already confirmed the business of the bribes from Haebyn and the debts you owe Suyrien House, not to mention the explosives in your works. The bribes alone will have you removed from the Council, because the artisan and guild Councilors will vote for your removal, as will the Collegium Councilor, as will the High Holders. Of course, they’ll also have to discipline Haebyn because Ramsael won’t want to give the impression that they’ll stand for that sort of thing. With those votes, do you really think Etyenn, Diogayn, Sebatyon, and Reyner will stand up for you?”
“If you’re going to do that…why are you even here? You need something from me.” He reached out, his left hand holding the ledger awkwardly, and slid it onto the table adjoining the desk, which held little, except for a pen to the right of the leather blotter.
“You’re right. I do, and I’ve gotten it.”
That confused him, if only for a moment. “Oh?” A sardonic smile crossed his lips.
“I don’t like seeing Solidar being crippled because of one factor’s greed. I don’t like seeing poor workers being killed. I don’t like seeing the Chief Councilor being assassinated. I don’t like being lied to, and I don’t like being made a target.”
“That’s a rather long string of assertions, Maitre.”
“No. They’re facts, honorable Councilor, and any one of them is enough to have you removed.” I paused.
Glendyl just glared.
“Besides, I really don’t have to do anything. You can’t repay Suyrien, and that means he’ll get the engine works and the plans for the turbines. Oh, and I might point out that his brother is Ryel D’Alte, in case you’ve forgotten, and Ryel is a very good friend of mine. Of course, your failure was what your friends the Ferrans had in mind. That was why they set the explosives. For all their talk about wanting to further the cause of the factors, here all they wanted to do was hamper Solidar. Each of you wanted to use the other. You’ll both lose.” I smiled. “Good day.”
Then I walked to the door, making certain my shields were tight, and opened it. But there was no one in the corridor, and I walked out unhindered and down to where Desalyt and the coach waited.
Glendyl was right, in that I couldn’t bring up all the charges before the Council, but Frydryk wouldn’t hesitate to call his notes, once I pointed out that it was the only way he could possibly recapture a portion of his losses. No High Holder was going to be left bailing out a failed factor.
The only question was how exactly matters would play out. In that sense, Frydryk was fortunate that he was engaged to Alynkya and that Kandryl had married Iryela. That left Glendyl with few options.
Unfortunately, I still had to deal with Geuffryt, and I had no doubts that would be more difficult, because I had absolutely no proof and no real direct leverage on him. My only leverage had been on the Naval Command as a whole…and upon a very disgruntled Valeun.
I had barely walked into the administration building when Sorlyt, the very, very junior duty prime, hurried up to me. “Maitre Rhennthyl, Maitre Dyana would like to see you.”
“I’ll go right up.” I hoped that something else hadn’t gone wrong.
On the way, I left my winter cloak in my study. Once I entered the outer anteroom, Gherard waved me toward the half-open door to the Maitre’s study. I closed it behind me.
Maitre Dyana set down the folder before her. “You’ve been rather involved today.”
“Is anything else the matter?”
“Not that I know of. That’s why I wanted to see you. Is anything?”
“It’s been an interesting day.” I went on to tell her almost everything that I’d discovered during the day, but not what I suspected.
“You still haven’t linked all of this together,” she pointed out.
“Oh…I have. With Glendyl.”
She nodded. “You realize that you’ve just handled Glendyl in the same way any High Holder would have.”
“Is that so wrong?” I asked. “His greed has set up a situation where we’ll lose junior imagers, even if they’re successful in what we’ve planned, where the Navy will lose ships and men, and where all of Solidar has suffered to one degree or another.”
“I didn’t say it was wrong. It’s more effective…but it won’t help your relations with the Council. You’ve been head of security for the Collegium less than a month, and your actions have made your predecessor look mild by comparison.” Her smile was sympathetic. “Some of that is the times. Some is not.”
“I’m still worried about Valeun and Geuffryt.”
“You should be. You’ve forced Valeun into supporting your plan, and no Sea-Marshal likes that, and you’ve demanded that he deal with a subordinate who has some allies among the High Holders.”
“He has contacts. I’m not certain about allies. If I’d waited to act, or acted more…temperately…more lives would be lost, and more damage done.”
“That is quite true. That is also why you avoid politics and the Council as much as you possibly can. They’re far more interested in accomplishing matters without upsetting the Navy and those who put them in power. They always have been, and they always will be.”
“Even if it costs everyone else more?”
“Rhenn…it’s never been any other way. You know that.”
I stifled a sigh. “I know, but I’d rather not do things that way.”
“That is obvious. Can you not create any more havoc until we know how the action goes against Ferrum?”
“I don’t know. It will be two weeks before they’ll be in Ferran waters.”
She looked evenly at me.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“That will be all, then.”
As I walked out, I understood her position. The Council was unsettled. The Naval Command wasn’t happy, and we still had who knew how many Ferran agents in Solidar and L’Excelsis, and I’d dealt largely with those in Solidar that they’d corrupted, not the agents themselves.
And I still worried about Geuffryt and Cydarth.
54
Much as I’d hoped for an early reply from Madame D’Shendael, I didn’t get one, not on Meredi or on Jeudi. I’d planned to spend some time at the Council Chateau, helping Martyl and Baratyn, but I didn’t have to because once Ramsael was approved as Chief Councilor, he’d set the next meeting of the full Council for 18 Ianus. That was when the Council would have met anyway. On Meredi, I’d also taken a duty coach out to Veblynt’s paper mill south of L’Excelsis, only to discover he was somewhere north of Rivages, trying to work out an agreement for wood scraps and pulp timber. I left a note for him, saying I’d like to meet him, but because the mill was on a side stream south of Iron Road, the trip had wasted almost two glasses. I’d also had Schorzat set up a meeting with Sea-Marshal Valeun, but that wouldn’t be until the following Mardi afternoon because he was at the Naval yard in Solis.
The rest of Meredi and Juedi I spent catching up on all the odds and ends I’d neglected, including long session with Haugyl and Marteon, both of whom wanted to know why they hadn’t been selected and what the others who had were doing.
Vendrei morning dawned cold and windy under gray skies with light flakes of snow fluttering down, but the clouds were light enough that I doubted we’d get much snow. I checked the newsheets when I got to my study.
I was glad to see that Frydryk had been right about his guards and security, but couldn’t help but worry
