“That’s a Dragon term. I never use it.”
“Boss, won’t they figure out that you wanted them to identify you?”
“Maybe.”
“So, how is it that what you just did wasn’t stupid?”
“The business of convincing your enemies to do what you want them to is a tricky matter, Loiosh. I wouldn’t expect a jhereg to understand the subtleties.”
“I trust an education in the subtleties will begin shortly.”
“You’re starting to sound like Morrolan.”
I had to walk to the market to find a coach—a run-down thing that found every rut and hole in the road. Served me right for lack of forethought, though. Things like not thinking to have the coach waiting might seem small to you, but if I went ahead and executed plans without seeing to all the little details, I was going to make what was already a tricky operation downright impossible. I gave myself a stern talking-to about it; my cracked rib and various bruises emphasized the point.
Kiera was, as promised, waiting in the courtyard. “Well?” she said.
“Well enough,” I said. “Maybe. Have to see.”
She frowned. “What did you do?”
“Started a delayed-action explosive spell.”
“Uh, let’s go up to your room.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
“What?”
“Forget it.”
I made my slow painful way to the room. I stretched out on the bed, Kiera took the chair.
“Interesting noise,” she said.
“Hmmm?”
“As you lay down. Somewhere between a groan and a sigh. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone do that before. Are you sure you don’t want to be fixed up?”
“I’ll be fine.”
“Unless you have to move fast.”
“When have I ever needed to move fast?”
She didn’t even bother to give me a look for that one. “What did you do?”
“I hired her.”
“To do what?”
“I need to know what’s going on in a certain little cottage in South Adrilankha.”
“And that was the only way to find out?”
“The best way, under the circumstances.”
“Why?”
“I’m trying to do two things at once.”
She nodded. “I once tried to steal two things at once. Want to hear what happened?”
“Only if it worked.”
“I won’t talk about it, then.”
“There are two things going on, Kiera. They’re probably related, but I can’t know that.”
“Aliera’s prosecution, and the effort to set you up.”
“Right.”
“And the cottage in South Adrilankha?”
“It’s a long shot, as far Aliera’s prosecution, but it’s all I can come up with. My thinking is this: If the Jhereg wants to blame the killing on one of these people, they’ll—”
“Wait. What?”
“The Jhereg is planning to kill the Imperial investigator, a certain Desaniek, and blame it on a group of Eastern and Teckla rebels.”
“How did you put that together?”
“When I asked Cawti if she were still giving reading lessons, she said, ‘until lately,’ which got me to thinking—never mind. It’s a long story. The point is, if they want to kill the investigator, and blame it on this group of rebels, they’ll need to know what the group is up to. If I know what they’re up to, maybe I’ll be able to figure out where they’ll move.”
She looked doubtful. “That doesn’t seem likely.”
“I agree, but it’s all I’ve got.”
“What about the other reason? How does this help you get out of a setup?”
“It might not, but if she takes the trouble to find out who I am, and I did everything but beg her to, it’s going to stir up the Jhereg, and maybe throw them off their game.”
“That is really thin.”
“Not as thin as you think. Something unexpected happens when you’re after someone, you slow down and make sure you know what’s going on. All I need is for them to slow down long enough to let me finish this business and get back out of town.”
“That is very thin.”
“Like the other, it’s what I have. Do you have any better ideas?”
“This is bigger than you seem to realize, Vlad.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Eh? It’s the Left Hand of the Jhereg, the Jhereg, and the Orca manipulating Imperial politics. How much bigger—?”
“No, what makes you think I don’t realize how big it is?”
“You aren’t acting as if you do.”
“Kiera, after you’ve been in battle with gods, you get to the point where the affairs of mere mortals—”
“Can you be serious for two words?”
“Not without effort,” I said.
“Apply yourself.”
I shrugged. “What do you want from me? Okay, it’s serious. It’s big. I get that. But I came back here to help Aliera. If you can show me a better way to do that, I’m listening.”
“I’ll never understand this passion you have for making yourself a target.”
“It isn’t a passion, it’s more of an avocation.” She started to say something, but I cut her off. “I didn’t create the situation, and no one was doing a damned thing about it, either because they didn’t want to offend the Empress, or because they didn’t want to offend Aliera. You couldn’t fit the hair of a norska’s tail on how much I care about offending either one. There’s a problem, I’m fixing it.”
“You’re stubborn, Vlad.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Sometimes. Usually. Right now, I’m not sure. How can I help?”
“You probably can’t, but I’ll let you know if something comes up.”
She sighed, started to say something else, then just shrugged and left me with her Kiera smile and soft kiss on the cheek. I lay on my back and tried not to move too much, and eventually got some rest.
Iorich
15
Your Highness: I urgently request an immediate review of the entire Imperial prison system. With the suicide of Bryn our investigation—an investigation, Your Highness, instigated by the express wishes of Her Majesty—has been seriously compromised. Permit me to urge Your Highness in the strongest possible terms to form a committee of our own House and some of the more skilled Vallista to see what can be done to make sure this doesn’t happen again; it is hardly an overstatement to say that the honor of the House itself is at stake. Any further event of this type and I will not answer for the committee being able to carry out its duties.
I Remain, Your Highness,
Your Loyal and Respectful
Justicer Desaniek
I woke up feeling still better. If this trend continued, I’d be back in shape to fight in only a month or so.
“Boss!”
That was when I realized what woke me up. “What is it?”
“Uh, this is weird. I’m hearing things.”
“Yeah, that’s what was supposed to happen.”
“But, it’s weird.”
“It’s just for a day or two. Anything interesting?”
“Depends how interested you are in snoring.”
“Mostly interested in my own, but it’s too late for that, now.”
“Cry up a storm, Boss.”
I got up and slowly and painfully took care of morning things. The plan for the day was, actually, to do nothing except to stay as safe as I could: there was nothing to do until and unless I got some information from Loiosh, or until someone made a move at me.