Cast in Peril. Michelle Sagara

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СКАЧАТЬ caused Marcus’s growl to deepen, and Kaylin surrendered. “Tiamaris has been monitoring his fief carefully this past week; Miccha isn’t the only person who’s disappeared—without an obvious trace—in the boundaries of his fief. The reason he noticed Miccha at all is because of the increased surveillance.

      “While we were examining the fief’s internal Records, Tara caught something unusual; one of the citizens of Tiamaris appeared to be having a casual conversation with thin air as he approached the border between Tiamaris and Nightshade. The people who’ve disappeared have done so without struggle or obvious panic, and if someone’s going to voluntarily sneak across a fief border, it’s always going to be the one that’s between the fief and the rest of Elantra.”

      Marcus’s brows rose. They lowered again without comment.

      “The Barrani Lord,” Kaylin said, still watching Marcus, “appeared only when the citizen in question had crossed into the border zone. I didn’t recognize him,” she added. “But I would bet money he’s an Arcanist.”

      That caused a different kind of quiet. “What,” Teela finally said, “did he do to cause that assumption?”

      “The usual.”

      “And that?”

      “Tried to kill me.”

      Teela’s eyes shifted to an instant midnight-blue. Kaylin found it both stressful and oddly comforting. “I didn’t recognize the spell, but—Arcanist.”

      “How did it manifest?”

      “Purple fire.”

      Teela said nothing. When Marcus growled, the Barrani Hawk shrugged. “I concur.”

      “Pardon?”

      “He’s an Arcanist. There’s more, kitling.”

      “No doubt the Hawks will hear about it from Sanabalis and the Imperial Order at some point: the Lord was involved in either the creation of, or the protection of, something that functions as a portal to—somewhere else.”

      “Where?”

      “I’m not sure it has a name. Tara referred to it as the outlands. Tiamaris has quarantined the building we found it in, and he’s calling in Imperial mages to ‘study’ it. We think the Barrani Arcanist used the portal to access the fief of Tiamaris.” She hesitated, given Teela’s eye color, and then said, “The door bore two sigils.”

      “You recognized them,” was Teela’s flat reply.

      She nodded. “They were the same as the sigils on the Arcane bomb.”

      “You’ve been informed that the Imperial mages could only find one?”

      “Yes. The second—at least on the door—was subtle; it was pervasive, but strangely amorphous. I’m to speak to Sanabalis about it, but he’s so busy that I might be able to put it off for six weeks.”

      “Private.”

      “Sergeant?”

      “When the alleged Arcanist tried to kill you a second time, was it because he recognized you?”

      “No, sir. In my opinion it was because we’d seen him, and we’d interfered with whatever it was he intended. We no longer ditch our tabards when we enter Tiamaris at the request of Lord Tiamaris; it’s likely that the Barrani saw only the Hawk.” She exhaled. “If there’s any way to investigate the financial activities of the fieflords, I think you’ll find that a large portion of the embezzled treasury funds are now in the fiefs.”

      “The…fiefs.”

      “It’s possible that the money was funneled to the Arcanists—or an Arcanist—who then used it to pay fieflords for a few dozen of their citizens. There would be no reports filed and no objections to the disappearances.”

      “The fiefs are not our jurisdiction,” Marcus growled.

      “The disposition of the Imperial funds is, though.”

      “You think the Exchequer was indirectly involved in slave trafficking?”

      “No.” Pause. “Technically, yes.”

      “If this is your idea of not adding to our workload, you fail.”

      “Can I keep the job anyway?”

      “Out. I believe you have an appointment at the High Halls. But first visit Records. The Arkon has sent word about needing another full scan of your marks.”

      “Given the events of the afternoon, I was really hoping to give that a pass.”

      “Given the importance of your pilgrimage, and your ignorance of same, that is not considered an option. Don’t give me that look—if you have a problem with the decision, take it up with the Hawklord and Lord Sanabalis. Corporal.”

      Teela nodded.

      “I’ve been extremely appreciative of your duty detail for the past three weeks.” That detail had involved hours that would have driven the mortals in the department literally insane; the Barrani worked around the clock with breaks for meals. They didn’t need something as petty as sleep, and lack of sleep didn’t slow them down at all.

      “Not so appreciative that you’re offering a raise.”

      “No. I’m following what I’m told is a time-honored tradition.”

      “Which would that be?”

      “If you want something done, give it to the person who’s always busy.”

      Teela chuckled drily. “You want me to make certain Kaylin survives.”

      “More or less.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      * * *

      Teela was not in good enough humor that she insisted on driving the carriage after their detour to Records, which was a mixed blessing; driving placed her on the outside of the cabin.

      “You are certain about what you saw in the border zone?”

      “Given that Yvander was convinced he was walking with a friend in an entirely different part of the fief? Possibly not. But that kind of illusion usually makes my skin break out in hives.”

      Teela nodded in the absent way that implied she wasn’t listening to the answer. Long experience had taught Kaylin that this didn’t actually mean she didn’t hear it. “Refrain from mentioning this in the High Halls,” she finally said. “The Barrani Court expects a certain amount of political fallout from the failed assassination attempt. The Emperor was not pleased.” Gaze firmly fixed on the exterior landscape, she added, “What else happened? Before you attempt to tell me that there was nothing, remember what I’ve said about lying.”

      “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

      Teela, however, did. “You visited Nightshade. Oh, СКАЧАТЬ