A silence ensued.
“Tell me,” Bren said softly, “nandi. How confident would you be at this point, in committing yourself and your house to your current staff, after their certain suspicion that you have unburdened yourself to us aboard this bus? One would suspect, by the behavior of those servants, that they are not altogether innocent, either. I would rather expect that, if this matter is argued in court, there will certainly be some among them to testify–as your surviving witnesses–but who knows what they may say? That you compelled them?”
Aseida was not at the moment master of his expressions. His eyes twitched when he considered his possible answers.
“Suppose that we installed you back in your house this hour and left the servants to resume their duties. Would you have any personal apprehension?”
Far from master of his expressions.
Bren asked: “Are you more afraid of those within Haikuti’s instruction–or of reprisals from those who were not under his influence?”
“There are none outside his influence, paidhi.”
“Not a one, nandi?”
“No. No. There is not.”
“Then you have rather an unhappy situation, nandi, were I to send you back to your house at this hour–because I would certainly discourage your traveling south, say, to the Marid at this point. Startling things have happened there, early this morning. And one does not suppose you would care to lodge in one of your own townships–lacking your bodyguards. In fact yours is a sad case, Lord Aseida. Have all Kadagidi been happy with Haikuti’s direction?”
Aseida started to answer, and faltered, perhaps becoming aware how he was being led.
“Are there none you would trust,” Bren asked, “on either side of Haikuti’s influence?”
“The ones who would support me would have no chance against Haikuti’s people.”
“That is probably true,” Bren said. He and Jase were no longer interviewing Aseida alone. Tano and Algini had come aboard, Algini seated and Tano standing, on the other side of the aisle. “So yours is an unfortunate situation, nandi. What would you wish to do now?”
“I appeal to Lord Tatiseigi,” Aseida said, as if the words were stuck in his throat. “He is honest. He is my neighbor. The Padi Valley is not like other places.”
“Without staff, without bodyguard, and without alliances, nandi, you are in a very desperate situation. But you do recognize that.”
The chin stiffened, brows drew down. Aseida finally located his backbone. “The Padi Valley is different, I say, paidhi‑aiji. We have traditions. We are the old blood. We stick together.”
“I shall certainly convey your request to him, nandi. You wish, then, to apply to Lord Tatiseigi’s hospitality.”
“I so wish,” Aseida said, jaw clenching hard. “He will understand.”
“Undoubtedly,” Bren said, very tempted to cast a look at Algini to see how he had read the man; but he refrained.
They had given first aid to the injured while he conducted his interview with Aseida, both their own, from the two parties, and also to a Kadagidi servant who had suffered a broken arm in the upstairs hall. They had given two servants permission to take that man on to the hospital in the township, by Lord Aseida’s van. They had packed boxes of interesting documents into the baggage compartment, and they were putting the estate under Guild seal, meaning it and its historic treasures would be strictly guarded until there was some judgment about the clan leadership–a temporary duty for Nawari and the party that had come in overland–they would, Algini said, have relief coming in from the Taibeni on Lord Tatiseigi’s estate truck. “Time to get underway,” he said to Jase. “Get this situation back to safer ground . . . get in contact with Tabini and get his seal on the house as well, under the circumstances, where we don’t have a video record.” He changed to Ragi. “Kindly take charge, Gini‑ji.”
He wanted to be back in Atageini territory, with the documents they had recovered. He wanted to get the Kadagidi lord off his hands and under the dowager’s authority.
He wanted to know the dowager and Cajeiri were as safe as they could make them.
And most of all he wanted to know how Banichi was faring. Banichi had gone back to the bus’s galley, he had said, for a cold drink, a painkiller, and a rest in the rearmost seats. The aisle, given most of the dowager’s men were staying to assist Nawari, was all but vacant between them. He walked back toward Banichi and Jago, and was reassured to see that Banichi finally had the ruined jacket off and a proper bandage on the arm. “Lord Aseida is appealing to Lord Tatiseigi for protection. He says he can trust no one of his people. How are you faring, Nichi‑ji?”
“Bruises,” Banichi said grimly. “Nothing broken, no deep wound. Nothing to worry about.”
He shot a look at Jago, who sent one back, confirming Bren’s instincts–that it was something more than the physical injury that had put such a grim expression on Banichi’s face.
“You cannot possibly doubt,” he said quietly, “that you are in the right, Nichi‑ji.”
Banichi gave him a surprised, wide‑open look. “One in no wise doubts that, Bren‑ji.”
“One wishes you to be sure of it,” he said.
More than acquaintances, that man and Banichi. Every instinct he had said so.
A man whose skill Banichi had rated very highly.
With a team probably of the same caliber, and a second team that had been first out of the house.
No one had survived what Jase’s bodyguard had thrown at that porch. But he knew Banichi’s return fire had been a killing shot. He had seen it hit. It was branded in his memory–before the world had exploded.
Before two renegade Guild units whose opinion it was that humans were not a good influence . . . had been blown to hell by human weapons.
Confirm for Banichi that his shot had in fact taken Haikuti out before the world blew up?
Not without knowing exactly what that relationship had been.
· · ·
The bus, with a damaged windshield and a bullet marring its door, pulled up to the front of Lord Tatiseigi’s house, stopped, and opened the door with a soft pneumatic sigh.
Bren gathered himself up as Jase and Aseida did. Banichi and Jago came forward to escort Lord Aseida off the bus. They all got down, followed by Tano and Algini, preceded by Kaplan and Polano.
Servants opened both doors atop the tall steps. Lord Tatiseigi came out onto the porch, forewarned at the very last moment and frowning like thunder . . . not an entirely comfortable welcome for the Kadagidi lord as he stepped onto the cobbled driveway.
“I request lodging,” Aseida said, “nandi, if you will be so gracious.”
“Gracious, is it?” Tatiseigi shot back, looking down from the top step. “After the events of last night?”
“Asien’dalun has suffered utter calamity in the conflict of one faction of the Guild against another. We have in no wise–”
“We are not a faction,” Banichi’s low voice cut in. “Make no such claims against the legitimate Guild, Kadagidi lord. You have supported renegades against the Assassins’ Guild, you have supported outlaws, those protecting you fired first, and any damage done is the result of your own choices.”
Aseida stood there stammering slightly, confused and angry and, if he was sane, deeply afraid at this point. He made a small gesture toward Lord Tatiseigi. “We appeal to the Atageini. These Guild renegades forced themselves on us. They threatened our lives. They forced their way in even before Murini’s time, they stayed on against our will, and we have no doubt they will attempt to kill us to prevent us telling what we saw. If these are indeed legitimate Guild–and I believe they are, nadi!” He shot a nervous glance aside at Banichi, and back to Tatiseigi. “Have consideration, nandi! Extend your protection to a neighbor of the Padi Valley!”