“There are always your putative enemies back in Sardea but I think you have mentioned enough to be going on with. What surprises me is that the Lady Asea has not asked for your life. She knows you planned to kill her.”
“I suspect she finds the idea of my premature death wasteful. She wants to let you pick my brains first and then use me against Sardea. After I have served her purpose I will go to greet my ancestors.”
“How does she intend to use you?”
“Ask her, I am sure she will tell you.”
“Indulge me. Speculate.”
“I am my father’s daughter. I am distantly kin to the Empress Arachne through my mother. I stand to inherit some rather large estates in Sardea.”
“You are a sorceress. You have been behind several assassinations, the cause of several duels between some rather foolish young nobles. You are neither as naive nor as foolish as you pretend, Lady Tamara. Please don’t assume I am either.”
How much does he really know, Tamara wondered? How much of this is just fishing. Asea knew everything- about the Shadowblood, about her father’s allegiance to the Princes of Shadow. Could he know as well? Had Asea told him? No. That made no sense. Still, the Inquisition had a vast network of informants and many centuries of practise at sifting through their information. Had her father and the Brotherhood underestimated them? Joran changed tack, swiftly changing the subject before she had time to think things through.
“Lady Asea tells me you think the servants of the Princes of Shadow are among us. Why do you think that?”
“Because I have seen the darkest sorcery being practised within the Palace, by the Prime Minister Xephan and his companions.”
“You are willing to swear to that? Under oath.”
Tamara thought she saw where this was going. Her claims would be made public and used to justify the Talorean cause. Their march East would become a crusade against the forces of darkness. And why not? That was what it was.
“There are other things I could swear to as well. Armies of the Dead march with the Sardeans. I saw them from the saddle of my dragon. You will encounter them soon.”
“Good,” said Joran. “Very good. Keep this up and you may ride on dragonback again.”
She stared at him. He appeared to be hinting that he could put her on the Sardean throne. If that was really the case, she was certain it was as much for his own good as hers. No, she thought. It was entirely because he thought it would be to his own advantage. Her wellbeing was of no concern to people like Joran and Asea. Considering the fate of Kathea, it might prove to be a very unhealthy position to be in.
Well, she thought, she had decided to try and ride this particular dragon. Now she would just have to make sure she could stay in the saddle as it bucked.
Chapter Eighteen
“This is not been quite the welcome I was hoping for,” said Tamara, looking up at Rik. He had entered the chamber silently and stood looking at her from the doorway. It was a busy night. Inquisitor Joran had just left.
“Did you really expect Asea to greet you with open arms?”
“A little more sympathy and a little less I told you so would be appreciated.”
“Given what Asea knows about your father I think she’s doing rather well by you.”
“You are not the one weighed down by truesilver chains.”
“There is that.”
“It’s nice to see that you are still so open-minded.”
“I came to see if you wanted anything.”
“A key to these fetters would be appreciated.”
“I’m afraid I don’t have one. You are lucky — I heard Karim suggesting they should be welded shut. He fears you might be able to pick the lock.”
“If I had a mirror, a lock-pick and prehensile toes he would be right. Sadly I don’t.”
“Is there anything else I can get you besides a lock-pick?”
“You can tell me what you want. I know there is a reason you came here. Charity is not your style. Did Asea send you?”
“No. I came of my own accord.”
“Well, it’s nice of you to come and pass the time. Now ask me whatever it is you want to know?”
“What did you tell Joran?”
“As little as I could. But I suspect you are asking about whether I mentioned your connection with my father.”
“That is perceptive of you.”
Tamara shook her head, realising that she had found a lever that might help her in this situation. She possessed knowledge that might be useful to pressure Rik. She could threaten to reveal his secret to the Inquisitor. Of course, it would have to be done carefully. The simplest solution to that threat would be to have her killed.
“Can you really teach me how to walk through shadows, change my appearance and all that?”
“I can try. I have never actually taught anyone before. All I can do is teach you the way my father taught me.”
“Asea thinks it might be a trap, a way to corrupt me.”
“You are quite corrupt enough without my help.”
“That’s what I told her.”
“You have the gift of self-awareness.”
“One of my many talents. How would you teach me?”
“I would start with the basics and work my way up?”
“What are the basics?”
“I think you already understand some of them. You could sense when I was going to arrive when shadow walking, couldn’t you?”
“I think so.”
“That means you have the gift. I imagine Asea has taught you basic exercises for sorcery as well.”
Rik nodded.
“Excellent. Your feet are already well set upon the path then.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“Fix your eyes on the nearest shadow.”
“Done.”
“Now concentrate on it. What does it look like?”
“It’s your shadow, seen from the side.” The shadow shifted as Tamara turned to look at it. “Focus on it really hard. Fix every detail in your mind. Now close your eyes and picture it exactly as it was.”
A look of concentration passed across his face as he did so. “Now what?” he asked.
“Just hold it in your mind. Try and picture it as clearly as you can. As clearly as if you were seeing it.”
“Right.”
“Now open your eyes.”
His eyes snapped open. “Is it the same as you visualised?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe?”
“It’s not perfect. Maybe because you have moved your head.”
“Or maybe because your ability to visualise is far from perfect.”
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“Try again, and keep trying again until you can get it right.”
“You’re kidding me?”
