Blade kept his face blank, in spite of the sudden shock. He didn't know why the Baran had been in the Street of the Perfumers in disguise yesterday. He was quite certain the man wouldn't care to have the matter discussed where so many ears could listen.
The Baran made a sweeping, graceful gesture with both hands, drawing the servants to their feet as if he'd pulled on invisible wires. Another gesture sent them scampering out the door. A third gesture sent two of the guards after them, to stand outside. Their comrades closed the door and stationed themselves on either side of it. They said nothing, but kept their eyes fixed on the Baran. From the Baran's use of nothing but gestures to give his orders, Blade suspected the guards were deaf-mutes.
The Baran came over to the bed and walked briskly in a circle around it. His eyes were on Blade all the time. They were large eyes, dark, intense, but for the moment showing nothing.
Finally the Baran sat down cross-legged on the floor and folded his hands in his lap. «Well, Demad Blade. Are you surprised to see me here?»
Blade wasn't sure he'd heard right. Demad was a rank-a fairly high rank, too-among the gentlemen in the Baran's personal service. Once again he carefully kept his face straight, as he replied, «Not entirely, Lord. Not after my dealings with-a certain merchant, who found himself beset by thieves in the Street of the Perfumers yesterday morning.» If the Baran was going to spring surprises, Blade intended to do the same.
The Baran's round face split in a smile that made him look positively cherubic. «Ah, you know the merchant, then?»
«I do, lord. My eyes have been trained, so they have a certain skill in such matters.»
«More than I have in disguising, eh?»
«I would not dispute the Lord Baran of Dahaura, not in such a matter.»
The Baran laughed out loud. «Your eyes are skilled, and so is your tongue. It is fortunate that not many in Dahaura have such skills. Otherwise my comings and goings in the city would become as dangerous as some of my councilors always said they were.»
He shrugged. «Doubtless the ill-luck they predict will overtake me some day; and then my sons can arrange the succession as they see fit. Meanwhile, I do not see that I have any choice. I cannot see and hear the real life of Dahaura with the eyes and ears of others, no matter how much I may trust them or respect their wisdom.»
«That is a wise course that does you great honor,» said Blade. The compliment was sincere, in spite of the formal wording he felt was necessary.
The Baran smiled again. «If you are going to spread flowery praises upon me like compost on a garden, I may sell you back to Kubin Ben Sarif. I have a thousand men around me who think they render a great service by pouring honey into my ears. I have only a few who use their wits and their strength for better purposes. I have taken you from Kubin's service and made you a Demad in mine in the hope that you will prove another of these useful men. If I am to be disappointed, however-«Another shrug.
«I will do my best to see that you are not disappointed, Lord Baran,» said Blade. «I will do better, I think, if someone explains to me what has been happening while I have been asleep here.» It might be presumptuous to ask the Baran of Dahaura for an explanation of anything, but Blade would have been willing to question God to get information he needed.
The Baran did not appear to be offended. «I will be happy to do so. To begin with, the man you chased into the canal was a master in the Thieves Guild. The Thieves take offense easily. When it is a question of avenging a master, they are willing to face even the wrath of Kubin Ben Sarif.»
«Some of them seemed to have doubts about that,» said Blade, remembering how Esseta's threat had stopped the advance in the hallway.
«I know,» said the Baran. «I have personally spoken to Esseta as well as to Kubin. Like you, Esseta will be joining my service. I do not imagine that you will complain about having her here in the palace?»
«Not at all,» said Blade, smiling. He suspected that the Baran would complain even less. The ruler of Dahaura was said to have a robust appetite for women, and also high standards. Esseta would certainly satisfy both the appetites and the standards, and would hardly object to sharing the Baran's bed for however long he found her pleasing.
«But we wander far afield,» said the Baran. «The Thieves Guild met that same afternoon, and it was decided to move against the House of the Night's Tale. They wanted you and Esseta above all, and were prepared to kill anyone else in their path. They had also found a willing traitor in Hadish. Kubin Ben Sarif was not happy about that, I might add. I suspect that a good many of his people will be answering some very sharp questions in the next few weeks.»
«Poor Kubin,» said Blade, with a wry smile.
«Indeed,» said the Baran. «He wanted to keep you around to help with the questioning, and was most reluctant to dispense with your services. However, it was not impossible to persuade him in the end. I am the Baran, after all, and I also paid him five hundred mahari. I have also promised him the services of the Busud-Barani, the Eyes of the Baran. Not you, though-I have other things for you to do when you become one of my Eyes.»
«Your Eyes,» said Blade carefully. «They are-those who watch your enemies?»
«Yes. And from time to time strike them down. They need to be men who can think as well as strike, like you.»
«I see,» said Blade, still cautious.
«I trust you do,» said the Baran. «Many of the people who might be fit for this sort of work think it beneath them. One of my Eyes might come from the oldest nobility of Dahaura, but he may have to spend ten months as a porter in the storerooms of a brewer. But again, we wander from the events of last night.»
The rest of the story was told quickly. More than thirty members of the Thieves Guild descended on the House of the Night's Tale, and through Hadish's treachery they got in. They would have done their work and been gone in a few minutes except for Blade's fight. From first to last he'd killed or crippled ten men. He'd delayed the rest until the City Riders could come up and kill or capture most of the rest. The Baran himself had been with the City Riders, and he'd been firmly in charge of the situation by the time Kubin Ben Sarif arrived.
It had been an embarrassing night for Kubin, all things considered.
«I trust Kubin will not suffer for this,» said Blade. «He did me no injury, and I would not play a part in any move against him.»
«On the contrary,» said the Baran. «He has promised to organize the Assembly of the Brothel Keepers against the Thieves Guild. Many in the assembly will listen to him because they owe him money or favors. Others will listen because they know he commands some of the best and most reliable fighting men in Dahaura.» The Baran smiled complacently. «I do not think the Thieves will find the Brothel Keepers an easier prey than they found the House of the Night's Tale.»
The Baran rose to his feet and was halfway to the door before Blade remembered the Hashomi. He raised a hand to call the Baran back, but the ruler of Dahaura only stopped and shook his head. «No, Blade, no more tonight. You have wounds to let heal, and strength to regain. Also, a friend is coming to you, who will be better company than I. Whatever you have to say can wait a few days.»
The guards threw the door open and swiftly followed the Baran out. The door remained open, though. Blade lay back on the pillows and tried to relax, in spite of all the thoughts bubbling in his mind. A soft voice made him sit up again.