“I just don’t know who I can trust,” Kihrin confided in Galen as they rode in the carriage to Arena Park. “Therin’s going to want proof about Darzin, and what do I tell him? I overheard him speaking to someone who I think summoned up a demon? I don’t know who Darzin’s partner is, but now there’s a third person. And I don’t who that person is either, except he knew we were spying on him and didn’t rat us out, which makes no sense.” Kihrin stopped to chew on a thumbnail. “I don’t get it. Whoever he is, he’s clearly part of their plot. Why wouldn’t he tell them we were listening?”
“Maybe he only wants them to think he’s helping,” Galen suggested. “Maybe he’s a double agent. Or maybe—oh, he didn’t seem to like Father very much, did he? Maybe he’s hoping we’ll get Father into trouble.” Galen’s eyes went wide as he worked himself up over the idea.
“Maybe. But it’s a hell of a risk if his master figures out what he’s up to. I certainly wouldn’t want Dead Man mad at me.”
“Dead Man?”
“Yeah. That’s my nickname for the fellow with the spooky voice. Believe me, he looks even worse than he sounds. He’s a wizard, and I don’t mean like the way Darzin’s picked up just enough tricks to get by. Dead Man is one of the scary wizards. I saw him kill a man by pulling his soul out of his body and then stripping the skin and muscle off his bones.”
“You’ve met this man?”
“Not met exactly,” Kihrin admitted. “More like spied on. But you don’t want to mess with someone like that. I know you don’t think it’s possible, but trust me: he’s scarier than Darzin.”
“Oh dear. We’ve got to tell somebody though.”
“Who?”
“You could tell Miya. She’d believe you. She likes you.” Galen’s tone was wistful. He thought the seneschal of the house was elegant and lovely, but she never had time for him the way she made time for Kihrin.
“Great!” Kihrin replied. “And what’s a gaeshed slave going to do about it again?”
“Oh.” Galen chewed on his lip. “I see your point.”
“I could tell General Milligreest, but then he’d want to know why I didn’t say anything months ago when I was over at his estate. He’d probably think I was making the story up because I didn’t want to stay with the D’Mons. He’d throw the whole thing back in the High Lord’s lap, and we know Therin is as likely to cover it up as do anything about it.”
“What about Aunt Tishar?”
Kihrin looked excited for a moment and then his expression fell. “I don’t think so. I mean, I think she’d believe us, I’m just not sure what she could do about it besides put her own life in danger. She starts asking the wrong questions and Darzin will just kill her. And even if he doesn’t, will people believe her? I mean, she’s still Pedron’s sister.”
“Mother says she was rather more than that…”
Kihrin stared at Galen, incredulous. “You’re joking.”
“I am not! It’s what Mother says. That they were … you know … and that he was always giving her gifts and the like so she wouldn’t say anything about it. Mother says Master Lorgrin had to cast a special working to ensure she was a virgin for her wedding night.”*
Kihrin looked ill. “No wonder she—” He shook his head. “If that did happen, I’m sure it wasn’t her choice.”
Galen shrugged. “I don’t know. What if it was? It must have been very hard for them, both half-vané and always being stung for it, their mother killed because of it. Why wouldn’t they turn to each other? I think it’s kind of romantic.”
“So you’d put your little sister, Saerá, to the mat for a thrust? You’d be all right with that?”
“NO. Gods no. That’s completely different.”
Kihrin laughed. “Uh-huh. Sure it is.” For a minute, all was quiet inside the coach, then Kihrin thumped the seat next to him in pure frustration. “Oh. If only I had a way to contact Emperor Sandus. He’d take this seriously.”
“The Emperor? Are you out of your mind?”
“No.” Kihrin looked at Galen. “Remember what Dead Man said? About the third person being Sandus’s son? I’m pretty sure I could get Sandus to take this seriously. And, Sandus is the one who banished that demon the first time and healed me. He’s real big on stopping demons. He’d want to know about this, and he’d believe me too. But I’m pretty sure I can’t just walk up to the palace and ask for an audience, you know?”
“Oh no,” Galen agreed. “That’s just the place where they throw the parties. I know that. He doesn’t live there. I’ve heard that he really lives in a giant palace made of diamond in the middle of Rainbow Lake, on an island guarded by two gigantic dragons.”
“Galen,” Kihrin admonished. “Everyone knows there isn’t an island at the center of Rainbow Lake.”
“I know that,” Galen said. He gave his brother a wise, knowing wink and said, “It’s invisible.”
Kihrin raised an eyebrow. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
They were still laughing as the coach rolled to a stop in front of the Culling Fields.
* * *
Kihrin had been raised on stories of the Culling Fields tavern, although he had never been there himself. Surdyeh refused to take him, saying the crowd there was too rough and there were too many opportunities for Kihrin to get himself into trouble. Kihrin now realized “trouble” meant “being recognized as a D’Mon.” Kihrin had, naturally enough, placed a visit high on his to-do list, but he’d never found the time for two reasons: one, because visiting required a trip to the Upper Circle; and two, because the tavern sat in the very shadow of the Citadel. The Watchmen spent time there when not on their rounds. The tavern was guaranteed to be swarming with off-duty militia at any and all hours. Most Shadowdancers, Kihrin included, avoided the Culling Fields as if they were handing out free samples of the clap with each ale. Kihrin had no trouble understanding why Merit would suggest the place. There was hardly any other location in the whole Capital less likely to have a Shadowdancer present to witness their exchange.
Kihrin saw, as he helped his brother down from the carriage, that the Culling Fields was less a tavern than a full inn. Three stories tall, it was so large that the upper floors were available for let. It was probably twice the size of the Shattered Veil Club, which made it a very large building indeed. Unlike the Shattered Veil, or indeed unlike any other building in Velvet Town, the Culling Fields stood alone on the boundary of a large green area of fields and woods. Cobblestone walkways led to and from the building, and branched off to form a circle around that area of the park.