'Lord Eon,' the Prince called from the trestle, 'look at this Dragoneye compass. It is magnificent.'
It had to be the jewelled compass that Lord Ido mentioned at the banquet. I headed to the table, brushing my fingers across the smooth blue head of a porcelain lion as I passed. It was the male of a door-guardian pair. I looked for the female, but she did not seem to have survived the fire.
The compass was extraordinary: a gold disc with a large ruby in the centre and smaller rubies around the outer edge to mark the cardinal points that formed the first circle. The other twenty-three circles were defined by rings of tiny seed pearls set so closely together that they looked like shimmering paint. I stroked the fine etchings of the animal signs in the second circle. The cardinal points and the animals were the only levels I understood, but soon I would be taught how to use the mysterious characters that ringed each of the other circles. I would learn how to use them to calculate the strongest ley lines, find pure paths of Hua and focus my power.
If I could find my dragon's name.
'Where is the Dragoneye text?' I asked, inspecting the crowded table.
Prahn nudged his foot into the eunuch kneeling beside the bureau. 'Lord Eon wishes to see the folio bound by the black pearls.'
The eunuch lifted his head. 'Forgive me, Excellent Prahn. I have not seen such a folio.'
'What? You must have seen it. Red leather, about the size of my hand, with a string of matched black pearls wrapped around it.'
'There are no folios in the collection, most honourable Teacher,' the eunuch said, crouching into a smaller target.
'Are you stupid? I saw it myself when I opened the vault,' Prahn snapped. 'Bring me the manifest from the Dragoneye Council.'
The eunuch scrabbled across the floor on his knees, picking up a scroll from a low table.
Prahn snatched it out of his hands and pulled it open, scrutinising the list.
'Well?' the Prince said.
Prahn looked up. His wide eyes seemed to hold the only colour in his face.
'But I…' He stopped. 'My lord, I cannot find any folio listed on the manifest. But I saw one. I am sure of it.'
I crossed the room in a few strides and plucked the scroll from Prahn's slack grasp. 'There is none listed?'
The Prince followed, looking over my shoulder as I read the record.
There was no folio. I let the scroll slither back up into its roll.
The Prince's hand flicked out, clipping the old man across the face. It was a light blow, more formality than punishment. Prahn took it without a sound then dropped to his knees, kowtowing to his young master.
'I am sorry, Your Highness.'
'You should be begging Lord Eon's forgiveness for your incompetence,' the Prince said coldly.
The old scholar immediately gathered himself into a hunched apology. 'My lord, please forgive an old man's faulty memory'
The Prince turned to me. 'Do you want him beaten?'
I stared at his implacable face. I thought I had seen a hint of the young ruler in the pavilion, but that was nothing compared to the young Emperor who now stood next to me. I could truly believe he was descended from dragons.
'No,' I said quickly. 'I am sure he believed there was such a folio.'
The Prince nodded. 'I think you are right. A just decision.' He looked down at Prahn. 'We shall overlook this failure, Prahn. Your service up to this point has been exemplary. Do not let it happen again.' He gripped my shoulder. 'Come, let's go and look at the swords.' I le walked out of the room.
I'rahn bowed low to me. 'Lord Eon, I apologise again. I was sure there was such a folio.'
I studied his upturned face: puzzlement and hurt pride overlaid with deep unease. Teacher Prahn was a meticulous man — it did not seem likely that he would make such a mistake.
'Tell me, where did you get the manifest?' I asked.
'Lord Ido brought it to me himself,' Prahn said.
The crackle of parchment made us both look at my hand. I had crushed the scroll. I loosened my grip, using the moment to hide my fear.
'Lord Ido?' I said, trying for a tone of polite interest, but it came out tense and tight. 'Why did he bring it?'
'It was his duty, my lord. As Council leader he opened the vault and checked the contents with me. I am sure the folio was listed. And Lord Ido saw it too.' Prahn frowned. Although I cannot remember the occasion clearly Maybe it is true, I am getting too old.'
I remembered the flick of silver in Lord Ido's eyes as he tried to charm me. Had he succeeded with Prahn, using his power to confuse the old man?
'It was just a mistake, Teacher,' I said, handing back the flattened scroll. 'There is no harm done. Let us forget it and join the Prince. We should not keep him waiting.'
Prahn nodded and bowed, eager to leave his humiliation behind.
I took one last look around the room. There was no proof that there had ever been a folio amongst the treasures — who would believe an old scholar's ageing memory against the word of the Ascendant Dragoneye? But I was willing to gamble my good leg that it did exist, and that Lord Ido had stolen it.
Did the folio hold my dragon's name? I knew it was only a slim chance, but it was also my only chance.
Somehow, I had to get that folio back.
CHAPTER 10
I picked up a cup of wine from the tray that the servant held out to me. I would have preferred cold water, but anything wet was welcome. My master shook his head at the offering, tapping his folded silk fan impatiently against his thigh.
It was only mid-morning, but the day's bright heat had already thickened the air in the courtyard of the Rat Dragon Hall. Small cumquat trees created a lush green border but didn't cast enough shadow for any refuge from the sun. The other Dragoneye lords stood at the front of the square in clusters of two or three, apprentices at their elbows, their murmured conversations lost in the wide expanse of paving. Although none looked directly at me and my master, it was obvious that all attention was upon us.
Are you clear on your role today?' my master asked.
He flicked open the fan and waved it near his gaunt face, sending a warm breeze in my direction. I nodded, trying to ignore an itch of sweat under my breast-band.
'It seems straightforward enough,' I said.
On the short journey to the hall, my master had told me what to expect at the Council meeting: he would accept the role of
proxy lord and I would stand aside in order to train. But such a simple transfer of duty did not explain the tension in the faces around us.
I gulped a mouthful of the wine. The sourness burned through the knot of panic in my chest.
There was nothing to fear — my master knew what he was doing — but I could not shake off my unease. Perhaps it was just being in Lord Ido's domain. I scanned the courtyard again. He had not yet made his entrance.
'This will liberate you from attending every Council meeting,' my master said. 'You will eventually need to know how the Council operates, but at the moment it is more important for you to focus on developing your Dragoneye skills.'
I smoothed an imaginary crease out of the sleeve of my red robe, avoiding his searching look.
My first Staminata lesson was later in the day How long could I bluff through the classes and training before someone realised I could not call my dragon? I looked around once more, this time for Dillon. Perhaps he had seen the Mirror Dragon folio in Lord Ido's rooms.
My master suddenly drew himself up. Lord Tyron had broken away from a tight whispering group and was approaching us, trailed by his tall apprentice.
Remembering Lady Dela's lesson, I bowed to the older Dragoneye. The rich amethyst of his robes brought out the florid tones of his skin and the blue exhaustion under his eyes.
'Greetings, Lord Tyron,' I said.