Treachery's Tools (19 page)

“We've been looking forward to having you.”
More than you may ever know.

“Now, Tertia Malyna,” said Alyna, “it's time for you—”

“I'm really a third?”

“That's what Maitre Akoryt determined from all those tests and exercises. You still have a lot to learn to be a high-level third.”

“But I am a third?”

“You are a third, and you need to join the other junior thirds at their morning instructionals.” Alyna stood.

After a moment, so did Malyna.

“I'm sure I'll be back later,” said Alyna.

Alastar was afraid she would be … and that he knew why.

He was still thinking about what he could say to his daughter when Maercyl appeared once more at the study door. “Factor Hulet is here. He appears unhappy.”

“Have him come in.”

Alastar had barely stood and finished the invitation when the tall factor burst into the study like a winter wind. Despite his flushed face, his gray eyes were hard. “Another factor's ward has been taken. That's twice this week.”

“Taken?” asked Alastar, although he suspected he knew exactly what Hulet meant.

“Snatched, kidnapped, grabbed off the street.”

“When and how did this happen, and what does it have to do with the Collegium?”

“You know very well … or your senior imager does. Commander Murranyt told him about the first grabbing. No one's yet found a trace of Youvyn.”

“I knew one young man had reportedly been forced into a coach, and that he was a factor's son. The Collegium is not the Civic Patrol, Factorius. I am definitely concerned and worried about the growing tensions between the High Holders—”

“Tensions? Those spoiled bastards are killing our boys because…” Hulet's entire body was shaking.

“Because your boys are better at gaming”—
and perhaps cheating
—“than their boys are?”

“They won't pay their debts, and neither will their spoiled brats! And now those brats are resorting to killing.”

“We both suspect that might be true,” said Alastar calmly, “but what proof do we have?”

“Whose side are you on, Maitre?”

“Solidar's side. That means looking to the laws.”
First, anyway.

“Namer take the laws! Laws are useless unless they're equal for everyone. They're not.”

“That's the issue before the rex.” Alastar paused momentarily. “Just what are you asking me to do?”

“Find a way to put the arrogant bastards and their arrogant sons under the same laws as the rest of us.”

“According to the Codex Legis, when it comes to high crimes, they already are.”

“Then get our high and mighty Rex Lorien to enforce the laws that way!”

Hulet's hard and penetrating voice, his commanding height, and his intensity made it more than clear to Alastar that the factor was accustomed to using his presence to intimidate others and get his way—no matter what.

“I can only recommend … and I've been doing just that.”

“Recommend harder, or louder. Or image some sense into him.”

As if you haven't been trying for years?

“If one of your relations…” Hulet shook his head. “Enrique was my sister's boy, and the son of a good man who died too young, cheated out of his patrimony by those bastards. When he won … from that same family, that was fair, but … I've said enough. You know what to do.” With that, Hulet turned and strode out of the study, leaving the door wide open.

Alastar just stood there for several moments.

Should you request a meeting with Cransyr?
Alastar shook his head. The disappearance of two factors' sons was deeply disturbing, but there was still no evidence that the two were dead.
And there likely never will be.

By the time the study door opened at just after fourth glass, and Alyna, followed by Lystara, entered, Alastar still had received no word about Frydrek and no messages from Lorien.

“I thought we three should talk before we return to the house.”

With one glance at Lystara's face, Alastar had no doubts about the matter to be discussed. “I think we should.” He took one of the three chairs in front of the desk and sat down, waiting for Alyna and Lystara to do the same before he said to Lystara, “You look a bit upset.”
And that's an understatement.

“Father, it's not fair!” Lystara stopped as she saw Alastar's frown.

“What is it that you think is so unfair? You don't have to shout so loudly that the whole Collegium can hear.”

Lystara clamped her mouth shut.

Alyna looked to Alastar and mouthed, “Give her time.”

Alastar waited … and waited.

Finally, Lystara said, her voice trembling—with anger, Alastar suspected—“I'm a much better imager than Malyna … and you made her a third.”

“How do you know that?” asked Alastar.

“I just do. She can't do concealments. I asked her.”

“You're absolutely right. Maitre Akoryt told us that you were a much better imager than Malyna. But I'd didn't make her a third, although I could have. Maitre Akoryt made that judgment. He also said that you were more than good enough in
terms of imaging
to be a third. The three of us decided that, while we will all tutor you in imaging and other things, and you can take some instructionals with the thirds, it would be best for you to remain a second for a while. Would you like to tell me why you think that is so?”

“No.”

Alastar again waited.

“Lystara…” said Alyna gently.

“All right. I'm smaller than some of the seconds, and I'm smaller than almost all the thirds. But Malyna's barely taller than I am.”

“Is she physically stronger than you? Not in imaging, but in carrying and lifting things?”

“I suppose so.”

“That's another matter that Maitre Akoryt is concerned about. We're going to add some things to your training, and that of the other student imagers over ten. That includes you. The others will join the morning run … and after that there will be an exercise class to build up physical strength.”

“You're saying I need to be stronger. That doesn't have anything to do with imaging.”

“It has a great deal to do with surviving imaging,” said Alastar.

“Dear…” said Alyna. “Do you remember what happened to your father when he used imaging to stop the rebellious troopers?”

“He almost died. You said.” Lystara's voice was flat.

“If he hadn't been as strong as he is, he would have died. You need to be physically stronger. Also … you need to see how the seconds and thirds act. You've already said that you don't want the seconds to think you're a baby.… How do you think the thirds will be? Do you want them saying that you're only a third because you can image and your father is Maitre?”

Lystara pressed her lips together, but did not reply.

“We won't stop you from learning imaging,” added Alastar, “but you'll have to do it more carefully until you're bigger and stronger.”

Abruptly, Lystara stiffened. “You think I'll do something stupid, don't you?”

“Not stupid,” replied Alastar. “Your mother and I worry about your doing something that you know how to do that is more than your body can take. Could you lift the big chest in our room … or hold it over your head? You know how to lift.”

“It's not the same…” Lystara's voice trailed off.

“Isn't it?” asked Alyna.

After several moments, Lystara said, “It's like that, but it's not the same.”

Alastar managed not to smile. “You're right, but it is a matter of strength.”

“How long do I have to stay with the seconds?”

“How long do you think it should be?” asked Alyna.

“Until spring … unless you think I could be a third sooner.”

“Won't that depend on you?” Alyna's voice was gentle.

“I suppose so. You think I'm not ready to act like a third. I could do that.”

“If you can, then perhaps you can join Malyna and the other thirds sooner.”

“I still don't think it's fair.”

“Sometimes what's right doesn't seem fair,” said Alastar, thinking again, as he had for years, about how many troopers had died in the senseless attacks on Imagisle … all because two men believed they'd been treated unfairly, and their acts had unfairly condemned thousands of troopers to an even more unfair death. “Sometimes, even, what's right isn't fair.”

“That doesn't seem right.”

“Your mother and I struggle with that all the time. So does Rex Lorien.”
Sometimes, anyway.
“At times, doing what's right creates unfairness, and at times, trying to be fair creates evil or wrongs someone else. Or even hurts the person you're trying to be fair to.”

“That's me, isn't it.”

“Yes,” Alastar admitted.

“As long as you admit it's not fair … but I don't have to like it.”

Alastar wanted to take a deep breath and a sigh of relief. He didn't. “That's correct. You don't have to like it.”
We all just have to deal with it.
He cleared his throat. “We should start for home.”

“We should,” agreed Alyna, standing.

“Where's Malyna?” asked Lystara.

“Maitre Tiranya walked home with her,” replied Alyna. “We didn't know if your uncle Zaeryl would be back, and Jienna has her hands full fixing dinner.”

“Malyna wouldn't be any trouble.”

“That's true,” said Alyna, “but it gave Maitre Tiranya some time to get acquainted with Malyna and tell her some of the things she needs to know.”

“Third things.”

“And some other things that you already know so well that you wouldn't even think she wouldn't know them … like all the rules for student imagers.”

Lystara nodded. “What are we having for dinner?”

“Pork cutlets, with fried apples, and lace potatoes.”

“With the stinky cheese.”

“With the stinky cheese,” affirmed Alyna, giving Alastar a fond smile as Lystara stood and headed for the study door.

Outside the administration building, a brisk but warm wind was blowing from the southwest, and Alastar could make out clouds to the south.

“We might see some more rain tonight or tomorrow,” he observed.

“We don't need any more.”

“No,” declared Lystara. “I'm tired of imaging mold off the stone steps.”

“It's good practice,” said Alastar cheerfully.

Lystara grimaced, but did not look at either of her parents.

When they reached the front porch of the Maitre's house, Malyna hurried out to meet them. “I've been here less than a quint.” She paused, then swallowed. “Aunt Alyna … where might I be sleeping?”

“In the same room where you have been, we'd thought.”

A pleased smile appeared. “Could Lystara help me unpack the rest of my things and help me put away my grays?”

“Could I?”

“You could,” replied Alyna. “Dinner won't be for a while. We'll be in the parlor.”

Alastar raised his eyebrows.

“I think you need a lager. I certainly do.”

“Can we have some with dinner?” asked Lystara.

“A little or watered wine. You can choose.”

“Thank you.”

The two girls were upstairs well before Alastar and Alyna settled into the comfortable armchairs in the parlor, each with a beaker of dark lager.

“That wasn't as painful as it could have been,” offered Alastar in a low voice.

“It was painful enough.”

“I'm sorry. I know…”

“I know you know, and I thought I was ready, but when she asked if she could choose…”

“I could see how you felt.” Alastar paused. “She seems well behaved.”

“She sees too much, about people. More than Lystara. Lystara sees more about the physical side of the world.”

“Lystara's younger.”

Alyna just looked at her husband.

“She's more like you than Lystara is in that regard. Is that what you're saying? Why do you think that?”

“Mairina's also part Pharsi.”

“You never mentioned that.”

“It never came up, and there wasn't any reason to say anything until I realized Malyna was coming. Mairina's the sister of Zaeryl's friend Calkoran. Actually, they became friends after Mairina and Zaeryl married.”

“That makes Arion and Malyna cousins.”

“I know. I told her that the other day.”

Alastar managed to look hurt. “And you didn't tell me?”

Alyna laughed. “You don't do the hurt look well. You do much better with the impassive expression.”

“Calkoran…” mused Alastar, “that does explain some of the imaging ability.”

“Some thought Zaeryl was marrying below his stature.”

“And you?”

“I've never met her, but from what Zaeryl wrote, and writes, they both seem happy. So many aren't.”

“Like the late High Holder Ryel?”

“And a few others.” Alyna took another swallow of the lager. “Do you want to tell me what happened today?”

“If you don't mind, I'll save it until after dinner. Zaeryl should hear some of it, and I'd just like to hear about your day.”

“I can do that, if you're ready for a few expressions of exasperation concerning a certain mathematics instructional…”

Almost a glass later, the girls came down the stairs.

“It's sixth glass,” announced Lystara.

Meaning that it's late for dinner during the middle of the week.
“We were waiting for Malyna's father.”

“We'll wait a bit longer,” said Alyna.

“Uncle Alastar…?”

“Yes?”

“Could I talk to you … alone?”