Kharl offered a smile. “It is doubtless no secret that I do have a very slight ability with order. It is just enough to see who tells the truth and who does not, Captain Egen. That can be helpful, I will admit, but I cannot make anyone tell a lie or what is not so. Not even the greatest of order-mages can do that.” His eyes met those of the smaller man.
“Even envoys must recognize what is, Lord Kharl, and I do not forget.”
Kharl smiled again, politely. “I am certain you do not, Captain. I hope that you are not suggesting that I should suffer for pursuing justice within the law.”
Egen’s smile was cold. “I would never say that. Good day, envoy.” He turned and strode stiffly from the chamber.
The woman who had been in the front benches eased toward Kharl. “Ser?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. I would pay you all I have for my consort’s life, but we …”
“You have paid enough.” Kharl lowered his voice. “As soon as he is released, come to the Austran residence on the east hill. You can stay there.”
“Ser?”
“Captain Egen will find someone, I would judge …” Kharl let the words hang.
“Ser?”
“Tell Werwal what I said, then. Let him decide.”
“Yes, ser.” The woman backed away.
At that moment, Fasyn hurried up. “Lord Justicer Reynol would appreciate it if you would do him the honor of seeing him in his chamber, Lord Kharl.”
“I would be happy to see the lord justicer.”
Kharl followed the chief clerk through the side entrance behind the dais, and to a chamber not all that much larger than that of the chief clerk’s. Unlike Fasyn’s chamber, Reynol’s did have a window that looked out on the courtyard.
“Lord Kharl, ser.” Fasyn bowed, then stepped back and closed the door, leaving the two men alone together.
“Lord Justicer.” Kharl bowed his head briefly, then looked directly at Reynol.
“I have the sense that we may have met before, Lord Kharl, although I cannot recall where.” Reynol’s smile was brittle.
Kharl could sense that the justicer was being truthful. He did feel that he had seen Kharl before, but he did not recognize the former cooper. For now, that was just as well. “It could be, Lord Justicer, that I have watched in the Hall so often in recent eightdays that you feel that you should know me.”
“That might be.” Reynol took a long pause before continuing. “Might I ask why you chose to defend the renderer?”
“I cannot say, your lordship.” That was true. Kharl could not say, not yet at least. “He looked honest. I might have been mistaken, though. That would not have been the first time I have been deceived.”
“I do not think you are often deceived, Lord Kharl. Still … you are fortunate you are an envoy. The captain is not pleased.”
“I would hope justice would always be served.”
“We all hope that, even the heirs of Lord West, but justice is a tool, and it can be turned many ways.”
“Heirs of Lord West? Is the captain …?″
“His youngest.”
Kharl forced an ironic laugh. “I am glad I am an envoy. I will have to tender my apologies. I had not thought … ″
“Having arrived so recently, it is not something that would have come to your attention.”
Kharl understood the reproof. “It should have come to my attention,and I will discuss this at some length with my secretary.” Again, he was being truthful, but the discussion would not go the way Kharl implied.
“It is not all that great a problem,” Reynol lied. “Captain Egen will understand that there are often … unforeseen circumstances in life.”
“I would rather not have contributed to that … understanding.”
This time Reynol laughed. “I understand that.” He paused. “I have read your letter of recommendation from Lord Justicer Priost of Austra. Seldom does one get that fine a recommendation, and particularly for a lord who does not practice often as an advocate. Might I ask your scholarly interest?”
“I would have to say that my interest is more practical,” Kharl said, drawing on what Hagen had stated. “I am the envoy to the West Quadrant. I need to understand Brysta to be a good envoy. Studying the way laws have been made and how they are carried out and judged helps in understanding.”
Reynol tilted his head slightly, as if pondering what Kharl had said. He waited several moments before replying. ″I do not recall any envoy before being so assiduous. I also note that your choice of garb is almost … magely.″
“I have been told I have some small abilities in that area, Lord Justicer. I do have some ability to know when people are not telling the truth. I do not believe that this should be any bar to representing an accused. I doubt that anything I can do is of the scope of the great mages of Reduce or of the past.”
Reynol nodded, then laughed softly. “You are a dangerous man, Lord Kharl.”
“I am?” Kharl replied, almost without thinking.
“A scholar of the law, a talented, if unpracticed advocate, a man who is physically imposing, and who can tell when others are not telling the truth-those are traits that make a good envoy, but a dangerous opponent. It is a good thing that you represent a ruler who has no designs on Nordla.”
“I can assure you that Lord Ghrant does not,” Kharl said. “He wishes nothing more than for the Quadrants of Nordla to remain as they have always been. He was most clear about that.”
“Were that all rulers were so impartial.” Reynol offered another smile. “Do you intend to make a practice of appearing in the Hall?”
“No, your lordship. I fear that I may already have appeared more than is wise. If you encounter the captain, you might convey that to him as well.”
“I will indeed.”
“Thank you.”
“Good day, Lord Kharl. It may be that your appearance was indeed for the best.” Reynol nodded.
“Good day,” Kharl replied, before turning and letting himself out of the chamber. He had not liked the thought that his appearance was for the best, because Reynol had been truthful, and anything that the lord justicer thought was for the best was not likely to be good for Kharl-or for Brysta.
Kharl followed Fasyn, who had been waiting in the corridor outside, back to the front foyer, where the undercaptain waited. Neither said a word until they were in the carriage. The rain continued, steadily falling, neither heavier nor lighter than earlier in the day.
“What happened, ser?” Demyst’s voice carried concern.
“I represented the renderer. Captain Egen was not exactly happy. Did you see where he went?”
“He looked less than pleased, but he rode off up the hill.”
“The renderer may show up at the residence. We might as well use him, if he does. He has some ability with a staff. Enough to take out three of Egen’s patrollers.”
Kharl glanced out the carriage window, toward the harbor. One of the Sarronnese warships was swinging clear of the pier, and the other looked to be ready to follow the first.
If matters in Brysta simmered on, and no conflict appeared in the next few days, Kharl would have to have Erdyl write a letter begging Egen’s indulgence, but he could do that. He’d also have to tell Fundal to expect Werwal.
Kharl smiled. At the least, if Werwal could fight off Egen’s patrollers, he wouldn’t make a bad guard until Kharl could make arrangements to have the renderer and his consort leave Brysta.
LXXVII
Belatedly, Kharl had ordered Mantar to drive up Lord’s Road from the Hall of Justice. Even from just outside the Quadrancy Keep, Kharl had not been able to sense the kind of chaos that surrounded a white wizard. Nor had there been any chaos near the Hamorian residence. In fact, the Hamorian envoy’s residence had felt deserted. Kharl had not liked that at all.
After checking the Hamorian residence with his order-senses, Kharl had Mantar swing back by the harbor. Both Sarronnese warships were well beyond the breakwaters, and a single iron-hulled warship was making its way past the harbor forts-a Hamorian ship. Despite the muting effects of the water and the iron, Kharl could sense that there were several white wizards on board.