A Magic of Twilight

chamber and take supper there shortly.”

“I will join you, then,” Greta said, but Jan was already shaking his head.

“No, my dear wife. I think tonight I prefer to dine in private.” Above and behind Greta, Mara gave him the slightest of nods. “After I’ve eaten and rested for a time, I will come and see what entertainments you’ve arranged for the evening. If you’ll excuse me. .”

Greta and her ladies rose once more, and the servants hurried to open the canvas panel that served as a door. Markell was waiting just outside, and Jan clapped his arm around the man’s shoulder. Markell had been Jan’s companion since childhood, raised with him to become his aide, his bodyguard, and most trusted confidant. “A certain lady will be coming to my apartments in an hour,” Jan said quietly. If any of the servants nearby could hear, they knew enough to not indicate it. “See that she’s escorted there discreetly.”

“Certainly, my Hirzg.” Markell inclined his head. “I’ll attend to it personally.”

“Good. Tomorrow we will watch the maneuvers and begin our other preparations. Make certain that the Hirzgin understands that Allesandra is also to attend, despite the protests she’ll undoubtedly make.” As Markell nodded again, Jan stretched. “It feels good to finally be doing something,” he said. “Our message was sent?”

“It was, Hirzg, and should have been received by now.”

“Excellent.” Jan allowed himself a smile. Then you must be a great leader, Vatarh. He would know. Soon enough. “Markell, I have the sense that this will be a good year for Firenzcia. A very good year indeed.”

Orlandi ca’Cellibrecca

“. . the family is burdened with debt. Vajiki

cu’Seranta has borrowed heavily, not only from his wife’s family, but from his own cu’Barith relatives. The family would almost certainly have been named ci’ in the next Roll, except that the giving of a Marque to the daughter saved them. At least that’s what my contacts in the Gardes a’Liste tell me. Now, though. .”

“The Archigos saved them.” Orlandi snorted derisively. The Dwarf Mockery. . He should never have been Archigos. . “Five thousand solas will keep them safely cu’ as well as pay back the family’s debts. And I’m certain the new o’teni has quite an adequate salary herself. She will keep the family cu’. She might even make them ca’ one day.”

Carlo cu’Belli’s eyebrows sought to join his receding hairline. “It’s true that the Archigos gave them five thousand solas for this new o’teni’s Marque?”

“Indeed.” Orlandi-A’Teni of the city of Brezno, Tete of the Guardians of the Faith, and nearly elected Archigos himself during the concordance that had instead chosen Dhosti ca’Millac-let the heavy curtain drop, cutting off his view of the village of Ile Verte across the river. He was staying in the Chateau a’Ile Verte, on its island at the confluence of the Rivers Clario and A’Sele, a day’s journey upriver from Nessantico. The chateau was owned by the Kraljica herself, but she had given Orlandi use of the estate while he was in Nessantico for the Jubilee celebrations.

He found that arrangement far more satisfactory than taking an apartment within the Old Temple complex; he had his eyes and ears within the Faith’s vast bureaucracy in the city, and the air was better here: close enough to reach Nessantico at need, far enough away that he himself could not be easily observed, though he was certain that both the Archigos and the Kraljica had a spy or two on the house staff reporting back to them-in fact, he was certain that was why the Kraljica had offered the chateau to him even when he knew that she was displeased with his purge of the Numetodo in Brezno. Perhaps, when he became Archigos, he would take the Chateau a’Ile Verte as a small part of his spoils; it would make an excellent summer residence to escape the stifling air of the Nessantico summers But for the moment, there was only cu’Belli in the room with him: Carlo, who had been for several years now Orlandi’s eyes and ears in Nessantico, an importer/exporter with his own network of informers within the business community of Nessantico. Carlo was seated at a table with a platter of venison and potatoes and a flagon of good red Brezno Temple wine, his plate and glass full for the third time now.

“Five thousand solas to the family. .” cu’Belli repeated, his eyes lifted to the frescoed ceiling as if totting up invisible figures there. He waved a fork whose silver tines held a chunk of dripping meat. If Orlandi knew the man at all, he was trying to figure out how he might acquire some of Vajiki cu’Seranta’s newfound wealth. “She must be truly unusual. What did the teni in charge of the acolytes say?” He placed the meat in his mouth and chewed contentedly and loudly.

“Very little of any help,” Orlandi answered brusquely. Especially since U’Teni cu’Dosteau is the Archigos’ friend, and hardly sympathetic with our cause. That damned dwarf. . Orlandi cleared his throat. One of cu’Belli’s faults was his tendency to ask questions as if he and Orlandi were somehow, impossibly, peers. “And this is not what I brought you here to discuss, in any case.”

Cu’Belli accepted the rebuke with a shrug, swallowing and taking a sip of the wine. “My apologies, of course, A’Teni. I just wonder if perhaps Vajiki cu’Seranta will be pleased with his payment from the Archigos.

The family’s debts, from what I understand, are substantial, and there will be far less than five thousand solas remaining after they’re paid.

Along with that, the family servants who have been dismissed over the last few years tell me that Vajiki cu’Seranta was in his daughter’s bedchamber at. . odd times. We may be able to exploit that and his greed, and make him pliable to our needs.”

Orlandi’s lips curled into a near-snarl at cu’Belli’s use of the plural possessive. “My needs,” he said, “go well beyond the cu’Seranta family.

You’re a crude man, Carlo, and you think crudely. You’d use a hammer when a pinprick would do. It may be that I’ll look to Vajiki cu’Seranta later, but for now, I’m far more interested in what you have to tell me about your trip to Firenzcia. I expected a packet. .”

“Ah, that. .” Cu’Belli put the fork down on the plate with a clatter that made Orlandi’s eyes narrow. The man rummaged in a large leather pouch hanging from his chair. “While I was in Brezno arranging for a shipment of snowstout hides-and I must say, A’Teni, that they are beautiful hides and wonderfully soft and thick. Three of them would make a most attractive overcloak for you, and I would of course give you a generous discount-a messenger gave this to me for you.” He held up a small bundle wrapped in plain brown paper and tied with twine.

“I couldn’t help but feel that there was a large seal on the envelope underneath.” He favored Orlandi with a conspiratorial smile. “While I was there, I heard that Hirzg ca’Vorl has been making overtures to the Numetodo provinces against the Hirzgin’s strong advice. It would seem that the Hirzg has stronger ambitions than simply being related by marriage to the Kraljica. Maybe the Faith has something more substantial to offer him than a few Numetodo gibbeted in Brezno?”

Orlandi snatched the packet from cu’Belli, who snickered. “Have you been sufficiently refreshed, Carlo? If so, then I’ll direct my aide to give you payment for three snowstout hides, and to make arrangements for you to broker the sale of this season’s Brezno Temple wines.”

Cu’Belli took a sip of the wine on the table. “If all the bottles are as excellent as this one, I will secure you the best prices in the Holdings.

You anticipate a good harvest?”

“We pray for it,” Orlandi answered. “As you should pray for continued good fortune, Vajiki.”

“Always, A’Teni. You know that I’m a devout follower of Concenzia.” He ostentatiously pressed clasped hands to forehead before pushing his chair back from the table. “A pleasure doing business with you, A’Teni, as always. May Cenzi keep you well, my friend.”

Business is indeed all it is. Orlandi smiled at cu’Belli as he left the room, but it was only a practiced and meaningless movement of his lips. And perhaps it’s time I look for a better, more grateful, and less talkative partner.

As the door closed, Orlandi placed the packet on the table. With the knife cu’Belli had been using to cut the meat, he sliced the twine, then pulled apart the paper wrapper. He had little doubt that cu’Belli had already done the same, but the seal on the thick white envelope below seemed intact, the Hirzg’s monogram-a “V” composed of twin inclined swords wrapped in garlands of ivy-pressed deeply into the red wax. Orlandi doubted that cu’Belli had the courage or the skill to have taken off and reattached the seal, but it hardly mattered. The letter inside the envelope was written in a fair hand, but the words were unintelligible: coded.