Masquerades - Kate Novak [33]
"I see," said Alias. "Is no one else in Westgate as brave and virtuous as your father?"
"Well, I doubt Lady Nettel of House Thalavar has any dealings with them," Victor replied. "She keeps a lot of halflings on retainer, though, and some people call them
the economy Night Masks. I don't suppose that's any more fair than assuming all merchants are heartless. It's my suspicion that House Urdo and House Ssemm are up to their eyeballs in dealings with the Night Masks. Possibly they even serve as members to the Faceless's inner circle, the Night Masters. The other houses, I suppose, just pay them protection and only hire them on special occasions."
"You mentioned the Faceless? Who's he?" Alias asked.
"The Faceless is the Night Masks' supposed lord. There's a lot of speculation about him. Some say he's a powerful spellcaster, others that he's not even human. A few people insist he does not exist."
"So, without denying that your father may care about the people of Westgate, tell me: Why has he waited until his fourth term of office to hire me to take care of them? And why hire me of all people?"
"Well, as to the first, I suppose during his first three terms he didn't take the Night Masks very seriously. Because he faced them down, he presumed they weren't bothering anyone else. He does tend to be removed from the problems of the common people. When he lost the office of croamarkh to Lansdal Ssemm, the Night Masks' activities got much more aggressive and Father began to reevaluate their threat. I suppose I can take some credit for his new outlook. Since I turned thirty he's begun to take me more seriously, too. And I think something must be done about the Night Masks. I really believe the people should have justice.
"As for why you, well, Father's been looking for the right person since he was reelected this spring, and you appeared. If Westgate were a theocracy, you would be seen as a sign from the gods. To a businessman like my father, you're the knock of opportunity. From what we heard of your exploits of last night, you have the skills and the momentum. Businessmen do not slam the door in the face of opportunity. And speaking of business, please excuse me for a moment, I need to attend to something."
Alias nodded and stood beside Dragonbait as Victor walked down a pier to speak with another man wearing a family Dhostar trading badge.
"Well, what insights into the Dhostar heir?" Alias asked.
"He is all he appears," the paladin replied with satisfaction, delighted to have found another pure soul of sky blue in this city of vice.
"What, another puppy-lover?" Alias asked.
"Why must you joke about it?" Dragonbait asked "I do not tease you for your virtue."
Alias flushed again. She was never comfortable when the paladin reminded her that he perceived virtue in her. She harbored a secret fear that he saw what he wanted to see in her, and should the veil ever be lifted from his eyes… Alias didn't like to think about that. She diverted the conversation back to Luer Dhostar. "Whatever Victor may say, you aren't convincing me that the croamarkh isn't motivated by his vanity and love of power."
"No," the saurial agreed. "The elder Dhostar is not all his son contends. Victor sees him with the eyes of a loving son, and he defends him as a loyal son would. He reminds me of you, the way you always defended Finder Wyvernspur, despite his many flaws."
Alias, determined not to be drawn into an argument about the man she'd thought of as a father, returned her attention to Victor Dhostar.
The young man appeared to be trying to negotiate an argument between the servant of his own house and a halfling dressed in the green livery of House Thalavar, who stood on top of a stack of crates. Despite Victor's efforts, both servants had gone beyond the stage of arguing rationally and had begun screaming at one another at the top of their lungs, each waving a bill of lading in the other's face.
Behind the halfling servant was a Thalavar ship crewed