Page 8 of Queen Demon
Dahin aimed for an open stretch of grassy land between Nibet House and a copse of tall trees. There were no supplication towers in Benais-arik, or any other Arike city-state, since the last one had been burned and toppled during the war, so it was as good a landing place as any.
Warned by the raft’s slow descent, an Enalin official came out the open gate from the House’s walled garden. They were a short and heavyset figure, with dark brown skin and long dark ringleted hair tied back. They wore a light yellow Enalin-style caftan with painted designs, but no formal robes. In this season, the afternoon was a rest period for most of the city, when the sun was too hot for any strenuous activity. It wasn’t a custom the Enalin practiced in the cooler climate of their home region, but all the envoys followed it here.
As the raft thumped down on the grass, the official watched with a quizzical expression, but didn’t speak. This was Enalin hospitality, which allowed guests time to sort themselves out and declare their intentions before questioning why they might be here. A few curious house pages, all children around Sanja’s age, appeared in the doorway.
Tahren opened the gate in the raft and stepped out. She lifted a hand in greeting and said, “Tahren Stargard asks the gift of a favor from the Warden of Nibet House.”
“Please address me as Setar-en, and Tahren Stargard has noneed to ask, any assistance will be gladly offered.” Setar-en’s gaze was alive with curiosity now. They had clearly recognized Tahren and probably Ziede as well. Dahin had slumped down on the bench beside the steering device, his face turned away. “Is the matter urgent, or is there time for the House to extend its welcome to you and your companions?”
That might have been a polite way to say that they appeared to be a disheveled group that looked obviously in need of some sort of help. Tahren said, “The House’s welcome would be a gift indeed, but Immortal Marshall Saadrin has a prisoner who we must present to the Rising World council immediately.” She didn’t bother to gesture to Saadrin, who had just dragged Vrenren out of the raft. “This concerns the conspiracy between rogue factions from Nient-arik and the Blessed Lands that I understand was revealed during the coalition renewal.”
Setar-en’s brow furrowed in concern. “I will assemble an escort and accompany you myself. The ambassador is attending the council in the assembly hall today. The Tescai-lin was called to affairs in Belith, at Ancartre, but we will send word to them of your safe return.”
“That would be much appreciated,” Tahren said. It would be much less awkward for Tahren and Saadrin to drag an Immortal Blessed prisoner through the streets with an escort from Nibet House.
Ziede stepped out of the raft and Kai started forward, but Dahin, still crouched below the railing, grabbed a handful of his battered coat and stuffed something into the inside hem pocket. It was flat, like a book or a packet of paper. Sanja and Tenes, following Ziede, hadn’t seen. Kai sighed and stepped down from the raft. Whatever it was, he would worry about it later.
As Setar-en turned back toward the House, Kai said, “I would ask if a message is to be sent to the Tescai-lin, that they could also be told that Kaiisteron is with Tahren Stargard.”
Setar-en met Kai’s gaze, startled, then recovered their poisequickly. “Of course. And this House is always open to Kaiisteron, in whatever form he takes.”
Kai hadn’t expected to be turned away, and if he had been it certainly wouldn’t have kept him from sending his own message to the Light of a Hundred Coronels. But he still felt the tension in his shoulders ease.
Setar-en invited them to wait in the shade of the House’s garden while an escort was summoned, and then strode back inside, sending the young pages scattering on various errands.
Kai and the others were led through the gateway to a set of stone benches and chairs under the shade of a large neem tree. Sanja was the only one who plopped down into a seat. Saadrin stopped just inside the gate with her prisoner. Either she disliked the idea of hospitality predicated on being one of Tahren’s companions, or was too polite to sully Nibet House’s grounds with Vrenren.
Ziede told Tahren, “I’m going with you.” Her expression was conflicted; she obviously didn’t want to let Tahren out of her sight, but the ongoing political storm wouldn’t be improved by either her or Kai’s presence. “I don’t want to be seen in the assembly, I’ll wait outside for you. Just don’t get kidnapped again.”
Tahren took Ziede’s hand and squeezed it. “Take your own advice.”
Tenes watched them with a worried frown. She signed,I’ll wait with Sister Ziede. It’s always safer with two. She turned to Kai.Will you be here?
Kai said, “I’ll go on to the Cloisters.” Flying so long in the raft with the wind whistling in his ears made his head feel like there was a vise tightening around it. He wanted to get away somewhere he could make plans and not worry about being seen. At least he didn’t have to decide what to do with the ascension raft. Dahin hadn’t followed them into the garden and Kai expected that he and the raft would be gone by the time Setar-en reappeared with Tahren’s escort. He kept his sigh internal; eitherDahin would turn up later or he wouldn’t, there was no telling. “I’ll walk from here.”
Sanja jumped up and grabbed Kai’s hand. “I’m going with you.”
Kai looked down at her, lifting his brows pointedly. He had meant to send her with Tenes and Ziede. Sanja was not intimidated and her face set in a stubborn glower. She added mulishly, “I don’t want to stay here.”
Kai realized the conversation with Setar-en had taken place in formal Nibetian, and that Sanja hadn’t understood it. She hadn’t seemed worried about being abandoned anywhere else, but maybe being back in a city again had woken suppressed fears. He said, “You’re not staying here.”
The tense set of Sanja’s shoulders eased minutely but she didn’t let go of Kai’s hand.Take her with you,Ziede said silently.Perhaps she’ll keep you out of trouble.
Hah,Kai replied. He had carted Ziede’s daughter Tanis around for a year when she was younger than Sanja, when the Immortal Blessed were still trying to kill Tahren, and it hadn’t kept either one of them out of trouble. But there was a first time for everything. He told Sanja, “You’ll come with me to the Cloisters.”
Sanja’s frown smoothed but she was apparently too tired and cranky to let the impulse to argue go entirely. She demanded, “What’s that?”
“You’ll find out when we get there,” Kai told her.
Ziede said, “We’ll go ahead, then. Meet us in the plaza outside the hall.” She kissed Tahren and walked out the gate. Tenes signed a quick farewell-for-now and followed. Saadrin busied herself dragging Vrenren out of their way, probably so she could use it as an excuse not to make any formal farewell to Ziede that might indicate that their temporary allyship was in any way permanent.
Using her pearl, Ziede told Kai silently,Dahin’s left with the raft. Are we surprised?
No,Kai told her. He knew she had also told Tahren, when Tahren let out her breath in the nearly inaudible sigh, the one mostassociated with whatever Dahin had done now. Kai said aloud, “He’ll be back.”
Tahren said, “You’ve known him better than I have, over the years.”
If she was anyone but Tahren, Kai would have said her expression was bleak. He said, “Are you all right?”
