and his invitations to expensive restaurants. Why does he have to mix you up in it?”
“Mother, you’re hurting my feelings! It was Vordius’ idea to go to the Fish.”
“Is that so?” Sevelia’s brows went up again, this time in surprise.
“He knows you always loved him, but he has special news to celebrate, too. He was finally promoted to nicor in the Imperial Guard.”
“Is that true?”
“Just think, he’s the youngest nicor in the whole Empire!”
“I’m not the least bit surprised. Vordius Onato was always an ambitious boy! And smart, and good-looking, and now he’s a nicor! You were always sitting around reading, but Vordius knew how to connect with the right people. How many times did I want to introduce you to useful people when they came into the inn? But you were always locked away in that archive. I’m proud of Vordius. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes suffect before the age of thirty.”
“Mother, in case you’ve forgotten, I have something to celebrate, too, and it all started in the archive.”
“I hear you. And there’s another thing: Vordius found himself a young woman, and a beautiful one at that. What are your plans? You can’t live the rest of your life among the rats at the archive.” She reached out a hand. “Why don’t you find yourself a wife while you’re in Virilan?”
Uni cut her off. “Speaking of wives. Now that Vordius has a new rank and some confidence in his future, he wants to announce his engagement to Luvia.”
“That’s wonderful news! You should have told me that when you first came in!”
“He’s bringing her along to dinner, and he wants it to be at the Fish so he can impress her with the Carmadanian flowers and calimri nectar. Mustobrim celu balls wrapped in fasa leaves with a sweet sauce. Fillet of grabinus so thin that it melts on the tongue. Don’t you agree that Luvia is worth it?”
“Of course she’s worth it. But what about you? When will I see you with a girl like that?”
Uni stood and put a hand over his heart. “I swear to you that as soon as I arrive in Virilan, I will immediately abandon all my official duties and go looking for the most beautiful young women of that mysterious land, and I will keep looking until one of them expresses a willingness to become my wife.”
“You little fool!” Sevelia laughed, once again in a jolly mood. She was quiet for a moment. “Have you considered what you will wear? It’s a special evening and a very expensive tavern. You can’t go looking like you sleep in the street. I want everyone to see that my son is an important official, not a basement rat.”
Every evening, the Hankilow bridge turned into a city market and an unofficial fashion show for the capital’s most privileged classes. Herandia had an ancient tradition of setting up market stalls on wide bridges, but the opportunity to see and be seen was a new one, emerging only after guild reforms caused some of the most expensive tailors in Enteveria to relocate to the stone bridge. Soon, they were joined by shoemakers and perfume sellers, and wealthy clients flocked to the bridge to buy the latest fashions and then immediately display them as they strolled through the market. Eventually, the city built a new stone gallery over the bridge, where grand nobles and their lovely companions could amble leisurely among the expensive goods and show off their superiority from a (literally) lofty height.
The gallery was immediately occupied by sellers of roasted nuts, honey biscuits, flowers, and other treats to brighten the mood of those members of society who, because of their high rank and great wealth, had little else left to wish for in life.
Licisium Dorgoe fit most comfortably into that category as he ate almond pastries, one after the other, from a wrapper made of thin rice paper. He had always loved sweets and had no qualms about anyone knowing it. In any event, the small balcony (built into the gallery for the single purpose of enjoying the sunset) where he stood was completely hidden from the public. The only people around were a couple of sleepy Solar Sentinels.
Unfortunately, the sight of the merciful deity – decked out in red and purple – did nothing to improve the mood of the Emperor’s closest advisor, who had never been much of a romantic. He was visibly on edge, which caused his clumsy fingers to crush the pastries before sending them to their heroic death in his noble mouth. Once he heard familiar footsteps behind him, however, his breathing slowed and his face took on its usual air of self-satisfaction. A man with long, dark hair joined him on the balcony.
It had always been a mystery to Dorgoe why Tameto – a born cavalryman – walked with the swinging gait of a sailor, but he had no time to wonder about such things. Tossing the paper full of crumbs into the waves of the Fela, he turned halfway and greeted the new arrival in a pointedly polite voice.
“Tameto, my dear friend, how glad I am to see you on this delightful evening! But why, for the love of the Deity, do you always look like a man who has drunk too much Markutanian fermented milk and is desperately searching for a privy in which to relieve himself?”
“Don’t get cocky with me, you old heap of goat shit!” the general cut him off. He did, in fact, look odd, especially around the eyes, which stared into the distance without actually focusing on anything. Dorgoe guessed he’d been indulging in dramdalaki, a traditional pastime of the nomads in the Great Expanse that had become popular with soldiers serving on the Empire’s northern border. A fire was built and stones heated inside a tightly sealed leather tent. Once it was hot enough, someone took a dipper full of a liquid obtained by boiling a secret blend of herbs and poured it out over the stones. Those who had tried it said that the main thing was to stop in time, because it was easy enough for the soul to depart for the world of eternal joy beyond the clouds, leaving behind only a slightly cooked body.
Dorgoe permitted himself to hope that Tameto would, in fact, overdo it someday soon. Aloud, all he said was “So much for greetings. What did you want to say about what I proposed yesterday?”
“You think you’re smarter than the rest of us, don’t you?” said Tameto. He stepped to the railing and spat a wad of Ulin chewing bark into the river. So, you’re sending your own delegation at my expense. Did you really think I’d stand for it, you stinking boar?”
“Listen here, horse-lover,” Dorgoe growled, towering over his crude companion with his sizeable frame. “Some things will always be beyond the understanding of a military man. I put your men on the mission. Have you paid me back for that? Or did you think I wasn’t aware of the task you gave them?”
Tameto’s warlike fire left him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said dryly.
“You don’t know? You’re not in the wasteland anymore, my friend, and the walls have ears. My ears. May lightning strike you and your idiotic brothers-in-arms. I had my suspicions when you came out so strongly in favor of the delegation, and now I know why you did it.”
“You can’t prove anything,” Tameto snarled. He pulled his head into his shoulders.
“I don’t intend to prove anything. I don’t have to! I’ll just toss your fools off the delegation, that’s all. Do you have any idea how many people are begging me for a chance to go?” Dorgoe’s eyes narrowed. “When I’m done, I’ll whisper a word about you to His Majesty, just to keep him informed. Can you imagine the consequences?” He paused to let that sink in. “You’ll have to play fair with me.
