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  'I am sorry to hear that.' Redigal Coron dragged his eyes away from Prai to show every appearance of concern. 'What are his symptoms?'

  'We will all be happy to share our healing lore, my lord,' Ritsem Caid chimed in with spurious sympathy.

  'There are no symptoms of particular significance,' Ulla Safar said curtly. 'Which is what makes it so difficult to treat,' he added with spiteful satisfaction.

  'Is there much fever on Hakere?' Sirket asked. 'Perhaps some village healer there has had success treating the sickness.'

  'What has that to do with anything?' Ulla Safar's eyes fixed on the young warlord.

  'That's where his last letter came from.' Sirket looked uncertain. 'If there's no other disease in Derasulla, he must have caught the contagion there.'

  'He sent you a letter?' Ulla Safar took a step towards Sirket, his face ugly.

  Kheda moved to block his path. 'I trust there is no widespread fever in Derasulla, my lord Safar,' he said sternly. 'If that were the case, you and your wives visiting this domain when our daughters are still so young and vulnerable would be a most unfriendly act.'

  Give me that justification for throwing your fat carcass back onto your galley, with orders to quit my waters by sunset, taking your vile wives with you.

  'What?' Safar was momentarily distracted. 'No, it's only Orhan who's ill.' He looked back at Sirket, pale eyes

  narrowing. 'And he's been kept apart from everyone else for a full cycle of the Lesser Moon.'

  'But his letter arrived just before we set sail.' The young warlord looked quite bemused.

  'Was it dated?' Ulla Safar asked quickly.

  'I don't think so.' Sirket sounded unconvincing.

  'Ridu has concluded this practice session,' Ritsem Caid said loudly, gesturing towards the youths appearing at the far end of the practice ground carrying brightly polished brass water jars.

  'If you'll excuse me, my lords, I should return to my lady mother.' Sirket raised a hand to Telouet, who made a brief bow to Ridu and disappeared between two huts.

  Kheda noted a swift look of complicity pass between Redigal Coron and Sirket.

  What is this all about? I can't ask you directly because me never discuss such things openly, do we? And one never questions another warlord's management of his own affairs.

  '1 low do you rate them, my lord of Chazen?' Ritsem Caid nodded towards the sweating swordsmen now quenching their thirsts.

  'You'll excuse me as well.' Ulla Safar watched Sirket's rapid departure with a glower. 'I should join my beloved wives for breakfast.' He snapped his fingers at his thickset slave and hurried after the youthful Daish warlord.

  'You don't think his presence in that black mood will give them all indigestion?' quipped Ritsem Caid. 'Kheda, do you see a slave to your liking?'

  Kheda fell back on the excuse he'd been using to fend off Beqau, 'Given what has befallen my previous personal slaves, I don't want to make this choice lightly.'

  'You don't think you'll be seeing a dragon here again, surely?' wolfed Caid.' When every scale of the beasts who died here is a talisman to ward them off.'

  You can believe that if you like, Caid. I don't and I don't suppose Velindre does either, curse her. If she did, she wouldn't be here plaguing me.

  'You should look for a portent to help guide your choice,' Redigal Coron said seriously.

  'The simplest augury would be just spinning a blade between them and seeing where it falls,' Ritsem Caid suggested.

  Coron looked askance at him. 'You don't think a blade-bone divination would be more fitting? This is a weighty decision.'

  You don't seriously think any truth can be read in the patterns of cracks appearing on some animal's shoulder blade laid across a fire? I might as well be landed with a slave on the haphazard fall of a sword.

  Kheda tried to hide his growing irritation. 'It is indeed, so I will take my time to consider it.'

  Redigal Coron frowned. 'It would be best if we hunted a deer specifically for such a divination. Then you could read its entrails as well.'

  'There are no deer on any island closer than a day's hard rowing for a fast trireme and I don't see how we can take ourselves off on a hunt without annoying all our lady wives,' Kheda said apologetically. 'Not to mention disrupting my lady Itrac's plans for the new-year festivities.'

  'Let's go to the observatory,' Caid suggested with a shrug. 'If there's a relevant omen, it should be plain to see.'

  Velindre will be plain to see if we go over to the observatory now. You 've spent your life surrounded byzamorin, Coron. I don't imagine her disguise will fool you.

  Kheda cleared his throat. 'The new-year stars aren't yet fully aligned. That must surely be the best time to consider my choice of a new body slave and look for omens to guide me. Let's breakfast, my lords, and see

  what entertainments my lady Itrac has planned for our day. Our work tonight will come soon enough.'

  When every interpretation will be as open to debate as the maze of cracks appearing on a blade bone set over afire and I'll have had some time to consider what lies I can get away with to justify my refusal to burden myself with a slave.

  'It'll be the omens around the earthly compass that will be crucial for all our domains.' Redigal Coron abandoned the subject of the slaves. 'There are no patterns being drawn in the heavens, in triune, square or any other figure.'

  'I'm inclined towards hope nevertheless.' Ritsem Caid's expression lightened. 'The Topaz is moving into the arc of life and self to join the stars of the Bowl. With both moons all but full, we can look to the positive aspects of faithfulness that Bowl and Topaz both share.'

  'The Diamond is in the arc of children.' Redigal Coron smiled at Kheda. 'With the twin moons meeting at their full three times this year, such aspects are propitious for you and your daughters.'

  Will you still be so optimistic if some new invasion washes up on Chazen 's shores or another dragon blights our skies?

  'Go and breakfast with your lady wives, my lords.' Kheda smiled. 'I'll see if my guard captain has anything to say that has a bearing on my choice of a slave.' As he looked towards Ridu, deep in conversation with Prai, the Redigal slave noticed his movement and promptly headed towards them.

  'I hope Taisia's stomach is a little more settled or I'll be breakfasting on dry sailer and cold water. I'll see you when my lady Itrac summons us all.' Ritsem Caid nodded to Ganil and departed without further ceremony.

  'You fought well, Prai.' Redigal Coron greeted his approaching slave with a faint smile.

  'Thank you, my lord.' Prai's gaze lingered on his master's face, his eyes fond.

  As the two of them departed, Prai barely the requisite pace behind his master, Ridu walked across the sand to join Kheda. His bow wasn't deep enough to hide his chagrin. 'I don't know that we learned a lot from that, my lord. I'm sorry—'

  'You've nothing to apologise for,' said Kheda firmly, 'not if Redigal and Daish choose to take the opportunity to settle some score with Ulla Safar. That alone makes me disinclined to accept any of these slaves.'

  Ridu was taken aback. 'My lord, you must have a new slave—'

  'Bloodshed on the practice sand is hardly a good omen.' Kheda shook his head, feigning concern. 'I'm going over to the observatory. I may see matters more clearly for some solitude. Tell Itrac to send Jevin to fetch me when she wants me.'

  'Yes, my lord,' said Ridu unhappily.

  'This practice may have been ill-omened but that's not your fault,' Kheda said firmly. 'Put it behind you and ready the guard for the rest of the day.'

  'Yes, my lord.' Ridu bowed again, still looking unconvinced.

  Kheda left the practice ground and made his way over the bridges linking the scatter of islands. Overhead, coral gulls wheeled and mewed across the lagoon.

  Courier doves mil soon be flying north as Vila Safar tries to find out just how Orhan could have sent Sirkel a letter. Is Orhan ill or imprisoned? What are Redigal Coron and Sirket up to? There's plainly some agreement betw
een them. Could Janne Daish shed any light on this if I could secure her goodwill? What would her price he? How can I possibly leave on some voyage with Velindre with so many questions unanswered? And I still have to find some justification to

  avoid being lumbered with a new body slave without offering insult to Redigal or Ritsem.

  Frustration quickened his pace sufficiently that he was grateful for the cool within the half-circle halls when he finally reached the observatory.

  'My lord Chazen Kheda.' Velindre appeared in the arch leading to the east-facing library and bowed low with all dutiful courtesy.

  'We'll be reading the new-year stars from the tower this evening,' Kheda said bluntly. 'You'd better make yourself scarce. I doubt Caid will give you a second glance but Ulla Safar is a notorious lecher and Redigal Coron might well see through your pretence given his long familiarity with zamorin.''

  'Surely he only has eyes for that new slave of his.' Velindre was amused. 'I had no idea he sharpened his sword on both edges.'

  'I had no idea you listened to gossiping maidservants,' said Kheda curtly. 'Regardless, we don't want to be taking any chances.'

  'I'll hide myself away on the ReteuV Velindre dismissed the matter with a flick of a long-fingered hand. 'How long before we can set sail for the west? You do realise you have no real choice in this?'

  'Everyone else is trying to force me to choose a new body slave.' Kheda scowled. 'At least Dev could pretend to be a swordsman and play that part.'

  'I apologise for my lack of forethought in being a Woman,' Velindre said sardonically. She paused for a moment, 'You know all manner of herb lore. Dose these slaves with an emetic to lay them low or something to raise a rash., That would be an ill omen and you'd be freeto refuse them.'

  'Which would lender those slaves valueless at best and suspect at worst,' Kheda retorted. 'What have they done

  to deserve that? Besides, Janne would smell something fishy and so would Itrac. They were both there when Ulla Safar poisoned Telouet to leave my back unprotected.'

  Velindre gnawed at an already bitten thumbnail. 'Very well, then. Choose a slave and we'll get rid of him on our way.' '

  Wizards. Though you 're not quite as callous as Dev. He would have suggested that from the start.

  'You'll cut an innocent man's throat?' retorted Kheda. 'That's the only way to be certain he won't make his way back here or to Redigal or Ritsem and tell everyone exactly what I'm doing and who I'm with. Besides, I haven't even agreed to come with you. As matters stand—'

  'There must be some barren rock where we can strand him where he won't be found.' Velindre spat out a fragment of nail.

  'Without water or food?' Kheda challenged. 'Why not just cut his throat and be done with it?'

  'You have the power of life and death over your slaves, don't you?' Velindre said with reluctant distaste. 'Besides, wouldn't his fate lie in his stars?'

  'You don't believe that any more than I do,' Kheda snapped. 'And a warlord's power of life and death over his slaves is a responsibility he accepts because their fortunes and choices have brought them so low that they cannot be masters of their own future. Hasn't travelling the Archipelago this last year taught you that much?'

  'I've learned more than you know, and I've seen more than a few domains where such niceties are barely observed.' Velindre coloured beneath her tan. 'Then find some way to put off making a choice, as well as an excuse for leaving as soon as possible. We don't want to delay and find that whatever prompted last year's dragon to fly has come again while we've been dithering. That would make all Redigal and Ritsem's manoeuvrings look pretty

  trivial, along with whatever quarrel Daish is looking to foment with Ulla Safar.'

  'You have been gossiping with the maidservants.' Kheda shook his head obstinately. 'I am not about to consider leaving until I'm sure Itrac and the domain will be secure without me. Which would be a lot easier to ascertain if Risala were here,' he growled.

  'Risala considers the wild men and their dragons a more pressing priority than your neighbouring warlords' bickering.' Velindre shook her head. 'Besides, she's more use keeping my .. . associate company.'

  'You've brought another barbarian into the Archipelago?' Kheda stared at this unexpected revelation. His blood ran cold. 'Another wizard?'

  'Who might possibly betray that fact, left unchaperoned.' Velindre raised her chin defiantly.

  'Who might betray you, at the threat of the flensing knife?' spat Kheda. 'Is that why you're in such a hurry to leave?'

  'There's nothing to be gained by delay.' The mage-woman looked back at him, unblinking. 'And if he's taken for a wizard, what do you suppose will happen to Risala?'

  Curse you, wizard, you know exactly where to stick your knife. Well, perhaps I will come with you, just far enough to get Risala out of your clutches..

  'Supposing I can come up with some excuse to leave, we will have to move fast.' Kheda tried to sound as if he were genuinely capitulating as he reached for the chain of keys threaded on his belt. 'You had better stow a few things aboard the Reteul, if you can manage that without being caught for a thief.' He walked round the curve of the inner wall to a wide, deep chest and unlocked it. He threw open the lid and lifted out a small silver-bound ebony COffer. 'This is my travelling physic chest, and no one will miss these swords. They're not my best blades.'

  Velindre took the scabbarded weapons and looked closely at one. 'Wasn't this Dev's?'

  'Yes.' Kheda wondered if he was imagining the gleam of a tear in her eye. He dismissed the notion and reached into the chest to pick up a small circular brass box. Opening the physic chest, he tucked it between the tight-packed, tightly sealed vials and little lacquer containers.

  'You can spend the rest of the day in the library before hiding on the boat tonight,' he ordered her brusquely. 'You've been brushing up on your stargazing, haven't you? Look for any justification in the current state of the heavenly compass for using more methods of divination - candles, mirrors, molten metal in water, the more obscure the better. The more predictions we seek, the more contradictory answers we can concoct.'

  'How will that help us?' Velindre was curious.

  'The more uncertainty I can stir up—' Kheda hesitated. 'I might just be able to argue that I need to travel somewhere else in the domain to look for greater clarity.'

  For a few days at least. For long enough to find Risala.

  The magewoman looked unconvinced. 'Then you'll be expected elsewhere in the domain. What happens when people realise you're nowhere to be found?'

  'Probably at least as much trouble as I got myself into the last time I disappeared,' Kheda snapped, exasperated. 'But you're the one who wants me to do this. Why don't you put some of the learning you're always boasting about to good use and find me some kind of excuse for abandoning all my responsibilities here?'

  Velindre smiled sweetly at him. 'As you command, my lord.' She took a book bound in dull grey leather tooled with gold from a shelf and opened it to the first page. It was a volume of exquisitely drawn and coloured pictures of flowers.

  Kheda didn't bother to identify them. 'Where is Risala?' he demanded. 'And this associate of yours, exactly?'

  Velindre looked levelly at him for a long moment before unexpectedly capitulating. 'There's a burned isle three or four days' sail from here. Risala said it was the first place you encountered the wild men's magic. She said no Chazen islander would be sailing there.'

  Kheda stared at the magewoman. 'No,' he said eventually. 'They wouldn't.' Turning abruptly, he walked rapidly out of the tower.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Your mariners' displays this afternoon were most impressive, Chazen Kheda.' Redigal Coron saluted him with his golden goblet of velvet-berry juice. The drinking vessel's silver inlay shone in the soft light cast by lamps set on tall stands around the edge of the thick mossy carpet softening the grey marble floor of the vast dining hall.

  'Indeed.' Ritsem Caid echoed the gesture before drinking deep. 'And
now another splendid feast. Taisia will be tested to be certain our hospitality equals yours when you next visit.'

  As the warlord lowered his goblet, Ganil promptly stepped forward to refill it from a ewer of beaten gold.

  'The bounty of your domain is an excellent omen.' Coron held out his hand and Prai replenished his lord's drink. The slaves were standing the requisite few paces away on the interlaced pattern of striol leaves that framed the flower-studded carpet. Chazen household slaves and servants hovered further back in the shadows. As the dusk deepened, the palm fronds carved into the beams of the painted ceiling high above were already becoming indistinct.

  'Indeed.' Kheda sipped at his own richly scented sard-berry juice.

  I wonder when this dining hall was last this full? Probably not since Itrac came here to wed Chazen Saril.

  Kheda glanced at his wife, but her face betrayed no such memories as Moni Redigal shared some amusing

  tale. Elegant in aquamarine silk brocaded with pale flowers and wearing ropes of pearls of pristine purity, Itrac's laughter floated above the lively chatter filling the hall. The two women shared a bank of cushions with Elio Redigal beside a low table bearing remnants of the sumptuous dinner. Elio's remark prompted new hilarity, lamplight flashing from the garnets on her bracelets as she illustrated her point with indecorous gestures around her silk-swathed bosom. Moni Redigal fanned herself, laughing. Her dress of red-shot violet silk was elegantly draped to flatter her figure, while her intricate coiffure, studded with jewels, declared her power and status.

  Across the table, Mirrel Ulla and Chay sat in forced unity, their laughter striking a false note. Mirrel wore another revealing dress of white gossamer and a profusion of diamonds set in flowers of gold while Chay's black gown was relieved by a girdle, collar and bracelets of vivid enamelled silver. Both women's faces were impenetrable masks of paint and powder.

  'Such a shame Ulla Safar finds himself indisposed this evening,' Redigal Coron remarked inconsequentially as he reached for a dish of rustlenuts. 'I suppose he got too much sun.'