"I understand," said Tamlin, "I'm just as worried about her as you are. And about Father too, I suppose."
"Well, we agree on that, anyway," said Talbot, settling back down on his chair.
"Good," said Erevis. "Now, we don't know very much, but based on what we do know, we can assume that unknown enemies have launched a campaign to destroy the House of Uskevren. They tried to assassinate you, Master Tamlin, and may have kidnapped or even killed your parents. We can expect further attempts on the lives of all three of you siblings.
"Here's what I propose we do about it," the steward continued. "We'll look for Lord and Lady Uskevren. We'll mobilize our network of spies to see what they can discover. And we'll get you three children out of town forthwith, where you'll remain until this matter is resolved."
Tamlin nodded. "That sounds sensible enough."
Talbot agreed. It did sound sensible, but rather to his surprise, something about the suggestion stuck in his craw. "I have a performance tonight," he said.
Tamlin snorted. "Really, brother, I daresay Mistress Quickly will manage without you somehow."
"I'm sure she could," Talbot said, then paused, groping for the proper words, waving his hand before him as if he thought he could pluck them from the air. "It's just… our foes drove the Uskevren out of Selgaunt once before, and Father fought for years to regain our place here. I don't think we should let ourselves be driven forth again, not even for a little while. I don't want the other Houses to think us craven. That could incite all our rivals to attack us, and bring trouble down on our heads for years to come."
"At least you'd be alive to endure the trouble," Erevis said.
"Despite what you said, we're not children anymore," Talbot replied. "We can take care of ourselves." At least he hoped so.
"Do you know," said Jander to Erevis, "if they did stay in the city, and went about their usual affairs to prove they're not afraid, we could use them to bait a trap of our own. Guard them well but discreetly, overwhelm the assassins the next time they attack, wring some answers out of a captive, and get to the bottom of this."
Erevis shook his head. "I don't think Lord and Lady Uskevren would approve."
"Well, they're not here," said Tamlin unexpectedly, "and perhaps the troll's kick scrambled my brains, but reluctant as I am to say it, I think Talbot and Jander are making sense. We brothers shouldn't leave."
Tazi glared at him. "I don't like the implications of that last remark. I can handle myself as well as either of you."
"Ordinarily, that may be true," said Erevis, "but you're just emerging from a long convalescence. Tazi tried to speak, and the steward raised his hand to forestall her.
"I know you're nearly well, but I still see you sway and stumble at odd moments. You can't afford to risk a murder attempt until that stops happening."
"I won't leave Selgaunt while Mother and Father are missing," Tazi said, "and you can't make me."
"Perhaps not," Erevis said, "but in that case, you should at least stay here in the mansion, where you'll be safe."
"I agree," Talbot said. Tamlin nodded. "So do I."
"Damn it-" Tazi began, her green eyes blazing. "As acting head of the family, I'm ordering you to do it," Tamlin said, cutting her off. "Just as I'm directing Captain Orvist to make sure you obey."
"So I'm your prisoner," Tazi spat. "Well, you can all burn in the Pit!" Then the defiance seemed to go out of her. "Oh, all right, I'll sit and rot in my cell."
"Thank you," Erevis said. "Now, let's discuss how we'll protect Master Talbot at the theater, and Master Tamlin when he goes to confer with the emissaries from across the sea."
"What?" Tamlin yelped. "I can't negotiate. I hate that kind of thing. Let's just stall the envoys and hope Father turns up."
"I already put them off once this morning," the major-domo replied, "when it became apparent that Lord Uskevren wasn't going to appear in time to keep the appointment. This alliance could be very beneficial to your family. Besides, if you want to create the appearance that the Uskevren aren't afraid to go about their business as usual, and if you are, as you've mentioned more than once, the acting head of the House-"
"Enough," Tamlin groaned, "I'll do it. But I'd far rather contend with another ambuscade."
Tazi gave him a sweet smile. "I hope you have the opportunity to do both."
Chapter 11
Its pale eyes shining, the earthen giant strode through the fortress wall as if it were made of paper, and a chip of flying stone stung Shamur's sword hand. She tried to dart around behind the elemental, where she hoped to remain undetected, but she was too slow. The dark, ungainly thing had spotted her already, and now it raised its fist to crush her.
Shamur poised herself to dodge the blow, race forward, cut at the creature's lead foot, and try to cripple it. Not that she truly thought her puny broadsword could hurt the elemental, but she'd rather die like a badger than a mouse.
Just as she shifted her weight forward, a hand gripped her forearm and pulled her back. She stumbled, momentarily off balance, and the giant's fist plummeted down.
She flung herself frantically aside, and the person who had taken hold of her must have done the same, because the elemental's blow missed them both. The impact shook the ground, threw up gouts of snow and soil, and jolted the humans off their feet.
As they scrambled up, she looked around to see Tha-malon. Tugging at her again, he cried, "This way!"
He ran toward the north side of the courtyard, and, wondering what he could possibly have in mind, she followed. The shocks of their pursuer's footsteps made it a challenge merely to stay on their feet, and they had to keep glancing back to watch for its next attack.
The elemental raised its foot to stamp, and they scrambled out from underneath. Then Thamalon led Shamur into one of the buildings constructed along the base of the wall.
Glancing about, she found herself in a chapel, with a few rows of benches, and plaster statues of Torm, Tempus, and other deities perched on little wooden stands. Rocked by the giant's footsteps, some had already fallen off and shattered. Having seen the elemental stride through the castle ramparts, she knew, as Thamalon seemingly did not, that this place was no refuge. Not unless some god intended to manifest to protect his effigy from harm, and she rather suspected that wasn't going to happen.
But Shamur's husband kept rushing her toward the other end of the chamber, and after a moment, she saw the reason why. A short time ago, he'd evidently shifted the altar aside to uncover a square opening in the floor.
With a clattering crash, the elemental swept the roof of the chapel away as easily as a maid clearing cobwebs with a broom, leaving the chamber open to the sky. Leaning over the top of the wall, the creature reache for its quarry.
Shamur could see the top rung of a ladder affixed just below the rim of the shaft, but she and Thamalon had run out of time to use it. The nobleman took a last stride and jumped, and as the creature's hand plunged down at her, she did the same.
She fell for less than a second, then hit bottom, lost her balance, and sprawled on an earthen floor. An instant later, the giant's hand smashed into the mouth of the shaft, and, too large to penetrate farther, lodged there, blocking out what little light had reached the bottom before. Clods of dirt pattered down.
Immediately there came a grinding, crunching noise, and more earth fell. Shamur realized the elemental was trying to force its arm down the shaft, and she thought it entirely possible that it would succeed. Even if its raw strength proved insufficient, it might have some sort of power over soil and stone.
Groping for her in the blackness, Thamalon's hand brushed the top of her head. "Did you hurt yourself falling?" he asked. "Are you still able to walk?"