Treasure? Kept for me?
'Is there really a vault full of gold?' I asked Lady Dela.
Before she could speak, Lord Ido had ordered Dillon out of his seat and was leaning towards me across the generous gap. 'His Majesty speaks figuratively, Lord Eon,' he said, casting a wry look at the Emperor who was still smiling at his own wit. 'The treasure is not gold.'
'You've seen it, my lord?' I asked, hiding my disappointment in the quick question.
'No. But the Council holds records of what was saved. It is nearly the only record we have of the Mirror Dragon.' He paused, glancing down the table at the other Dragoneyes, all of them lethargic in comparison to his dark energy. His lips quirked upwards. 'You and your dragon are quite the mystery. As you can see, the Council is almost frenzied in its excitement.'
I found myself smiling, drawn into his playful mockery
He moved closer and I saw a flick of silver pass across his eyes. According to the records, the treasures in the vault include some fine pieces of furniture…'
A wave of nausea suddenly pulled at me. I felt something struggling through layers of resistance, giving me a moment of clear mind-sight. In front of me was a silvery line of power being siphoned from the energy in the room. It flowed into Lord Ido, feeding the yellow point of power in the delta of his ribs. The centre of charisma. Above it, the green heart-point seemed even paler and smaller than before.
He was using power to charm me.
My mind-sight receded, leaving a familiar sense of loss. The Mirror Dragon. Gone, again.
Lord Ido had stopped talking, his eyes narrowed. Had he felt the dragon too? I drew back and saw his face harden, but his voice kept its smooth caress.
'…and a few of the instruments necessary to our art. I believe I saw a jewelled dragon compass on the list.'
I needed to get away from the power that called me to him. To make some space between us. I gave a small bow.
'My thanks, Lord Ido.'
'My pleasure, Lord Eon.'
He waved Dillon back to the table as the herald called attention to the Emperor.
'Let us eat now,' the Heavenly Master announced. At the second sweet course, we will listen to the poets who have prepared their words in honour of the occasion.' He held up a piece of carved jade hanging from a red silk ribbon. And a prize for the artist whose words stir us the most.'
'One guess who that will be,' Lady Dela muttered. She caught the question in my face and indicated the screen behind us. 'Lady Jila has been having a very long winning streak.' Behind her, Ryko made a low noise of reproach. Lady Dela sighed irritably. All right, perhaps I am being unfair. Just because she is the Prince's mother does not mean she is not a good poet.'
'She is the Prince's mother?' I said. 'I had thought the Empress was —'
Lady Dela shook her head, placing one finger over her reddened mouth. 'That is how it is recorded, but the Empress was barren. The first-born male in the harem is always attributed to the Empress if she has no issue of her own. That way, there is no doubt of succession.' She beckoned me closer, 'You should understand that Lady Jila is a sensible woman; she knows that although she cannot be acknowledged as the Prince's mother, it is her issue that will sit on the throne. And after two girl children, she has recently borne another son, so her position in the
household is secure.' She watched as a sturdy man in a short white tunic kneeled by the Emperor. Ahh, the Imperial food-taster has been summoned. The cold course must be finally on its way'
Even as she spoke, two lines of eunuchs carrying covered platters filed into the room and positioned themselves along the front of the tables. The eunuch in front of me placed two dishes on the table, his eyes properly downcast. The herald thumped his staff against the floor and, as one, the servers lifted the silver domes. All along the table were plates full of exquisitely presented food: shredded pork, cabbage tossed with nuts, duck with beans, cold eggs, pickled vegetables, greens dressed in oils, sticky rice rolled in seaweed, cold roasted chicken, smoked flaked fish, and round pea-cakes served with ginger.
'So much,' I breathed.
Lady Dela studied the pork dish in front of her then nodded to the server to spoon it onto her plate. 'Be sparing, my lord,' she cautioned, holding up her hand to stop another spoonful.
'There are eleven other courses to come.'
Another eunuch stopped in front of me.
'My lord,' he said in the soft voice of service. 'The royal physician sends you this dish and begs you to eat it first to assist with your digestion.'
I looked over at the physician seated across the room at a lower table. He had changed his outfit and was now dressed in shades of green that did nothing for his pasty skin. I nodded my thanks and he smiled graciously, urging me to eat with exaggerated gestures. The eunuch placed the plate on the table and removed the cover, displaying crisp green beans and smooth white squares encrusted with sesame seeds.
'What is it?'
'Cold eel, my lord. To boost the blood.'
I picked up the heavy silver chopsticks, eager to try the delicacy. It was a strange texture, chewy yet tender, with a nutty
taste enhanced by the sesame. Beside me, Dillon was staring at a duck dish, his fingers gripping the edge of the table.
'My lord, can you assist Apprentice Dillon?' Lady Dela asked between mouthfuls.
I signalled to our server who promptly spooned duck onto his plate.
'Just tell them what you want,' I told him, feigning confidence.
He licked his lips nervously 'Look at it all.'
I grinned, trying to coax some ease from him. 'We are surely blessed, hey?'
His smile did not quite reach the shadowy pain in his eyes. I had seen that look before on the few occasions he had been beaten by Heuris Bellid.
'How is it?' I asked him softly, nodding towards his new master. Lord Ido had his back to us, talking to the Dragoneye beside him.
The shadows deepened. As you say, we are surely blessed.' He picked up his wine bowl and drained it again.
'I am glad to hear it.'
Under the table, I pressed my foot against his leg. He returned the pressure, his eyes blinking rapidly. It seemed we had both stepped into treacherous situations.
'Lord Eon, allow me to recommend the pea-cakes,' Lady Dela said, claiming my attention.
In between eating the next three courses — an array of soups followed by lobster then scallops — Lady Dela offered a low-voiced commentary on the Dragoneyes at the table. Lord Tyron, sitting next to Lord Ido, was the Ox Dragoneye and an Emperor's man. I leaned back in my seat to look at him: thickset for a Dragoneye with deep troughs that ran from nose to mouth, He was next in the cycle of ascendancy and so would retire in favour of his apprentice at the end of the year. Next down the line, and in order of ascendancy, was Lord Elgon, the Tiger Dragoneye. Definitely a follower of Ido, Lady Dela whispered.
He was long-faced, with a prominent jaw and flat nose that gave him the appearance of a shovel. Lord Elgon would have been apprenticed to my master when he was the Tiger Dragoneye, but I had never heard my master speak of him. Beside Elgon was the Rabbit Dragoneye, Lord Silvo. A pale handsome man; the drain of his vocation had pared down his face into classic planes and angles. A fence-sitter, Lady Dela said. Always trying to make peace between the factions. We had just got to Lord Chion, the Snake Dragoneye, when a young eunuch in the black livery of the harem appeared at Lady Dela's side. He bowed and presented a scroll sealed with wax and decorated with jade beads hanging from the end sticks.
She pulled the scroll apart and scanned it.
'Does my lady wish to reply?' he asked.
'No.' She waved him away and read the scroll again. 'Well,' she said with a frown, 'this will stir things up. I only hope they don't blame the messenger.'
I glanced at the flowing characters on the paper, but didn't recognise any of them. 'What is it?'