“Kayiv, Your Eminence.”
“Yes. Kayiv’s death has given all of us cause to fear. It’s one thing for a man to attack a woman as he did. But my guards tell me that she claimed he was a traitor. They say he tried to turn her against me.”
It had been Dusaan’s idea for Nitara to say these things. He had thought to deflect questions about the circumstances of Kayiv’s death by making a traitor of the man. He had also wanted to raise just the sort of fears Harel was expressing now, believing that the emperor, by his behavior, might drive a few more of the palace Qirsi to Dusaan’s cause. He still thought that this might work, but at the very moment he couldn’t help but wonder if he had pushed Harel too far.
“I heard that as well, Your Eminence. But to assume that every Qirsi in your palace is a traitor-”
“Is only prudent.” Harel halted near one of the windows. “Any one of you might be a part of this conspiracy so I have no choice but to assume that all of you are. If this displeases you, Dusaan, I’d suggest that you learn as quickly as possible who the traitors are and bring them to me.” He resumed his pacing. “If I were you, I’d begin with that woman he attacked. She was quick to accuse him once he was dead, but I find it hard to believe that a bed was all they shared.”
It was surprisingly clever of the man, trying to pit Qirsi against Qirsi in this matter. “Of course, Your Eminence. I’ve been searching for other traitors since the day of Kayiv’s death, beginning of course with the woman. But I’ve found no evidence that any of the others have betrayed you.”
“Then I’d suggest that you look harder.”
“You ask this of me, Your Eminence, and yet you treat me as if I had betrayed you. Does this mean that you have others looking for evidence that I’m with the conspiracy?”
For some time the emperor said nothing, although the Weaver sensed that he had stopped walking again. “I have to check on everyone, Dusaan. Surely you understand that.”
Of course I do, you fat fool. But who have you asked to find evidence of my betrayal? If it was merely the palace guards, Dusaan didn’t care. They would find nothing, and they would soon be dead or in the palace dungeon. But what if he had found a minister or chancellor to do his spying? What if he had already managed to divide the palace Qirsi?
“Of course I understand, Your Eminence. But I also know that the precautions you’ve taken today-disarming me, hooding me-are a humiliation. I’ve served you well for nine years. Don’t I deserve better than this?”
“Perhaps. But I expect that today’s experience will convince you of how seriously I take this matter, and maybe it will encourage you to find the traitors more quickly.”
The high chancellor had to smile. Again, the man had surprised him with his cunning. Could there be more to the emperor than he had realized?
“Is this why you called me here today, Your Eminence? To impress upon me how eager you are to find the renegades?”
“In part, yes. I also wish to ask you about the fee accountings.”
For the first time, Dusaan knew a moment of fear. Harel had long entrusted him with the fee accountings for all the realm, and Dusaan had used Braedon’s treasury to pay those he turned to his cause. A friend of his, a Qirsi merchant named Tihod jal Brossa, had created a network of couriers who delivered the gold to those who had earned payment through their efforts on behalf of the movement. Without access to Harel’s coffers, he would never have gotten this close to the realization of his ambitions. At this point, with success so near, his need for the emperor’s gold was not as great as once it had been, but nevertheless, he was loath to lose access to the accountings. And the mere thought of it raised a deeper fear, one that he had managed to keep from his mind so far this day.
“What about them, Your Eminence?” His voice remained even, though he felt sweat running down his temples.
“I’ve been thinking that perhaps it would be best to let Uriad have control of them until the war is over. Most of the gold we pay out right now goes to the fleet and army anyway, and it seems to make sense that the master of arms should oversee the accountings. That way he can send gold where it’s needed without having to bother you.”
Dusaan should have expected it. On some level he had. None of what he had done with Harel’s gold could ever be traced; he had made certain of that from the very beginning. But once more his rage threatened to overwhelm him. That he should have to debase himself before this man was bad enough. That Dusaan’s movement should suffer for Harel’s fear and mistrust, however justified they might be, was nearly intolerable.
“As you wish, of course, Your Eminence. But let’s not weave mists with our words. You wish to give Uriad control of the fee accountings because you no longer trust me with them. Isn’t that so?”
He sensed the emperor’s discomfort and knew that he was right.
“Until I know for certain that you can be trusted, wouldn’t I be a fool to allow you such open access to my treasury?”
“I see your point, Your Eminence.”
“Good. When all this unpleasantness is over, I’m certain that everything will go back to the way it was before.”
“I hope you’re right, Your Eminence.”
“You disagree?”
He regretted his choice of words. No doubt it would have been safer to let the conversation end with the emperor’s false hope. But he had spoken and now had little choice but to respond.
“I think that when you make clear your mistrust, you risk driving away those who have served you loyally. I won’t lie to you, Your Eminence. There are many among your ministers and chancellors who are offended by the treatment they’ve received over the past turn.”
“And are you as well?”
Dusaan could hear indignation in the emperor’s voice, and he knew that he had angered him. Not that he cared anymore. If Harel was intent on taking the fee accountings from him, there was nothing more to be gained by flattering the man or humbling himself. He wasn’t about to give the emperor grounds to banish him from the court, but he saw no need to continue offering obeisance at every turn.
“Yes, Your Eminence, I suppose I am.”
“Well, that’s too bad! I would have thought that you would understand, High Chancellor! You of all people know what kind of man I am! I would never do these things unless I believed the danger was real. And if you can’t understand that, then perhaps I don’t know you as I thought I did.” Dusaan heard the scrape of a shoe on stone, and he could almost see Harel turning his back to the high chancellor in pique. “You can go, High Chancellor. Send word to me when you’ve found the traitors. Until then, I don’t expect to hear from you.”
“Yes, Your Eminence.” He bowed, though he knew that Harel couldn’t see. The guards could, and they would be all too quick to say something if he failed to show the proper respect.
Once more, two men took hold of his arms. They turned him and led him back into the corridor. Once there, they removed the hood from his head.
His face and neck sticky with sweat, Dusaan held out his hand. “My dagger.”
“Yes, High Chancellor.”
He heard the change in their voices. They had seen how Harel treated him, they had tied a hood over his head. There had been deference in their greeting when he reached the chamber a short time before. It was gone now. Damn the man to Bian’s fires.
He sheathed his weapon, then turned smartly on his heel and walked away, saying nothing more to the soldiers.
Nitara was waiting for him in the corridor near his chambers. He sensed her there before she stepped from the shadows, diffident and alluring.
“Can I speak with you, High Chancellor?”
He nodded, though he would have preferred to be alone. She followed him into his chambers, stepping to his window as he closed the door.
“What is it you want? I’ve told you before, it’s dangerous for us to be seen together too often.”