Protector

One could only imagine, Bren thought.

“She is,” Tatiseigi said, “a part of thishousehold. As is the young gentleman. No one will ever again utter any word to the contrary. Never under this roof!”

“A good resolve,” Ilisidi said, and called for more tea. “We shall think on these things. We shall let Guild solve the problems.” Which had a more ominous ring than usual. “And we shall enjoy the evening, shall we not, Tati-ji?”

“We shall by no means alter plans within this house,” Tatiseigi said. “Perhaps we shall find this new-fangled thingon my roof has simply had a malfunction. We shall enjoy our dinner, though I fear we have had to cancel the choir. And if the Guild insists this fancy equipment cannotfail, well, we cannot ride. We shall entertain the children with a tour of the premises tomorrow. I shall show them my collections.”

The collections were famous—though Bren had never seen them. And one could not imagine the old lord entertaining a flock of children all day with case after case of tea services.

“The other collections, Tati-ji,” Ilisidi said. “The taxidermy should interest strangers to the world. They will not have seen those creatures.”

Taxidermy. Hewas curious himself, what might be there. Great houses threw nothing away.

Tatiseigi nodded, and gave a rare little laugh. “We should send them in by lamplight. That is how I remember them, from my youth. Fangs and claws appearing out of the darkness. We promise it for tomorrow, since the basement knows neither day nor night, rain nor sun. We would wish them to sleep tonight.” He accepted a teacup, after which only small conversation was mannerly. “And just as well we shall not be riding tomorrow. Likeliest we shall all be limping about. I know I shall.”

“It is ridiculous that we should ache,” Ilisidi said. “We have gotten soft, Tati-ji. And we resent every ache. Paidhi-ji, be glad of your youth, and know what you have ahead.”

“One regrets to say, aiji-ma, that one does feel it.”

Ilisidi’s expression lightened. She liked to be flattered, if the flattery was subtle. So did Tatiseigi.

Tea continued, and the house remained quiet, except the servants hurrying about their preparations—and except, one was certain, the unheard transactions of the Guild, those in communication with the Taibeni units, and those in communication with others about the grounds, where it was not tea service and light conversation. The best the lords involved could do in that matter was to stay out of the way. The answer to the alarm was not being obvious.

“We shall rest before dinner,” Ilisidi said, after a single cup. “Perhaps have a nap.”

With that, their little conference adjourned, and they got up, bowed, and gathered up their separate guards.

Banichi and Jago joined them outside.

“The Taibeni have found sign, but they dare not bring the mecheiti in close to Tatiseigi’s herd,” Banichi said quietly. “One of Tatiseigi’s grooms is bringing the herd-leader over to see what he picks up and where it came from. There is however, a very faint trace of old sign, from before the rain. The direction of approach was from the Kadagidi perimeter.”

“One is not that surprised. Is there any guess how old?”

“Difficult,” Jago said. “They think possibly beforethe new equipment went in. Four days ago.”

“One of the Taibeni,” Banichi said, “has made a search of the stables, to see if he could locate the young gentleman’s parid’ja, or anything else, but if it is there, it is hiding.”

“A good thought, at least,” Bren said, and as they started up the stairs: “We are given leave to brief Jase on our situation, not the details inside the Guild.”

That, by the fact of language, was his to do.

“He is back in his quarters,” Tano said, and added: “And Cajeiri and his guests are sitting in theirs and talking. We have been given a lower level of alert. That could change at any moment.”

And that . . . was the least surprising news of the entire day.

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