Masquerades - Kate Novak [21]
One of the more portly Night Masters, the glyph on his mask identifying him as the manager of the Gateside district, stood before his fellows and his lord, prompting himself from a list on a sheet of yellow paper. The insurance money paid by the Gateside festhalls has increased to ninety percent, up from seventy-two percent, no doubt owing to the recent fires that have plagued nonpaying elements in the Outside district."
The Gateside manager's tone was flat and emotionless, like the singsong of a sergeant-at-arms reading the charges of the hundredth petty pickpocket of the day. The Ssemm supplies discussed two nights ago have been acquired and moved through a third party to Elturel, where the Vhammos family will purchase it in the name of the Free Traders. The indoctrination of young Haztor Urdo continues. He believes it's all an exciting game, and doesn't suspect we know his identity. We continue to experience difficulties from halfling agents throughout Gate-side (similar to those experienced and reported by Harborside), most of which can be traced back to Lady Nettel's employment of inordinate numbers of these vermin." Gateside halted, double-checked his list, then offered the paper to the brazier, which greedily consumed it.
Throughout the report, the Faceless sat in repose, white-gloved hands resting comfortably on the sides of his throne. After the portly Night Master finished, there was a short silence, as there always was. Then the Faceless's metallic voice rasped across the table. "Are all these reports accurate?"
Ten masks bobbed around the table, and ten voices replied in varying tones, "Yes, milord."
The Faceless drummed his fingers on the slick obsidianof his throne's armrest. "What of the matter of Jamal the Thespian?" he growled.
"Still…" Gateside hesitated, as if his words had caught on something, "under review," he finished. It was apparent that he'd been hoping this matter would not come up. "Her home was set afire," he reported, "and the clothing merchant who not only rented her a room but refused our protection was killed as a warning. We have yet to discover if she survived the blaze."
"She survived," the Faceless intoned.
Gateside held hands out, protesting, "We are as yet unaware-"
"I said, 'She survived;' " the Faceless repeated, raising his voice just a fraction, silencing Gateside. "She was rescued by a red-haired swordswoman, who was aided by a lizardlike creature with a staff. Jamal fled the burning building for the quarters of an ally, the sage Mintassan, whom we are unwilling to directly confront. The red-haired woman and the lizardman joined Jamal at Mintassan's."
Gateside tried to interrupt, saying, "We had no knowledge of-"
"If you had followed procedure," the Faceless reprimanded, "and confirmed both the burning and casualties by posting eyes, you would have known. Instead you waited for the watch's report to be smuggled to you. as you have done in the past. Had you posted eyes, your man might have been able to finish off the woman as she fled. I requested her tongue be silenced. As it stands, the wretched banshee is still loose, unharmed, as is her tongue and her annoying troupe of ragtag performers."
Gateside, his eyes now fixed on the tabletop, replied, "I apologize for my carelessness."
"On a related matter," the Faceless continued, turning to face the Night Master in charge of Enforcement, "What news is there of our naked assassins?" Gateside exhaled slowly in relief while Enforcement pursed his lips until they nearly disappeared.
The other nine Night Masters looked puzzled. The Faceless nodded in Enforcement's direction to indicate he should explain.
"External