“A wise precaution,” he said. “But now that you’re back in Welce, perhaps you will revert to your true appearance.”
“And perhaps I’ll keep changing it,” she retorted.
He smiled at that and poured water for both of them. “A very coru sentiment,” he said. “Have you changed your affiliation as well as your outward aspect?”
She thought of the reifarjin even now fanning its gaudy frills in her apartment. “I’m not sure I could manage to sustain coru for longer than a defiant moment or two,” she said.
“It does seem to be the most exhausting of the elements,” he agreed, sipping his water. “Though frequently rewarding.”
She smiled. Like most people who met him, she’d always found Darien intimidating. He was so smooth, so assured, and so well-informed; she always felt like he knew everything about her and she knew nothing about him—and the imbalance would never work to her advantage. But years of living on her own in a strange country had given Leah a large measure of confidence in her own skills and intuition. She was a lot harder to impress these days.
“You didn’t call me here to discuss the elemental traits,” she said. “So what would you like to know?”
He didn’t even blink at the abrupt question. “I’d like your final report about the empress of Malinqua and her current situation,” he said. “But first, I’d like to hear your version about what exactly is going on with my daughter.”
For the first time, Leah felt a twinge of guilt that she hadn’t made it to the palace as soon as she arrived in Chialto. She’d been focused on her own emotions at being back in the country of her birth. She hadn’t thought about Darien or how worried he must be about Corene.
Eighteen years ago, Darien had been one of the trusted court favorites who had helped King Vernon produce a series of heirs. Corene had been born to Vernon’s third wife, Alys, but it was years before anyone realized Darien was really her father. Upon Vernon’s death, Darien began to take an active role in Corene’s life—even more active once it turned out Alys was the least nurturing mother any child could have—but he had never developed an easy relationship with that redheaded wild child. A quintile ago, Corene had run away to Malinqua against Darien’s expressed wishes. He had sent Nelson Ardelay to bring her home, but once the sweela prime arrived on the scene, Corene ran even farther away. From what Leah had seen, Corene didn’t intend to come home anytime soon.
“I thought Nelson must have explained all that,” Leah said.
Darien looked briefly and deeply annoyed. “Nelson explained that Corene went to visit Cozique with a friend she had made at the Malinquese court,” he said. “He didn’t explain why he or Corene or anybody would consider that a good idea.”
Leah held back a smile and spoke in a serious voice. “While she was in Malinqua, Corene seemed to come into her own,” she said. “She grew more certain of herself. She developed close friendships and seemed to give a great deal of thought to the kind of person she wanted to be. I think she’s still on that journey, and she thought by coming home she would cut that journey short. But I believe you would like the person she is becoming.”
Darien narrowed his gray eyes but didn’t answer, just nodded at her to continue.
“Anyway, you have to admit that Corene could hardly have picked a more strategic place to run away to than Cozique,” Leah added. It was the largest, wealthiest, and most powerful nation in the southern seas. “That friend she made at court? The daughter of the Coziquela queen. A very good friend to have.”
“Nelson says she is envisioning herself as some sort of international ambassador for Welce.”
“I think she is. And I think she’ll be a good one.”
Darien drummed his fingers on the table. “Well, it does us no harm to achieve closer relations with Cozique,” he said at last. “Whether Corene is capable of cementing those relations—and whether she is actually safe while she sojourns there—I am not so certain.”
“Surely you have spies at the Coziquela court,” Leah said softly.
He smiled reluctantly. “Yes, of course,” he said. “But none of them with quite the same level of—sophistication—as you. Would you be interested in taking an assignment in Cozique?”
She sat up straighter, because she hadn’t expected that. “What? No. Thank you for your faith in me, but I’ve been away from Welce too long. I don’t know that I’m happy to be back, but—but I need to stay awhile and find out.”
He watched her a moment, as if trying to determine what she hadn’t said, since it was likely to be more interesting than what she had, then he nodded. “Very well. We’ll revisit that in a moment. First, tell me your impressions of the current situation in Malinqua. Coziquela forces came in and took over the harbor—did the empress make terms? Has she been left powerless, or will she recover from this disaster?”
“I think she is already scheming how to recover, and I don’t think it will take her that long,” Leah said, launching into a recital of the last exciting days at the Malinquese court.
When she was finished, Darien remarked, “I rarely say this, but I’m glad Nelson was on hand to play a part.”
Leah laughed out loud. “He was magnificent,” she said. “I’d forgotten how impressive the power of the primes could be.”
“Yes, well, we strive to live in times where they are not called upon to show off their fearsome abilities,” Darien replied dryly.
She decided not to ask him how often his own wife worked her elemental magic on water. Zoe Lalindar had flooded the Marisi a few years back; Leah supposed you didn’t need to do that too often to remind people what you were capable of. “Calm and serenity,” she agreed. “That’s what we want.”
Darien surveyed her a moment. “Is that what you’re hoping to find now that you’ve returned to Welce? What are your plans?”
She lifted her chin. “I want to see Mally.”
He nodded. “Of course. But in what capacity? Do you plan to walk into Taro’s house and pull her aside and introduce yourself as her mother? Speaking as one who had no claim on his oldest daughter until she was nearly twelve, it is not so easy to become a parent overnight. For you or the child.”
Darien Serlast, offering a personal example from his own life to make a point. She couldn’t remember that ever happening before. “I haven’t thought it through,” she admitted. “I thought maybe Taro would let me stay with them for a while. Get to know her slowly. I don’t know.”
He was still watching her with those intent gray eyes. “And that’s another consideration,” he said. “Have you given any thought to what you might do to fill your time? Do you want to take up court life again? Or are you looking for more meaningful occupation?”
She had been prepared to respond with another helpless I don’t know, but that last question stopped her. I’m an idiot, she thought. Darien didn’t ask me here to learn about Corene or to inquire about my feelings. He wants to offer me another job. She lifted her head and gave him back a stare as cool and assessing as his own. “Just come out with it,” she said. “What is it you want me to do?”
That made him smile, which warmed his face to an amazing degree. “I was thinking about your situation,” he said. “I had some thoughts about a course you could take that might ease your way and serve the crown.”
“‘Serve the crown.’ I like that,” she said. “It sounds much more noble than ‘Do some secret business for me.’”
He shrugged. “If you’re interested, say so. If not, I won’t trouble you with my ideas.”
That was something else about Darien. He could make you feel like you were in the wrong even when you weren’t. “Please, majesty, I’d like to hear how I might be of service to my liege.”
He paused a moment, as if marshaling his thoughts. Before he could speak, there was a quiet knock and a man entered. He was tall, bald, ageless, and expressionless
; he looked like he could disappear into the walls of the palace if he were so inclined. Leah had never seen him before—then again, she guessed that he probably went to a great deal of trouble not to be noticed. She had the sense that he was high on the list of Darien’s trusted army of spies. He had that look.
He glanced briefly at Leah, and when Darien nodded, he said, “There’s been another one.”
She could feel Darien’s attention narrow into a sudden cold fury, though his voice remained carefully neutral. “Where?”
“On the banks of the Marisi. Where the vagrants camp.”
“Now that surprises me,” Darien said. “The camps are patrolled.”
The man nodded. “It seems she—”
“‘She’?” Darien interrupted.
“Yes. It seems she made her way there afterward. So it happened somewhere else.”
“There was nothing she could tell you?”
“No.”
Leah was looking idly out the window, trying to pretend she wasn’t interested in the conversation and thinking that whatever had happened to this unfortunate woman must be pretty awful if Darien allowed his spymaster to interrupt him while he was conducting other business. She waited until she heard the click of the door closing, then she turned her head to give the regent a look of wide-eyed curiosity. “That sounded mysterious. And unpleasant.”
“It is both those things,” Darien agreed. “But it’s not what I want to talk about with you today.”
Leah didn’t even bother asking more questions. There was never any point in badgering Darien. “You were going to tell me how I could be of assistance to you.”
“Indeed I was,” Darien responded. His voice was perfectly calm, perfectly level. Maybe whatever had just happened wasn’t so bad after all. “As I think you know, during the past eight or nine years, Welce has increased its international trade partnerships and strengthened alliances across the southern seas. We have made even more progress in the past two or three years—though obviously we have experienced a slight setback with Malinqua. We have been hoping to develop tighter bonds with Cozique, simply because Cozique is so powerful. And yet we must always be mindful of the fact that our near neighbors can be our truest allies or our most bitter foes, just because of their geographic placement.”
Our near neighbors . . . “Do you mean Soeche-Tas?” she demanded. “What have they done now?”
Soeche-Tas shared a continent with Welce, though dense mountains on Welce’s northern border had generally served to enforce peace between nations. Over the centuries, the two countries had sometimes skirmished over fishing territories and mining rights, but they had managed to avoid outright war. About six years ago, Vernon had thought to improve relations with Soeche-Tas by marrying Corene off to its aging viceroy, but Zoe had strongly objected, and the wedding had been called off in the most dramatic way possible. Leah had left the country shortly afterward, so she didn’t know how that broken covenant had affected relations.
“The Soechins haven’t done anything—that I’m aware of,” Darien said. “But they’re making alliances, too. And one interesting trading partner they have begun to woo is the Karkades.”
Leah frowned. “But—isn’t that a possession of Cozique? Though not a very big one.”
“Right on both counts. Except certain factions in the Karkades have been suing for independence during the past few years. And these factions have begun treating with other nations of the southern seas. They already have a partnership with Dhonsho. They are close to signing a deal with Soeche-Tas. And some of their representatives want to call on me to discuss strengthening relations with Welce.”
“That might not make Cozique’s queen too happy,” Leah observed.
“No. In fact, it might make her quite irritable.”
Which put Corene’s flight to Cozique in an entirely different light. “So you really are worried about your daughter’s safety.”
“Cozique is too civilized to murder foreign diplomats in a fit of pique,” Darien said softly. “But I admit this is an unexpected complication.”
Leah was still thinking. “And, of course, you don’t want to reject a treaty with the Karkades out of hand, since you would like to keep the peace with Soeche-Tas.”
“Precisely,” Darien said. “But I am not sure how easily the Karkades will be put off by vague promises, since the ruling factions are eager to make a point to Cozique. They want allies, they want them now, and they want them to swear unwavering support. It is a delicate situation, to be sure.”
“Maybe send someone to Cozique to bring Corene home,” Leah suggested. “She’s become politically savvy. Once she understands how the situation stands, I think she’ll fall in line.”
“Yes, but even if I subtract Corene from the equation, I don’t know that I will rush to sign treaties with the Karkades,” Darien said. “I don’t like being manipulated, that’s one thing. And—I don’t know enough about the place, that’s another.”
“What? No Welchin operatives in its primary cities? I’m shocked.”
Darien shrugged. “The Karkades never seemed important enough to investigate,” he said. “I have people on the way now, of course, but they might not arrive in time.”
“So what do you want me to do?” Leah asked.
He studied her again as if trying to gauge how much duress she could handle before collapsing in exhaustion. “As I said, we are expecting an influx of visitors from the Karkades and Soeche-Tas. I suspect a few advance spies are already here, in fact, but the first official delegation doesn’t arrive for a couple more ninedays. I thought—it’s such a small thing—but these foreign arrivals might feel more at home if they had access to some of their favorite native traditions. Food, clothing, spices—”
“You want me to open a shop,” Leah said. For a moment she was so surprised she couldn’t tell if the idea delighted or horrified her.
“I do,” Darien replied. “While you were in Malinqua, you reported that you worked at the city’s Great Market, and you seemed to find it an agreeable experience. If you were a purveyor of exotic goods, you would be in an excellent position to make international contacts, since you would frequently interact with both suppliers and customers. And if you actually enjoyed running a business—” Darien shrugged. “All the better.”
“I did like it, but I wasn’t doing most of the work,” she told him. “I was employed by someone who ran the business. Invested the money, dealt with suppliers, set the prices, paid the taxes—all of it.”
“The Welchin crown would be your principal investor, and I would not expect an accounting of your profits,” Darien said gravely. “If it turned out this was an enterprise you eventually wanted to run on your own, we could discuss terms for how you could buy me out. Otherwise, it would exist only until this particular crisis is past, and you would not need to display any business acumen to operate it.”
“But I’d still need to—locate a property and set it up and find suppliers and order goods—” She was protesting, but Leah had to admit she was intrigued. She had enjoyed being Chandran’s assistant in Malinqua’s Great Market. She’d had a knack for picking merchandise that would sell, and she’d found it easy to develop a rapport with even the pickiest of customers. Of course, one reason she’d liked the work so much was she’d liked being around Chandran. The retail life wouldn’t be nearly so enjoyable if she were running the business on her own.
“As to getting the enterprise started, Zoe has some thoughts she could share,” Darien said. “I believe you would be able to open your doors much sooner than you might anticipate.”
Leah wondered how exactly the coru prime would be able to assist her in setting up a shop. It would be worth it to say yes just to learn the answer. But there was one very large objection to the whole scheme. “I can’t stay in Chialto and run a business for you, Darien,” she said, and the regret in her v
oice was real. “I came back to Welce to see Mally. That means I have to go where Mally is.”
“Yes, but Mally will be in Chialto for the next quintile,” he said. “I have made arrangements.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Of course he had. Darien must really want her to take on this little venture; he had gone to some trouble to remove all possible obstacles. “What arrangements?”
“Taro’s wife has agreed to bring Mally to the city for an extended visit,” Darien said. “Taro, as I’m sure you know, generally refuses to leave his estates except on explicit order from the crown, but Virrie is much more sociable. I hope to convince her to stay at a property I own in Chialto so she is not even responsible for running a household while she is here. Once you determine how you would like to introduce yourself to your daughter, you can visit with her as often as you like.”
Leah’s heart was beating strangely fast; the thought of seeing Mally made her feel faint with excitement and dread. “You’re trying to make it impossible for me to say no to this scheme of yours, aren’t you?” she managed to say.
“I wouldn’t put it that way,” Darien said. “But I am certainly trying to make it easy for you to say yes.”
She wondered if she could shock him. “And if I said I’d do it, but only if you made sure I never accidentally ran into Rhan Ardelay? Would you kidnap him and hustle him out of the city?”
It felt strange to say Rhan’s name out loud. She had spent so much energy in the past five years trying to forget that Nelson Ardelay’s youngest son even existed, and now here she was using him as a way to taunt Darien Serlast. But Darien was one of the few people who knew that Rhan was Mally’s father. Darien had known even before Nelson.
The regent lifted his eyebrows. “Is that one of your requirements? If so, let us discuss it.”
She had to laugh. He was bluffing, she thought, but she was tempted to see how far Darien would go to get what he wanted. “It’s not a requirement at the moment,” she said. “I’ll let you know if it becomes a condition in the future.”