Protector

“Murini came in. Things changed—one would have said, for the better, if one were a town official needing action. The staff grew larger. Aseida and his useless associates no longer came to the township. Security tightened. Murini, back and forth between the Padi Valley and the Marid, was planning the coup. When your father was overthrown by conspiracy, and nearly killed, Murini left the Kadagidi estate and established himself in Shejidan—never surrendering his lordship over the Kadagidi, but not devoting much attention to it, either. When we drove Murini and his lot out—the ruling house of the Kadagidi clan was nearly wiped out. But not all. This obscure man, this useless man, Aseida, turned up in the Kadagidi lordship, writing numerous apologies to your father for the actions of his cousin. Your father is not deceived about his quality, and has not forgiven the clan.”

“Nor have I,” Great-uncle said.

“Yet,” Great-grandmother said, “Aseida is lord. And Kadagidi is rebuilding. It is not Aseida who is so industrious. It is his bodyguard and his staff.”

“Haikuti,” Cajeiri said.

“He was never part of the coup. He was never attached to Murini. Yet—things run exactly as they did when Murini was alive. The same rules. The same policies. One might say the Kadagidi were merely doing what worked well—but we suspect that the difference in Murini’s administering Kadagidi lands and his behavior in Shejidan is this man. And you would say that he is doing no harm, governing Kadagidi from behind Aseida’s shoulder. But we have a little more information of this man’s connections now, and this is the lastman your father should admit to court.”

He thought he followed that. He was not sure. But under the circumstances, only one thing really mattered: “Shadow Guild?”

“Definitely,” mani said. “Definitely.”

Cenedi, standing to the side, said: “There was a strategist behind the coup, and we do not believe that that strategist was Murini, or even one of Murini’s bodyguard. We are now watching the contacts between Kadagidi and the outside, by means that we do not think the Kadagidi have. Your grandfather’s assassination provoked an interesting flow this morning.”

“ Kadagididid it?” That was a lot better than learning his mother had done it. But it was not good news about Uncle’s neighbors.

“Possibly.” Cenedi walked forward a step. “Nand’ paidhi.”

“Nadi?” nand’ Bren said.

“You were briefed, nandi, concerning the Ajuri officer in the Guild.”

“Yes,” nand’ Bren said, and Cajeiri took in his breath, resolved not to interrupt. One learned nothing by stopping people. But he hadto know—

“Cenedi-nadi. Who?”

“There is an old man, Ajuri, your very remote elder cousin, a high officer in the Guild,” Cenedi said, “who may have wanted your grandfather silenced—regarding the relationship of Ajuri clan to the Shadow Guild. You are not to discuss this, on your great-grandmother’s order, young gentleman. This is what you urgently need to know—and your aishid needs to know; but none of your guests. This man, Shishoji, orHaikuti, who would not want Shishoji exposed, sent the assassins.”

“This knowledge is worth lives,”mani said. “Believe it, Great-grandson.”

“Shishoji-nadi has held his office,” Cenedi said, “for forty-two years. He has worked in secret—placing his people in various houses. We believe that some of these were on your mother’s staff, young gentleman.”

His heart beat hard. He knew these people. He had passed them in the hall. He had slept with them outside his door.

“Does my father know?”

“Yes,” mani said.

He never expected to be told the whole truth—he never was—but it seemed likely he was hearing it now.

The air in the room seemed heavy. His heart was beating unbearably.

“Understand this, Great-grandson. This man, this Ajuri, is the stone on the bottom of the stream. He is a constant, and events flow around him. You do not see what makes the turbulence, but once you study the patterns, you can begin to see that there is a certain rock that makes it flow that way. That is how we have detected him. His agents, we suspect, have deliberately kept certain quarrels going—your great-uncle and I have discussed that matter.”

Great-uncle cleared his throat. “We have completely revised our security.”

“The alarm,” he said. “Did you catch anyone, Great-uncle?”

“Not yet,” mani said. “But we are looking. Quietly. Meanwhile I rely on you to stay indoors, devise clever entertainments for your guests, and think. Think about your safety, do notbe in a window once it gets dark, and take care your guests do not. You are in lessdanger than you would be anywhere else in the world, but onlyif you obey instructions and do not take chances.”

“Boji got away out the window,” he said. “I am very sorry, mani. We had no idea there was any problem and I wanted to find him. We came right back.”