At the sound of the gong, Mara stiffened. Kevin had just begun to slide his hand down her back, but warm flesh slid away and suddenly eluded his fingers. Left entangled in bedclothes, Kevin found himself alone. Belatedly he realized that never before had he heard the tone that had roused her. Glancing up from the sleeping mat, he said, ‘What is it?’
His sleepy question tangled with a flurry of activity as the door to Mara’s quarters slid open and two maids hurried in with combs and pins. Others followed, flinging open the wardrobe, and within an instant the mistress was inundated with formal robes, dressers, and women who started to comb out the hair left mussed from the bed.
Kevin frowned. Shaken rudely from a pleasant interlude, he realized his Lady had spoken no word to order such an untimely invasion. ‘What’s going on?’ he inquired, loudly enough that this time he was noticed.
‘A Great One comes!’ Mara said impatiently, then followed with instructions for her maids on which jewellery she would wear with her formal gown. ‘I’ll want the iron necklace for this occasion, and also the jade tiara.’
‘At this hour?’ asked Kevin, heaving himself off the mat. He picked up his grey robe and wrapped it around himself.
From the centre of the activity, Mara released a sigh of exasperation. ‘Most days I would already be an hour out of bed.’
‘Well,’ said Kevin, clearly the guilty party. He had done his best to detain her, and at first his efforts had been reciprocated willingly. ‘Do forgive the inconvenience.’ His tone was light, but he was plainly confused by her sudden departure from his arms.
Mara let the maids fuss over her pins and her sash. ‘Great Ones have no time to spare for vagaries.’ She seemed ready to add more, but at a second stroke of the gong the softness that started to become a smile vanished. ‘Enough! The Great One is here!’
The maids backed away and made their bows, while their mistress stood, satisfied that her hair was bound up simply, but in neat fashion, with four pins holding the arrangement. The rare metal jewellery and jade tiara were enough to let this Great One know she did not take his coming lightly.
As she thrust on her slippers and headed for the door, her slave reflexively began to follow. ‘No. You may not come.’
Kevin began an immediate protest, and Mara said, ‘Silence! If this magician decided you had slighted him in any fashion, he could order the death of every member of this house. I would be obliged to do as he bid, no matter what the cost. A Great One’s words are as law. Knowing this, I refuse to risk your unguarded tongue within earshot of him.’
She permitted no more argument but hurried through the door and crossed the courtyard to another wing. There lay a small, five-sided room without furnishing or ornament beyond a shatra bird inlaid in onyx in the floor. The chamber had not been used in her lifetime, but every household had a similar room, or nook, or alcove, with a clear symbol set into the floor. Any magician in the Empire could focus his will upon the pattern of that house and call at whim. Such an arrival was traditionally announced by the gong tone, sent by magical means to the location where a Great One intended to appear. A second chime signalled arrival, and that had occurred several minutes past.
In the chamber Mara found Nacoya, Keyoke, and Saric already standing before a stern-looking man in a black robe. She bowed deeply as she reached the door. ‘Great One, forgive my lack of promptness in greeting you. I was but half-dressed when you arrived.’
The man inclined his head as if the matter held little consequence. He was of gaunt build and medium height, and though the robe concealed details, something about his carriage seemed familiar. ‘Through the agency of one for whom I have some affection, it has come to my attention that you desired to speak with me.’
The voice clued her: though older, this magician had the same rich intonation that Hokanu did. Mara’s eyes opened slightly. This was none other than Fumita, the Shinzawai heir’s blood father. Hokanu had taken her request very personally indeed; and it would seem her hunch was correct, that some tie to family yet remained between this member of the Assembly and the Shinzawai.
Yet Mara dared not speculate openly. If they chose, magicians were capable of knowing the minds of those in their presence. She could not disallow the part that magic had played in the downfall of Jingu of the Minwanabi. Politely she said, ‘Great One, I need the wisdom of one such as yourself, to serve the Empire.’
The man nodded. ‘Then we shall speak.’
Mara excused her advisers and led the way through a screen onto an adjacent porch furnished with low stone benches. As Fumita took a seat, Mara stole the moment to study him. His hair was deep brown, shot with the beginnings of grey. The face was clean-lined and angular, and the nose more aquiline than the son’s. The dark eyes were markedly similar, except that in the Great One the depths of mystery were veiled and unfathomable.
He rested himself upon a stone bench. Mara chose a seat opposite, a narrow path separating them.