“That’s because your brother has ‘proved’ to the duke time and time again that he is surrounded by enemies.” He looked at her, and his voice softened. “I know that Shastro can be likable. What you have to keep in mind is that he is ruined now. Even if you married him he’d never be trustworthy. Kirion’s taught him to enjoy certain things too much. He might listen to you for a while, but he’d go back to his old ways and then hate you if you tried to stop him.”
Hadrann sighed quietly. “You do know that Shastro was a compromise? The lords of the city clans accepted him as duke since the last two had died with no heirs and they had to have a ruler. It was that or tear themselves apart fighting to as which of them would rule. Shastro comes from a previous line, one that lost everything they had several generations ago.
“He grew up in the low quarter, where they deal with those they hate quite simply. You would die. Oh, probably not an obvious murder, or if it was he’d have a scapegoat waiting, but you’d die. And then, just in case, he’d do his best to quietly wipe out everyone in Aiskeep so they wouldn’t ask questions.” Aisling had sagged back on her seat, her face sad. Hadrann took her hand.
“He isn’t just weak, cousin. He’s bad all through. He likes to play that he might change but he won’t, and I don’t believe he can or honestly wants to. You know your brother better than I do. Ask Kee-lan. Is Kirion likely to have chosen a figurehead who’d turn in his tracks to follow the Light? Is he?”
“No,” Aisling said dully. “No. Kirion wouldn’t make that mistake.”
Keelan sat beside her and hugged her warmly. “So you be careful. No more encouraging Shastro to be a good decent ruler. He won’t be, and it may alert Kirion too early.” He gave her another hug, then stood to pour watered wine for himself. He returned to lean against the wall nearby. “But while we’re on the subject of Kars’s duke, has anyone noticed a possible ducal replacement?”
Hadrann nodded. “I did, but you can’t look him over. I hear he hardly ever comes to court and when he does he’s gone again as soon as is respectable. He’s some sort of kin of yours, a man named Jam.
His father died young in a hunting accident, and the boy inherited about thirty years gone, a big estate but almost worthless. Several square miles of poor mountain land and a half-ruined keep.”
Aisling was thinking, her eyes half-shut as she concentrated. She sat up abruptly. “Yes. Jam of Trevalyn.” She looked across to where Keelan stood. “He’s grandnephew to old Geavon. I think that makes him about our fifth cousin. Jam’s father settled land that had been abandoned after the last upheaval of the Turning. There’d been a keep, and since it was on the fringes of the mountains and massively built, it partly survived, but one wing collapsed, and the original family wasn’t as lucky. They were inside at the time. Jam’s father improved the place, cleared that wing, got back some of the people, and brought in mountain sheep.”
She grinned. “I remember Grandfather talking about it years ago. He said a lord could make a reasonable living there if he didn’t mind living within a stone’s throw of Estcarp in a great barn with a leaking roof, eating mutton stew and sleeping on beds harder than a merchant’s charity. It was a carefree life: you had nothing to worry about but bandits, Estcarp, starvation in winter, lumbago from the damp, constant colds in the nose, and having your throat cut by disaffected peasants.” Hadrann laughed. “Had he visited this keep?”
Keelan spoke dryly. “It certainly sounds as if he had. I’d think almost any other place would be a welcome change, but if this Jam can keep an estate like that in order and survive it, then he should be able to handle Kars.”
Aisling smiled too, then sobered. “I wouldn’t leap to that conclusion, either of you. A man can love his home and not want to desert it no matter how awful it seems to outsiders; besides, we’re talking casually of making him duke. Before we can even think of that we need to bell the cats. Kirion and Shastro aren’t going to bow politely and usher Jam onto the throne.”
“No,” her brother said slowly. “What we need to do is goad the duke into doing something really stupid that turns the people against him. They would be too scared to move yet, but if we get Kirion out of the way, then they’d act.”
“Kee, we’re going to get a lot of people hurt before all this is over, aren’t we?”
“Yes. I don’t like the thought any more than you, but the alternative is another war with Estcarp. If that happens Kars could be sacked and many of the keeps as well. Far more would die if that happened.”
They retired to bed, each bothered by what lay ahead. Yet, as Keelan had said, if Shastro continued on the path down which Kirion was leading him, war was inevitable. The last major attack had cost Karsten an army of thousands. What could it cost this time? Turmoil in Kars, she thought ruefully, would certainly cost fewer lives than another war.
In the morning Hadrann went hunting alone. He took a small bow for waterfowl and followed the track to a small, reed-fringed lake some three hours ride from Kars. Aisling was to spend the day in her room. She planned to open her mind carefully and see if she could pick up from Kirion any sense of his plans. Wind Dancer would stay with her as company. Keelan had his own plans. Before Hadrann left, Kee spoke of them to him and Aisling.
“I’m going into the city. Is there anything either of you would like?” Aisling shook her head. Hadrann glanced up, considering the court finery his friend was wearing.
“I wouldn’t go without a guard if I were you. That’s an expensive neck chain.”
The Aiskeep heir shrugged. “I’ll take a guard, but I don’t plan to go to the lower city, just the market. I need a new bridle.”
“Well and good. Do be careful.” They separated, Aisling scooping up Wind Dancer as she retired.
It was late afternoon before Hadrann returned from his success-ful hunting. Over one shoulder he carried a double brace of duck. He wore a satisfied expression and several pounds of lakeside mud.
Aisling held her nose when he tapped on her door, proudly displaying the results of his hunting.
“Phew! The ducks will be lovely, but I hope you’re taking a bath before you sit down to dine with us.”
Hadrann grinned happily. “I’ve already told my valet to start someone heating the water. I got another brace of duck, but they’ve gone to the duke.” He glanced around. “Where’s Kee?”
“Probably down at the stables.”
“No.” Her head came up at his tone. “I’ve just come from there. He left this morning, and the captain hasn’t seen him since. He didn’t take a guard either. You mean he hasn’t been back here at all, not all day?”
Aisling’s eyes widened. “No. I haven’t seen him since he left either. I hope he’s not in trouble. Wait, maybe I can scry for him.”
His hand caught her wrist. “It’s too dangerous. Just listening the way you were doing today is safe enough, but you go using magic to look and you’re likely to alert Kirion. Let’s go and talk to the captain.”
But their guard captain was no comfort. “I’d say this was time to search, my Lord. It’s still light enough to rake through these places without torches. We’ll miss less if there’s anything to find.”
Aisling returned to her room determined to scry for Keelan. Hadrann followed.
“You can’t risk it.”
“I don’t care, I have to find him.”
He shook his head. “It isn’t you. If you scry, you could alert Kirion. If he starts looking at us we’re all in danger.” He took a deep breath. “I have something to suggest that may work more effectively and be safer for all of us as well.” As he talked, she listened. Then he watched as she left, half-running. Now, if only she could put Had-rann’s plan into action without error, Keelan might be found.