She had put one cool hand on his arm as she spoke. It made him feel strange, or maybe it was the tiko. He said the first thing he thought of: “You seem far too rational for a Redemptionist.”
She removed the hand. “There’s no need to mock your own faith, cyr.”
“I beg your pardon. Tomorrow evening, then, at the bar.”
Her smile returned. “Do bring a lot of money, officer.” She turned and walked into the black Everun night.
Tal didn’t like enigmas, particularly of the female kind, and in a fit of irritation he hoped she would stumble in the dark. Small chance of that, though. Long after her figure had merged into darkness he remembered how gracefully she’d walked….
He made some withdrawals from the Diamond team’s treasury not long after sunrise. Brandon Fischer was not pleased, that much was obvious, but Adrian had warned him beforehand to let Tal do what he chose without interference.
If that business about the Opal hierophant were true, time was of the essence. He requested and received ten minutes’ conversation with the Duke that very morning, and found himself ushered into the aftermath of a huge f breakfast—a great table littered with dishes and cups and fine silverware, napkins thrown down every which way t and chairs pushed back. The place was empty but for Duke Peter, who sat at the head in a blue silk robe, with a half-cup of coffee and a book. A terrier was at his feet, and he reached down every few seconds with a table scrap.
The Duke appeared a thinner, older man here at home, and out of state clothes. He looked up at Tal in a perfectly friendly way. “Do forgive the informality,” he said, without any embarrassment, “but you said it was important, and this is my only free ten minutes all day.”
He put down the book, and even Tal understood enough to say, “I’m sorry to interrupt your leisure, my lord. It is an important matter to me, though you may not see it as such.”
“Well, a courteous beginning deserves courteous listening. Have you breakfasted? There are some sausages left, I don’t believe Tanya here has eaten them all.”
“Thank you, I’m not hungry.”
“Coffee?”
“Thank you, no.” Caffeine was worse than alcohol to his system.
“Well then, how may I help you?” Duke Peter leaned back in his chair, and the top of his robe fell open enough ” to show the blue medical monitor on his chest. We can assume, thought Tal, that the first thing the Republicans will do will be to turn that off.
He said, “I’m more than satisfied with the outcome of my negotiations with your sister, my lord. I hope you feel the same. But collectors are hard to satisfy, and Adrian Mercati is a collector.”
“He objects to our agreement? Yet he empowered you i to close the deal. It would seem a bit late to complain now.”
“No, no—he’s made no objection to me. I was speaking of further items he would be interested in purchasing.”
Duke Peter smiled pleasantly, but with a touch of superior amusement. “My sister mentioned your interest in the Cloak and the Crown. Forgive me, but your lord has been misled by a fantasy. The Hollow Hills are perhaps a bit removed from the flow of life out here in the Empire.”
Tal smiled back. As usual, it did not reach his false gray eyes. He said, “I would not want to tell my lord that something referred to in the Sacred Books is a ‘fantasy.’ The Protector is very pious.”
“Of course! As I hope we all are. Are you sure you won’t have sausages, young man? No, I meant merely to suggest that you Three Cities folk interpret Scripture a bit too literally. It’s long been accepted here that the Cloak of Grace refers to the absolution of blood in the penitential rite. A symbolic cloak, cyr.”
“I see. Your lordship phrases it very plainly. That would be a new way of looking at the situation, certainly.”
“And the Crown would be the crown of immortality that comes from embracing the true faith. Thus, each of us becomes a victor in his or her own right.”
“I’d never thought of it that way before, my lord.” This was certainly true. He’d never wasted a second thinking of it at all. “But—would your lordship see the difficulty I’m in? I’ve already reported to the Protector about certain rumors I’ve heard in the city, that the Sawyer Crown is here on Baret Two. Now nothing will do but that he purchase it and put it in a place of honor on the Diamond. In fact, he’s sent me an almost embarrassing amount of money to buy it.”
“Oh?” The terrier yapped unlistened to at the Duke’s feet.
Tal reached into a pocket and removed a lady’s comb.
It was shaped like a peacock, cast in pure gold with a tail of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. The workmanship of the peacock was exquisite, and the gems were set in patterns that displayed their different cuts. He cast it carelessly down by the Duke’s breakfast plate.
Where it was taken up in a second. “My God, it’s worth a fortune.”
“I suppose. I wonder if your lordship would mind accepting it as a gift? Then I could tell the Protector that I’ve presented it to you in gratitude for your offering to keep an eye out for the Sawyer Crown. After all, you know the capital better than anyone. And it would make a lovely present for your charming sister.”
Duke Peter was still staring. Shrill barks came from the terrier, until the Duke said, “Oh, hush, Tanya!” and picked up a sausage and threw it against the wall. It hit with a soft splatter and the dog went after it. The Duke turned to Tal and looked at him sharply. “This is offered with no strings attached?”
“As I said, it’s a gift.”
“Gifts can be more expensive
