entertaining was for guests to graze from the platters of delicacies carried around. Dannyl was given a wineglass and it was so regularly topped up that eventually, to keep his mind clear, he slipped it onto one of the platters when a servant wasn’t watching.
When a woman wearing an elaborate yellow dress approached them, Dannyl knew instantly that this was the hostess. Her skin had not been as lined in the portrait he had studied while preparing for his new position, but her bright, alert gaze warned him that she was still the formidable Bel he had heard so much about.
“Ambassador Errend,” she said, bowing slightly. “And this must be Ambassador Dannyl. Thank you for coming to my party.”
“Thank you for inviting us,” Errend replied, inclining his head.
“I could not hold a party without including the Guild Ambassadors on my guest list,” she said, smiling. “Magicians have always been the most well-mannered and entertaining guests.” She turned to Dannyl. “So, Ambassador Dannyl, have you enjoyed your stay in Capia so far?”
“I have indeed,” Dannyl replied. “It is a beautiful city.”
The conversation continued in this way for several minutes. A woman joined them and drew Errend into conversation. Bel Arralade exclaimed that her feet were already tired, and drew Dannyl aside to a bench seat set within an alcove of the wall.
“I’ve heard you’ve taken to researching ancient magic,” she said.
Dannyl regarded her with surprise. Though he and Tayend had avoided discussing the subject of their research with anyone but Librarian Irand, it was possible that their interest had been noted by someone they had met on their journey. Or had Tayend decided that it no longer needed to be a secret now that they were not gathering information for Lorlen, but “helping” Rothen with his book?
If that were so, a denial would only make her suspicious. “Yes,” he replied. “It is an interest of mine.”
“Have you discovered anything new and fascinating?”
He shrugged. “Nothing very exciting. Just a lot of books and scrolls filled with old languages.”
“But haven’t you recently travelled to Lonmar and Vin? Surely you have gathered some interesting stories there.”
He decided to be vague. “I saw scrolls in Lonmar and tombs in Vindo, but they weren’t much more exciting than the musty old books I’ve been reading. I fear I will bore you if I start describing them in detail - and what will people say if the new Ambassador sends the hostess to sleep at her own party?”
“That must be avoided, at all cost.” She laughed, then her eyes grew misty. “Ah, but the subject brings back pleasant memories. Your High Lord came here on a similar quest, many years ago. He was such a handsome man. Not a High Lord then, of course. He could have talked for hours about ancient magic, and I would have listened just to have the opportunity to admire him.”
Was that, then, the reason for her interest? Dannyl chuckled. “Fortunately for you, I know I am not handsome enough to compensate for rambling on about my research.”
She smiled, her eyes flashing. “Not handsome? I would not say so. Others would say quite the opposite.” She paused, her expression becoming thoughtful. “But do not think the High Lord rude. While I said that I would have listened to him talk for hours, he never did so. He attended my birthday party, but he had barely returned from Vin when he left for the mountains, and I have never seen him since.”
The mountains? This was new. “Shall I forward a greeting to him from you, Bel?” he offered.
“Oh, I doubt he remembers me,” she said, waving a hand.
“Nonsense! No man can forget beauty, even if it is merely glimpsed in passing.”
She smiled broadly and gave him a light pat on the arm. “Oh, I like
Conscious of the way she watched him from between her long eyelashes, Dannyl considered the answers he had discussed with Tayend.
“My assistant? I found him to be most useful. He has an amazing memory, and his grasp of languages is impressive.”
She nodded. “But what about personally? Did you find him an agreeable companion?”
“Yes.” Dannyl grimaced. “Though he didn’t travel well, I must say. I’ve never seen anyone so seasick.”
She hesitated. “They say he has some unconventional interests. Some, particularly the ladies, find him a little... disinterested.”
Dannyl nodded slowly. “Spending days deep underground, surrounded by books and speaking dead languages, would not make a man attractive to ladies.” He gave her a calculating look. “Are you playing matchmaker, Bel Arralade?”
She smiled coyly. “And what if I am?”
“Then I should warn you that I don’t know Tayend well enough to be of use. If he has a lady in mind, he has kept the matter to himself.”
Again, she hesitated. “Then we’ll leave him his privacy,” she said, nodding. “Matchmaking is a habit as evil as gossip when unwanted. Ah, here’s Dem Dorlini. I hoped he would come, as I have a few questions for him.” She rose. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Ambassador Dannyl. I hope we may converse again soon.”
“I would be honored, Bel Arralade.”
After a few minutes Dannyl discovered the peril of remaining still and alone. A trio of young girls, their child-sized court clothes stained with food, surrounded him. He kept them entertained with illusions until their parents rescued him. Rising, he started toward Errend, then stopped as he heard his name spoken.
Turning, he saw Tayend approaching, the muscular man at his side.
“Tayend of Tremmelin.”
“Ambassador Dannyl. This is Velend of Genard. A friend,” Tayend said.
The young man’s mouth curved, but the smile did not reach his eyes. He bowed stiffly and reluctantly.
“Tayend has told me of your travels,” Velend said. “Though from his descriptions I don’t think I’d find Lonmar to my taste.”
“It is a hot and imposing country,” Dannyl replied. “I’m sure it would be possible to acclimatize, if one stayed long enough. Are you a scholar, too?”
“No,” the man replied. “My interests are in swordplay and weaponry. Do you practice, Ambassador?”
“No,” Dannyl replied. “There is little time for such pursuits for young men who join the Guild.” Swordplay, then. He wondered if that was why he felt this instant dislike of the man. Did Velend remind him too much of Fergun, who also favored hard weapons?
“I’ve found a few books that might be of interest, Ambassador,” Tayend said, his tone businesslike. As Tayend began to describe the books, their age and general contents, Dannyl observed Velend shifting his weight from one foot to the other and glancing around at the crowd. Finally, the man interrupted Tayend.
“Excuse me, Tayend, Ambassador Dannyl. There is someone I must speak to.”
As he walked away, Tayend smiled slyly. “I knew it wouldn’t take long to get rid of him.” He paused as a passing couple drew closer to them, and returned to the businesslike tone. “We’ve been looking at old books, but I decided to try some more recent ones. Sometimes, when a Dem dies, his family sends whatever diaries or visitor books he owned to the library. In one Dem’s diary I found some interesting references to... well, I won’t go into detail now, but they indicate that we may find more information in some of the other Dems’ private libraries. I’m not sure who or where, however.”
“Do any of them live in the mountains?” Dannyl asked.
Tayend’s eyes widened. “A few. Why do you ask?”
Dannyl lowered his voice. “Our hostess was just reminiscing about a particular young magician who attended her birthday party ten years ago.”
“Ah.”
“Yes. Ah.” Seeing Velend approaching, Dannyl frowned. “That friend of yours is coming back.”
“He’s not a friend, really,” Tayend corrected. “More a friend of a friend. He brought me to the party.”
Velend’s walk was fluid, like the gait of a limek - the predatory dog that bothered farmers and sometimes killed travellers in the mountains. To Dannyl’s relief, the man stopped to talk to another courtier.
“I should warn you,” Dannyl added. “Bel Arralade might be trying to find you a young lady.”
“I doubt it. She knows me too well.”
