“They came with credentials from the Queen Empress,” said a Terrarch male, garbed in the court uniform of the same generation. “They are her Ambassadors. Or so I heard.”
“Spies more like,” said the woman, but she sounded thoughtful. Like every Terrarch with any involvement in politics, which was to say all of them, she obviously knew the importance of keeping channels open.
“I think it’s rather pleasant that we still observe the old diplomatic protocols and courtesies. Too many of the younger generation have forgotten them in this damn civil war.”
“I suppose she is the daughter of Lord Malkior. He was a most charming gentleman. I remember him well from the Old Queen’s court. It’s a pity that time ever ended.”
To listen to her, you would never have thought that the time had ended with the Old Queen’s assassination and a civil war that had split the Terrarch Imperium. They were still trying to unravel the consequences of those events today. Most people saw the present war as a simple continuation of the Schism.
He made his way back over to Asea. She was smiling. She knew as well as he did that this pair had tried and almost succeeded in having them both killed by sorcery of the foulest sort, and yet she looked only mildly amused by the sight of them.
“I trust you have noticed who just entered,” she said. Her voice too was cool and amused. “Our old friends, the Lord Jaderac and the Lady Tamara.” As ever Rik wondered just how much Asea knew about him and Tamara. Tamara had offered him a great deal to kill Asea, which was a fact he had never yet reported to his patron.
“I don’t see how I could have failed to. Everyone is talking about them.”
“They do seem to have caused quite a stir.”
“Why have they not been arrested? A lot of people here seem to think it a good idea.”
“Lord Jaderac is the emissary of the Queen Empress of Sardea, and one of her favoured lovers. Tamara is the daughter of her former Chancellor. You don’t lock up people like that, Rik. You entertain them.”
“They would make very good hostages.”
“I suspect the Queen Empress is aware of that, and so is Tamara’s father. However they are here under diplomatic protection. Nothing untoward will happen to them.”
“Accidents happen.” She looked at him and smiled again.
“I am afraid your bad blood is showing, Rik.”
“I find it very difficult to forgive people who have tried to kill me.”
“I fear it's something you had best get used to. Oh look, I see Lord and Lady Sardontine. They are coming this way. She seems pleased to see you.”
Rik bowed to the couple as they approached. Moments later, the Lord was deeply engaged in conversation with Asea and he found himself circulating with his wife.
Much to his surprise Rik found himself face to face with Tamara. As he mingled with the crowd Lady Sardontine brought her over to introduce them. Tamara smiled as if they had never met before.
“I have heard a great deal about your heroism,” she said, the very picture of empty-headed innocence. “And your triumph over the demons unleashed by that wicked old sorcerer Lord Ilmarec. You must tell me about it.”
“Our young hero is very modest about such things,” said Lady Sardontine, placing a proprietorial hand on Rik’s arm. Tamara’s smile widened a fraction when she noticed that.
“I have a lot to be modest about,” said Rik. Both of them laughed as if they did not really agree with that statement.
“I confess I was amazed at the way you destroyed the Tower,” said Tamara. “I have never quite seen anything like it. It was an awesome sight — the way it lifted on a column of fire and disappeared into the storm clouds.”
Lady Sardontine gaped at her. “You were there?”
“Lord Jaderac and I were paying our respects to Lord Ilmarec at the Serpent Tower only a few hours before it happened.”
Lord Jaderac and Tamara had been trying to persuade the ancient sorcerer to throw in his lot with the Dark Empress.
“You were greatly missed when Lord Azaar’s army marched into Morven,” said Rik maliciously.
“Lord Jaderac had urgent business elsewhere. I would have been delighted to stay and pay my respects to Lord Azaar, but of course, I had to go with his Lordship. He commanded our bodyguard, after all, and he’s so very…well…commanding.”
There was a twinkle in Tamara’s eye. She was mocking him and Lord Jaderac and letting him know it. Lady Sardontine must have noticed it. Her face was a frozen mask.
“There was a lot of impressive sorcery at that time,” he said, thinking of the Nerghul that had almost killed him. “We must talk about that too.”
“I don’t know a great deal about such things. Magic is much more Lord Jaderac’s province than my own. I am sure he would be delighted to talk to you about it.”
Rik had seen her work sorcery with his own eyes. He decided not to mention this for the time being.
“I would much rather talk about less disturbing things like that beautiful new uniform you are wearing. Was it a gift from Lady Asea?”
What else could it be? He did not have a great deal of money of his own. “Indeed,” he said. Tamara giggled. “She is very generous. You look very handsome in it.”
The conjunction of the two statements held an obvious implication, but the way she said it made the connection seem almost accidental. Lady Sardontine looked at her sharply, suspecting there was more to Tamara than met the eye, then she glanced aside. Her husband was beckoning to her from across the room. “If you will excuse me for a moment,” she said, and departed, leaving Rik confronting Tamara.
“Believe it or not, I am actually glad to see you are still alive,” she said. Her expression was still vacuous for the benefit of those watching them, but her tone of voice was not.
“I do find that a little hard to believe,” he said. She took no offence but snapped open her fan and covered her dimpled smile with it.
“How did you get out of the Tower? I am genuinely interested.”
“I flew,” he said.
“You seem to be doing a lot of that. I heard about your trip in the balloon. Whatever will you be doing next?” she asked.
“I don’t know. What brings you to this place?”
“Lord Jaderac is Her Majesty’s emissary. I am here to assist him in any way I can. My position is somewhat secretarial, don’t you know.”
“I doubt that.”
“You are just full of doubts this evening, Sir Rik.”
“Under the circumstances can you blame me?”
“Not in the slightest.” Rik found himself answering her smile with one of his own. The problem with Tamara was that whatever she had done, he liked her. That was a dangerous feeling.
“Are you still dressing up and hanging around in low taverns?”
“That’s a very ungallant thing for you to mention at a gathering like this.”
“I am a very ungallant man,” he said.
“I suppose you are. I find that an attractive quality. Every male at court needs to present himself as the soul of honour. It can be very tedious.”
The music started again. “Shall we dance?” she asked.
“Why not,” he said. He took her by the hand and led her out onto the floor.
Lieutenant Sardec moved walked over to Lady Asea. He was in no mood for dancing and he had no desire to join in the gossip of his fellow officers. He did not know what drew him to Asea — he had always found her very intimidating — but they had shared a strange intimacy ever since that night in Morven when they had watched the Serpent Tower vanish. Also he thought she might want to talk about the new arrivals. Perhaps she could tell him something about the ghoul disease, although it seemed a little less worrying now. The surgeon had checked him again, and decided that there was almost no chance of him having it. It was the almost that made Sardec nervous.
He saw that Asea was staring out onto the dance floor watching her protege and Lady Tamara dance. They were an interesting looking couple and they danced very well. Someone had given the half-breed excellent training in the courtly skills but he supposed that was only to be expected from Lady Asea.