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sniff of the dust? That added up to a lot of golds, but for whom?
He sat down at the desk, and with frequent references to the last set he had
written, in Hyalt, he began to write out the court-martial orders. The first
page was easy enough, and he set it aside to dry.
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There was a knock on the half-open door.
 Sir? offered Chyndylt, the senior squad leader for Fifteenth Company, who
was the duty squad leader for the day.  There s a letter for you. Came with
the sandox coach. Driver said that you could pay later. He extended the
missive.
 Thank you. A letter? From whom? It certainly couldn t be from Rachyla, much
as he would have liked that. He doubted he would ever get a letter from her,
but then, from the beginning, Rachyla had always confounded him, perhaps
because he had never been able to read her, or understand truly the culture
from which she had come. Yet... there was something there, something that he
could not deny, as well as something she could neither deny nor acknowledge
except in ways that no one else could see. She was held in a shimmersilk
prison, and Mykel could only hope that a dagger of the ancients could prove
sharp enough to free her.
Mykel rose and took the envelope, then smiled as he saw the careful script
that was his mother s. He set it on the narrow desk, opening it only after
Chyndylt had left.
Dear Mykel,
We were all so pleased to get your letter. You write so seldom. We had hoped
you would be coming back to Elcien. That way you could visit sometime over the
end-days. Sesalia had hoped you would be able to see little Mykela. She and
Bortal hoped you would be pleased they named her after you.
Things are getting harder here. The alectors are requiring longer hours in the
mills and manufactories. They removed all landers from one place. No one knows
why.
There was enough work that no one was put out. They went to work in the steel
mill.
Viencet spent the summer working as a gardener s assistant for Cymeryl. He s a
spice factor. His house is like a palace. It is in the hills to the northeast
off the old mill road. Viencet could work in the steel mill, but he is looking
for something else. Your father says he should work there until he can find
another place, but Viencet says he won t ever find another place. He s not
working now, and he avoids your father as much as he can.
We got a good crop from the grapes and from the garden. We all look forward to
seeing you before too long ...
Mykel folded the letter carefully and slipped it into his tunic. He couldn t
help but worry about Viencet. His younger brother had always wanted a  good
place without too much study, without too much work, and without too much
risk. From what Mykel had seen, unless a man came from wealth, such positions
didn t exist.
Outside the small headquarters building, the fall wind moaned.
Mykel looked at the unfinished court-martial orders. Finally, he picked up the
pen.
36
On Quinti morning, Dainyl stood on the stairs leading down to the main floor
of the house. Someone was pounding on the front door practically at sunrise,
no less.
 Dearest! Would you ... I m not exactly ... called Lystrana from the
breakfast room.
In his undertunic and trousers, Dainyl made his way to the door and opened it.
Standing there in the fog and chill was Adya one of Zelyert s older
assistants. Behind her waited Zelyert s personal coach.
 Marshal... the Highest regrets the intrusion, but he requests your immediate
presence at the Hall of Justice. He said to tell you that it s of the greatest
importance.
 Come in out of the chill. Let me grab my tunic and gear, and I ll be with you
in a moment. Dainyl closed the door behind Adya, then hurried to the
breakfast room.
 Whatis it? Lystrana s eyes narrowed.
 The Highest wants me at the Hall of Justice as soon as I can get there. His
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carriage is waiting outside. Dainyl shook his head.  I don t like it. Not
when you re leaving for Dereka this morning. I ll take one of your cases with
me. If I can t meet you at the Table, I ll just take it to Dereka. Jonyst and
his driver can get it to you.
 Maybe I can get to the Table while you re still there. Lystrana smiled
nervously.  I ll try. I might wait a bit.
 I ll do what I can. He embraced her, tightly, for a long moment, then
stepped away and walked swiftly back to the foyer and up the steps to their
bedchamber, where he finished dressing. When he came back down, wearing his
flying jacket and carrying the heavier of Lystrana s cases, Lystrana was
standing in the foyer, talking to Adya.
 ... leaving for Dereka this morning ...
 ... so sorry ...
Lystrana handed a large chunk of bread to Dainyl.  At least eat this on the
way.
 I don t know if the Highest... Dainyl grinned.
 He ll have to deal with the crumbs, suggested Adya.
After giving Lystrana a last kiss, with the bread in one hand, the case in the
other, Dainyl followed Adya out to the carriage. With the case and two
alectors, the carriage was cramped, but better than most hacks.
 Do you know what this is all about?
 No, sir. All I know is that he had a recorder with him, a woman. I don t know
her.
Either Sulerya or Delari, then. If either were in Elcien, matters in
Blackstear or Lysia were not good. Dainyl frowned. The odds were that the
recorder was Delari, since Sulerya had support from Eighth Company and close
to a battalion of Cadmians. Had the ancients or the Reillies overrun
Blackstear? Zelyert wanted to use Myrmidons, and quickly, or he wouldn t have
roused Dainyl out so early.
Once the carriage pulled up to the Hall of Justice, Dainyl got out and lugged
the case up the stone steps, across the receiving hall, and back down the
inside staircase to the lower level. Adya stayed with him.
The High Alector of Justice had obviously sensed Dainyl arriving and stood in
the doorway to his private study.  What s the case for, Marshal? Weapons, by
chance?
Dainyl shook his head.  Gear for the Regional Alector of Dereka.
 That may have to wait. Appearing as grim as Dainyl had ever seen him, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]