Casket of Souls (16 page)

Seregil smiled to himself. He knew just the “entertainment” to bring.

They played for several hours, with the money washing back and forth between the two pairs, then went to the card tables to try their luck at Hawk and Hunter. Seregil won mercilessly there, and the other players finally gave up and departed.

“That was thirsty work,” said Selin. “Where shall we go to drink at this hour?”

“I know a very welcoming establishment,” said Seregil.

They all piled into the duke’s carriage and Seregil directed the driver to Eirual’s house just down the street, where a pink lantern glowed invitingly over the door.

“Your Grace, my lords, come in!” the doorman, Manius, said, ushering them in at once. “I will inform the mistress that you are here.”

The lavish reception hall was filled with courtesans and their patrons for the night. Beautiful women of every description lounged around the room in silk gowns and jewels fit for any lady, entertaining their partner or partners for the evening. In a pink-lantern house, all the patrons were men.
The other three colors, white, blue, and green, signaled other combinations. Alec had once unwittingly stumbled in under a green lantern and found himself surrounded by male courtesans intent on entertaining him, much to Seregil’s amusement.

It was an elegant room, and rather exotic, reflecting the owner’s taste. Tapestries covered the walls, rather than murals, giving the room a warmer atmosphere in spite of the size, and displaying lush but tasteful scenes of carnal pleasures. The incense scenting the room was musky and sensual. At the far end of the room, a blond girl was plucking a lute, accompanying Myrhichia as she sang a love song.

Manius disappeared up the sweeping gilded staircase at the back of the room, returning a moment later with word that Eirual was still receiving visitors.

They found her in her broad, silk-hung bed. The explicitly erotic murals that covered the walls seemed to stir with a life of their own in the light of dozens of fine beeswax tapers.

As was the custom in this particular street, and in some of the finer houses on Golden Helm and Silvermoon, too, if truth be told, she held her evening salons from her bed, where she sat propped up against lavish silken bolsters, clad in an embroidered velvet dressing gown, the front of the lacy nightgown beneath it open to reveal her breasts. Several of her courtesans were there as well in similar dishabille, and there were half a dozen male guests already in attendance, Duke Malthus among them, talking and laughing over their wine and sweetmeats.

“Seregil, my love! And the handsome Alec!” Eirual greeted them gaily. “And you’ve brought friends. Duke Reltheus, it’s so good to see you. And this handsome young man.” She gave Selin a twinkling smile. “Didn’t I see you at Alec’s party?”

“Yes, mistress,” Selin managed, looking a little flustered. Seats were found for the newcomers, and wine was poured.

Reltheus sipped his and nodded. “Even in these times, you still serve excellent wine, my dear. How ever do you manage it?”

“Oh, I have my ways,” she told him. She turned to Alec
with a roguish pout. “What brings you here tonight? I’m sure it’s not to seek my custom.”

“Your company, of course, dear lady,” he replied.

Eirual laughed and turned to Reltheus. “I had no idea you knew this pair of rogues.”

“I’ve only met them tonight, and soon learned that it’s better to play on their side than against them.”

“I’ve lost many bets to them,” Malthus told him. “Yet I can’t seem to forgo their company.”

“I’m beginning to understand why,” Reltheus declared, and Seregil could tell the man was more than a bit drunk, and comfortable in these surroundings, as he’d hoped.

Seregil raised his cup to him. “May we have many more such nights of debauchery. What is life without pleasure?”

“To pleasure!”

Seregil and Alec sipped their wine sparingly while the others indulged more deeply. When the duke was flushed and merry, Seregil gave him a wink and said, “I understand you attend Archduchess Alaya’s salons. Does she entertain in this fashion?” He took Eirual’s hand and kissed it.

Reltheus laughed and Selin blushed. “Not these days,” the duke declared. “But she’s a grand woman still. To the lovely old thing!”

They all drank to that.

“I think she would appreciate the ‘lovely,’ but not the ‘old,’ ” Eirual chided. “No woman likes to be reminded of the passing of time and beauty.”

“Time does not end beauty, but transforms it,” Reltheus replied gallantly. “I’m sure your charms will never fade, lovely lady.”

“The archduchess must still be very youthful, to have the honor so late in life to be the confidante of the princess royal,” Alec remarked, steering the conversation back on topic.

“Oh, she dotes on the girl,” said Reltheus.

“I wonder what Princess Elani is like? They keep her so closely guarded. Have you met her?”

Reltheus nodded. “I have the honor of knowing her rather well. She can be very serious, like her aunt the queen, but she
has a girlish side, too. She’s wickedly adept with sword and bow.”

“She’s what, about sixteen now?” asked Seregil. “Has there been any talk of finding her a husband yet? I suppose the queen must be anxious to see her bear a daughter.”

“Not as yet, but—” The duke paused. “I do have hopes.”

“You?” Alec asked ingenuously.

“By the Flame!” Reltheus burst out laughing and slapped Alec on the shoulder. “I think my wife would have a thing or two to say about that. My mistresses are enough to vex her.”

“The duke has several handsome sons, Alec,” Malthus told him. “Danos is twenty, now, isn’t he, Reltheus?”

“Twenty-three,” Selin told them, “and a captain in the Queen’s Horse Guard, under Princess Klia’s command. Seregil’s friend Micum has a daughter who’s a captain and squadron leader in the Guard, too.”

“She was the leader of the famous Urghazi Turma before her promotion, I believe,” said Reltheus. “I’ve heard ballads sung about them and their exploits. She has a brilliant reputation.”

“I’ve heard your son’s bravery well spoken of, too,” Seregil lied. “And he is of an age and station to be considered for a consort, don’t you think?”

Reltheus smiled. “I’m in hopes that he may catch the queen’s eye.”

“And the princess royal’s, as well, I suppose?” said Malthus dryly.

“They have hunted together,” the duke said, ignoring the barb. “Elani’s mother birthed a fine string of girls, and I have four daughters myself. Queen Phoria is said to be taking such matters into consideration. Skala can’t afford another uncertain succession.”

On one hand, it was tempting to mark down the duke as just another social climber, trying to position his heir to ascend the royal ladder by way of the royal bed. But there was something about the cold-blooded manner in which he spoke of the match that fueled Seregil’s suspicions. It wasn’t the tone of a would-be father-in-law. There was often truth to be found in wine that didn’t come out otherwise.

“But I’m not the only one with a connection to the royal family, am I, Seregil,” said Reltheus. “I believe you and Alec here know Princess Klia.”

“They’re good friends with her,” said Eirual.

“We have that honor,” Seregil replied, puffing up a bit. Something in the way Reltheus was looking at him now twigged his suspicions. As innocent as the question seemed, he sensed more than ordinary interest and thought again of the list Alec had found with their names on it. “I’ve known her since she was just a little thing, and Alec came to know her well while we were in Aurënen.”

“What do you think of her? I understand she’s a delightful woman, and a fearless warrior.”

Alec nodded. “She’s as brave as she is beautiful and intelligent.”

“Spoken like a true devotee,” Reltheus said with a smile. “I suppose that’s what makes her such a fine commander. And there are those who think she’d make a fine queen.”

“I suppose there are,” Seregil replied noncommittally.

“Well, you are lucky young men, to be counted as friends of one so near the throne.”

“So near, yet so far.” Seregil watched for a reaction.

“Indeed,” said Selin, shaking his head.

“Word around court is that the queen is cold toward her youngest sister,” Reltheus said. “Do you know anything of that, Seregil?”

“Klia doesn’t bear her sister any ill will that I know of. As I understand it, they had their differences over allying with Aurënen.” Once again, this was common knowledge. “The queen had already chosen Elani as her successor, though. That had nothing to do with her decision, as far as I know.”

“Why do you suppose Queen Phoria recalled her sister from Aurënen so suddenly?” wondered Reltheus.

Seregil laughed and waved a hand. “I’m sure I don’t know. We haven’t seen Klia since she came back, and we’re certainly not privy to the queen’s reasoning.”

“Oh, of course not,” the duke replied. “I was only curious as to your opinion.”

“Queen Phoria must need all the commanders in the field
she can get, given how many she’s lost since the war started,” Alec offered.

“What else could it be? Or do you think differently, Reltheus?” asked Seregil.

“As you say, Seregil, I’m not privy to the queen’s thoughts. But we grow too serious. Bilairy take politics!” He raised his wine cup. “To the queen!”

The rest joined the toast.

“And the princess royal,” Seregil added, and saw how Reltheus’s gaze flickered his way. Surprise, perhaps?

“Alec, young Selin here tells me that you’re a good man with a bow,” said the duke.

“He can shoot the eye out of a woodcock at a hundred paces in the dark,” Malthus told him.

“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Alec demurred.

Reltheus clapped him on the shoulder. “And modest, too. That’s a good trait in a young man. I must have the two of you out to my estate for the hunting. You do hunt, don’t you, Seregil?”

“Not well, though not for lack of Alec trying to teach me.”

“And sadly, he’s not just being modest,” Alec put in with a grin.

For the next hour Seregil and Alec took turns telling altered tales and outright lies for the amusement of their companions, and the duke called them both “friend” before the night was over and renewed his invitation to come with him to the duchess’s salon as he and the other visitors took their leave.

Seregil and Alec lingered behind in Eirual’s room.

Eirual yawned behind her hand. “Pardon me, it’s been a long day.”

“We’ll leave in a moment,” Seregil told her. “But first—”

She gave him a knowing smile. “You want to know more about Duke Reltheus?”

“He’s a new acquaintance, and he interests me.”

“Well, he likes my girl Hyli, and has had more mistresses than you have teeth. But you already heard the best bit of gossip tonight. Reltheus means to marry his son Danos off to Princess Elani.”

“Who are Reltheus’s friends?”

“Oh, Earl Stenmir, of course, and Count Tolin. Those are the ones I’ve seen him here with.”

“I understood he is friends with Marquis Kyrin, as well,” Seregil prompted.

“Perhaps, but from what I’ve heard of the marquis, he doesn’t frequent brothels, or gambling houses, either. Rather boring fellow, wouldn’t you say?”

“I would, indeed.”

“Why this sudden interest in Reltheus?” she asked.

“I like to know who I’m gambling against.” Seregil rose and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you, my friend.”

“It’s very late,” Eirual noted with a mischievous smile. “You could both sleep here tonight.” She patted the bed to either side. “There’s plenty of room.”

“But if we stayed, we might not get any sleep at all, and we have a busy day tomorrow,” Seregil teased back. “Another time.”

As he and Alec came down the sweeping staircase overlooking the salon, Seregil grinned as he caught sight of Atre, together with Count Tolin and a few other young lords, lounging with a cluster of courtesans. Atre appeared to be the center of attention, as always.

“My, my,” Seregil murmured. “He’s certainly making inroads with the nobility.”

“Not only them,” Alec muttered, and to Seregil’s surprise, he sounded piqued.

He glanced back and realized that the courtesan Atre appeared to be paying homage to was Myrhichia.

Just then the actor noticed them and waved. Seregil smiled and waved back. Alec didn’t.

Outside Alec avoided Seregil’s questioning look. Myrhichia could choose whomever she wanted; he wasn’t even sure why it bothered him so much, except perhaps because he knew Atre.

“Alec?”

“That was a good night’s work, wasn’t it?” Alec strode off
through the crowd of late-night revelers toward the ornate archway that marked the entrance to the Street of Lights.

“Yes,” said Seregil, catching up and linking his arm through Alec’s. “Kyrin interests me greatly. Why would a roisterer like Reltheus have such a reticent man for a friend?”

Alec shrugged. “Reltheus seemed to be sounding us out about Klia.”

“Yes, and clumsily, too. He certainly takes an interest in the royal family.”

“If he’s really so interested in Klia, I wonder if he sees her as a threat?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Seregil murmured. “Something has Reltheus’s attention, and Kyrin’s. My guess is that they think all of us on that list are potential members of a rival cabal. And just because we don’t know about it doesn’t mean there isn’t one.”

Atre had designs on Myrhichia from the start, but Alec’s unmistakable look of dismay across the room made it all the more delicious a challenge. Were the young man and the whore more than friends? It seemed unlikely given all he had heard and seen of him with Seregil, but clearly Alec felt some warmth toward her. Why else that sour look as he locked eyes with Atre?

He made room for himself on the couch beside Myrhichia, took her graceful, bejeweled hand in his and raised it to his lips. Looking up at her through his thick lashes, he murmured, “You are lovelier than silvery moonlight on the face of the sea. Your beauty makes me tremble like a green boy.”

Rather than blushing, as most women did under the influence of his charm, the girl tapped his arm with her fan and laughed. “And you are as charming as the smitten swain you played the other night, dear man. I think he said something of the sort to lovely Aphinia. You are my favorite actor, and playwright, this season!”