"Stop politicking, Kitsune. There's no one to hear you."
"We are in the imperial city. There is always someone to hear us. Remember that, Keeper." He lowered his voice. "As for Tyrus Tatsu, he is the emperor's son. I cannot afford to have a personal opinion on him. If you are asking if I suspect him of ulterior motives, I do not. Tyrus is as he appears. When I knew him, he had no interest in politics, and I cannot imagine that has changed. He knows it's not in his best interests, and it doesn't suit him anyway. He lacks the guile to compete in that snake's nest. He is best suited for his chosen profession: a warrior."
"So he can be trusted."
"No one here can be trusted, Keeper." He gave her a stern look. "Remember that, too."
"I misspoke. Is he honorable?"
A pause. It didn't seem as if Gavril was considering the matter, but more as if it pained him to speak the words. "Yes," he said finally. "Tyrus is honorable."
Moria realized that was Gavril's problem with the young bastard prince. He respected him. He might even like him. Which was unacceptable, because Tyrus was the son of the man who had, in Gavril's eyes, betrayed his father.
They were taken
directly into a large chamber, where they were seated on cushions and given food and drink, and then told that the chancellor and one of the three major counselors were on their way. Gavril had warned them to expect a delay--the men would be briefed first, and would not rush, for fear of seeming panicked.
Politically, the chancellor ranked just below the emperor and marshal. He was in charge of all matters of state. Major counselors were the emperor's advisors. Sending both showed that their situation was being taken seriously.
Gavril and Moria decided Ashyn would speak for them. Letting Gavril do so would be politically dangerous. So would letting Moria, though in a much different way.
There was little need for restraint. When the men arrived, with their scribes and their attendants, it was nothing like their encounter with Ellyn and Thea. The chancellor and major counselor listened to their story with incredulity, but they did not question its veracity. Or, Moria suspected, they did not question that the three young people thought it was true.
Whether the village had truly been massacred by shadow stalkers seemed dubious to them, but clearly a large number of citizens were dead and the children had been taken hostage by mercenaries, who threatened the people of another town. These were events on too grand a scale to be wholesale fabrications.
They had, of course, dispatched fast runners to Fairview to "assess the ongoing situation," and to Edgewood to "search for survivors." Moria would argue with neither. Their story was indeed incredible, and the chancellor would be a fool to take it at face value.
Ashyn said nothing of death worms and thunder hawks. That would come later. Adding more sightings of presumed legendary creatures would not aid their cause.
So they told their story, and then were escorted to their quarters, where they would await the return of the emperor.
Moria wandered about the confines of their room. It was large enough, though the design was not truly to her taste. It was done in the imperial style, starkly white, with "windows" made of thin paper that let in light, but were impossible to see through. Bright, colored pillows decorated the floor and the sleeping mat, adding enough color to ease the chill of the white, but Moria still found herself shivering as she walked.
"Stop pacing," Ashyn said. "You're making Daigo dizzy."
Moria glanced at the wildcat. He was on a bed of pillows like a sultan, sleeping soundly, his wounds cleaned and tended by the court doctor.
"Fine," Ashyn said. "You're making me dizzy. And Tova."
The hound grunted in agreement.
"Go to the library and fetch a book." Ashyn lifted the one she was reading. "You've never seen such a collection. They're sure to have new ones for you, with new beasts you can use to scare children."
Ashyn smiled, but Moria was in no mood to think of fantastical creatures. At this point, it seemed as if merely to consider them would be to conjure one in their quarters. She had no interest in new tales of wild adventure either. She would be quite happy when this one was done.
"Let me see the envelope," she said, walking to Ashyn.
"And let you nearly set it on fire again, holding it to the flame trying to read the message inside?" Ashyn shook her head. "You'll find out soon enough. We cannot risk tampering with it."
"I'm not tampering. I'm trying to learn more. Once we hand it to the emperor, we have only his word on what's written within."
Ashyn's brows shot up. "You think he would lie?"
"Perhaps not, but I don't like knowing so little. Let me see the seal again."
Ashyn sighed and took the envelope out. Moria examined the wax seal.
"It looks like a family crest," Moria said. "But there is no creature in it, and Gavril did not recognize it."