you and despoil your honor? I could never do that. What sort of guest would I be to Prince Pyrust were I to use one of his citizens so?”

“I do not take offense, Master Anturasi.”

“Oh, but you should, my lady.” Keles turned his head so he could not see her. “You come here as a friend, knowing I am lonely and far from home. You play for me, seeking to make me feel better and… The truth is, my lady, that a part of me may indeed have been trying to seduce you. A dark, dishonorable part. I’m sorry. You are kind when you say you take no offense, but I know you must be shocked.”

“Truly, Master Anturasi, I understand.” She set her instrument aside and rose from her knees. “I can see the pain you are in. The longing: for home, for friends, for confidants, for a kind touch…”

He held a hand up to stop her. “No, Lady Inyr, you mustn’t. It’s all true what you say. You have defined my weakness perfectly. And you, a true friend, would help me.”

“I wish to be more than your friend, Master Anturasi.” The warmth and underlying hunger in her voice would have made him succumb, were he not well aware she was a spy in his household. “I, too, feel loneliness, the need for the touch of a friend…”

“No, my lady. No.” Keles shook his head, still refusing to look at her. “You are a sympathetic soul. You empathize with me, but at your peril. Your Prince has told me I will be sent home at the end of six months, perhaps sooner. I would be weak and use you, but you deserve more, so much more.”

She said nothing, letting the rustle of her silk robe speak for her. She reached out and touched his hand. “Perhaps, Master Anturasi, I would be permitted to leave with you.”

A Desei spy in Anturasikun? Even if I were madly in love with her, that would not be possible.

Keles jerked his hand back. “Don’t say that, my lady.”

“Would it be so horrible?”

“For you, yes. To be ripped from your home and settled in an alien city where you would be viewed with suspicion or pity or both? To have no life save for existing in Anturasikun? I remember the day I met you, in the gardens here. I could never see you captive in my family’s tower. Though I might desire it, it would kill you.

“No, you best go now. Hurry, my lady, before my resolve evaporates. Go now, quickly, I beg of you.”

“As you wish, Master Anturasi.” She walked swiftly to the door, slid it open, and stepped through, but paused a moment to look back before closing it. The moment it closed again, he glanced to the corner where she had been sitting and saw her necyl and bow still there.

And now she has a reason to return.

He devoutly wished she would not. He’d not slept well, having had another dream about his sister in some faraway paradise. She seemed happy enough, but spoke only nonsense about the Sleeping Empress. Something about the dream made it feel more like a nightmare, and he feared his sister was in some sort of danger.

A light rap came at the door, and that surprised him, for while he’d expected her to come back, he’d not expected her return so quickly. He turned toward the door, but before he could offer permission to enter, the door slid back. Princess Jasai entered and shut it behind her.

Keles slipped from his chair to his knees and bowed. “Greetings, Princess Jasai.”

“And you, Master Anturasi. I have come to see the plans you have prepared.” The Princess kept her voice loud for the benefit of the ears on the other side of the room’s thin walls. “Has there been much progress?”

Keles answered in kind. “I’m delighted to show you what I have done.”

Jasai rose and crossed to his table. She shot a glance at the necyl, then shook her head.

Keles smiled and returned to his chair. Jasai joined him at the table. She smelled of roses, for she had a bhotcai whose skill was sufficient to grow the flowers year-round-even through the fierce Desei winter. Keles had never really cared one way or the other for roses, but the scent suited her perfectly-beautiful, but thorny.

“As you can see, Highness, the new residences are fairly far along. All that delays them is the need for building stones, which are slow to come from the quarries.”

“Ah, yes, of course.” Jasai lowered her voice. “It is as you guessed. The strongest among the people are being culled from the work gangs. I don’t know yet where they are going.”

“He won’t hint?”

She shook her head. “I’ve not seen him for three days.” She raised her voice again. “I meant to compliment you on how the building debris has been used to create berms for separating fields.”

“It preserves rich earth, Highness, and allows us to segregate fields for flooding in years of drought.” He glanced at her, again softening his voice. “If he has departed, vigilance will slacken.”

“Save for that woman. She gave me a very satisfied smile as she passed me. Did you enjoy her?”

Keles shook his head. “Nor do I have any intention of it.”

Jasai smiled and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Good.”

“Let me show you these new sketches, Highness.” Keles shifted paper about, knowing his papers would be examined while he was out of the room to see if the two of them communicated in some manner that had been undetected. He’d already examined the paper closely and found one set of tiny marks on it. He was certain all the paper stock was inventoried, and if any of it was found missing, the Desei would grow suspicious.

Jasai did not move her hand and Keles didn’t mind at all. In fact, he liked it. He and Jasai had much in common. They were prisoners both of Prince Pyrust and of their bloodlines. They wanted to escape and knew it would be difficult. They also had nations they loved that were the focus of her husband’s plans, and anything they could do to forestall those plans would be wonderful.

Keles had also become aware that Jasai would willingly accept him into her bed to forge their alliance more tightly. The differences between what she was willing to do and what Inyr wanted were vast, however. Jasai would be acting of her own free will and clearly doing what was in her best interest. Since her interest was tied so closely with his, it would be to his benefit as well. Inyr, on the other hand, was an agent of the state, and what she did would only be of benefit to the state. There his interests and hers diverged sharply, which was more than sufficient reason for him to stay away from her.