The Doom of Kings_ Legacy of Dhakaan - Don Bassingthwaite [28]
On the other hand, he probably had no idea what was inside the small casket. She wanted to argue with him and point out that the reliquary of Duural Rhuvet was an important part of their heritage. At the very least, she should correct his galling statement that she had dishonored her clan. She’d done no such thing. If she’d brought the reliquary back to Volaar Draal, the stronghold of the Kech Volaar, she would have been honored as a hero and a protector of Dhakaan’s glory. Shame turned to anger— and she swallowed both emotions. There were larger and more important things she needed to tell Tariic.
She looked down and away, her ears bent in contrition. “Sit gath’muut chib-rhu,” she said. I am without honor in this, high one. Formality demanded that the apology be spoken in Goblin, but Ekhaas was fairly certain that Ashi and Vounn would understand the spirit of her words.
Tariic gave a little grunt of approval—approval that turned to a flicker of surprise when Ekhaas raised her gaze just enough to meet his again and twitched her ears twice sharply. A simple signal, be alert. Tariic’s eyes widened, but there was no change in the tone of his voice. “I’m not the only one you should apologize to,” he said.
Ekhaas, her head down once more, turned to Vounn. “I’m sorry for any trouble or embarrassment I’ve caused you, Lady Seneschal. Please don’t think less of Tariic or Lhesh Haruuc because of my actions.”
“I welcome your apology,” said Vounn coolly. Ekhaas noticed that nothing in her voice or her stance implied that she actually accepted the apology, though.
Clever, the duur’kala thought, she leaves the incident open. She could still come back at us with demands for something more than an apology. In spite of Ashi’s complaints about her mentor, Ekhaas felt a grudging respect for the older woman’s guile.
Vounn’s attention had turned to Ashi, who met her gaze with unbowed sullenness. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “I tried to stop a thief.”
Ekhaas held back a wince. Just apologize, Ashi, she thought.
Vounn looked at Ashi with the cold but focused expression of a snake about to strike. “And in the process devastated a respected memorial, desecrated an altar of the Sovereign Host, and were arrested. You should have summoned the watch and let them deal with it. You haven’t just embarrassed Deneith in front of our guests from Darguun, you’ve embarrassed yourself and Deneith in front of Karrlakton and the other dragonmarked houses. Do you realize that stories about this are already circulating in taverns?” She looked to Tariic and added, “I’m sorry you have to see this. Discipline in Deneith is usually conducted in private.”
Tariic nodded graciously, but Ekhaas’s ears flicked in something between outrage and appreciation: outrage at Vounn for dragging Ashi through briars, appreciation for her expert manipulation of the situation. She very much doubted that stories of Ashi’s misadventure had actually found their way into taverns just yet—or even if they would. Likewise, she would have been surprised if details of the night’s events would reach other dragonmarked houses without being significantly altered. She had no doubt, however, that Vounn was not in the least sorry to have Tariic witness the confrontation. It showed him that she both understood the importance of honor and was willing to deal swiftly with disobedience from those in her command—both valued traits in the culture of Darguun. The lady seneschal’s reputation as a master diplomat was, it seemed, well-earned.
Ashi looked as if she was ready to burst. Her face had turned red except for a thin white line where she pressed her lips together. For a long moment, she just glared at Vounn, then, with a sharp glance sideways at Ekhaas, her lips parted and she said, “I’m sorry.”
Vounn raised her eyebrows, less in surprise, Ekhaas suspected, than as a prompt, and Ashi expanded on her apology. “I’m sorry I didn’t call the watch. I’m sorry I’ve embarrassed you and Deneith. I’m sorry I didn’t go to the banquet tonight and that