Page 23 of The Seeker
“That sounds amazing.”
Patiala flashed a smile. “It’s so good to see you.”
“It’s only been three weeks.”
She was short, like Meera, but there was nothing soft about her. Her skin was darker than her daughter’s, tanned from a love of the outdoors, and her loose cotton pants and shirt hid the lean muscles of a world-class archer. Meera’s father might have looked more forbidding, but her mother was the force in the family.
Anamitra’s niece had been trained early as an archivist, like all the singers in their family were, but it had become clear early on that Patiala took after her warrior father. It was only fitting that her mate came from the same clan of Tomir warriors pledged to guard the fortress in Udaipur.
Patiala had found a ready and welcoming home among them and astonished everyone when her child had been the one to exhibit the extraordinary magic necessary for Anamitra’s heir.
“Your father is in the fields,” Patiala said. “I think he was expecting you later as well.”
“I wanted to beat the traffic.”
Patiala laid her head on Meera’s shoulder. “And how is my joy this morning? Your shoulders look heavy.”
“They are.” Meera glanced at her mother. “Maybe you can explain how a very persistent scribe who sees far more than he should has managed to find me all the way from Istanbul.”
Patiala lifted her head. “Well, he arrived much more quickly than I’d anticipated.”
“How couldyou tell him where I was?” Meera rubbed her temples, wishing Nanette’s excellent gumbo and fresh trout could rid her of the headache that had started the minute she’d brought up Rhys of Glast. “You told him my name!”
“You can’t remain completely anonymous,” Patiala said. “I refuse to give you an assumed name when requesting advice from allies. We didn’t specify which Meera you are, and clearly Orsala and Sari didn’t tell him. There are lots of Meeras in the world. He has no way of knowing which one.”
“Do not underestimate this man. When you told me he wanted to meet, I thought I was going to meet with a normal scholar who’d have a few questions and then be on his way when I didn’t want to have dinner with him. This one is entirely too persistent. And too perceptive.”
Maarut frowned. “You said you needed help. That you were certain Atawakabiche was living but that you needed help to find her. This man is a scholar of very good reputation, and he is trustworthy. And he’s a warrior who fought in the Battle of Vienna. What is wrong with him?”
“When I said I needed help, I thought you’d send Roch to help me,” Meera said, pointing at the fair-skinned man with sandy-blond hair sitting next to her father. “He’s the one who’s most familiar with the bayous.”
“Roch can’t leave the haven for that long,” Patiala said. “Meera, you can’t possibly think that’s an option. What about this Zep that you’ve spoken of?”
She shook her head. “I don’t want Zep knowing any more about me than he already does. He’s a good soldier, and he’d report on me to his watcher without a second thought. The scribes in New Orleans don’t know what my role is, and I don’t want them to know. Plus I don’t need Zep getting ideas because I confided in him. And he would. Roch wouldn’t get ideas because he’s already in love with Sabine.”
“That I am,” Roch said with a slight smile. “But you also know there’s no way I can leave her here alone. She’d go off the rails if I disappeared.”
Logically, Meera knew Roch was right, but it still annoyed her that the scribe was tied to the haven by a singer who wasn’t even his mate.
Not that she wouldn’t be if she was in her right mind. Roch was devoted to Sabine as deeply as Maarut was devoted to Patiala, but the singer’s mind had been broken during the Rending, and all attempts at healing had failed.
“Roch, I would like you to ask around about increased Grigori activity. Rhys and Zep ran into a Grigori that led them to believe Bozidar might be making moves south.”
“I can do that,” Roch said. “I’ll talk to some of the loners up the river. See what they have to say.”
“So Rhys of Glast has already given you information about Fallen activity,” Patiala said. “I consider that a positive sign. Don’t you, Maarut?”
“Very positive.”
Patiala said, “He sounds like a very bright young man.”
Meera felt a headache brewing. “That has nothing to do with Atawakabiche or—”
“He will be an excellent collaborator.” Patiala nodded decisively. “I’ve spoken to Sari about this. And Orsala. She has great respect for the young man. Not only is he highly learned and trustworthy, he uses the same kind of… machines you do. Computers and things.”
Meera shook her head. “Computers and things?”
“I’m just saying he probably wouldn’t think it was an abomination to record Irina magic,” Patiala said. “Some might.”
