The Howling Delve - Jaleigh Johnson [61]
Her eyes on the swirling crowd, Cesira did not immediately teply. Hired minsttels-she had no idea where Kail had found them-had begun a circle dance, which had drawn many of the guests from the balcony to line up in colorful half-moons across the floor. They were all smiles and good-natured jesting on the surface, but Cesita knew why the merchants were here. They wanted to see if Kali could hold his own among them.
Everything in Amn was a test, a measurement of investment and potential gain. If Kail's manner and surroundings showed promise, the merchant families would give him time to pay the debts of his father. That's why Cesira had agreed to serve in the role of the lady of the house, however much it galled her. She had no intention of letting the wolves eat Kail alive.
She'd directed the servants in gutting and cleaning the house with the same thoroughness she displayed when scourging an army of goblins. The results may not have rivaled the Tanislove estate, but there would be no chink in Morel's armor from this front.
Have you watched them? she asked, nodding to the dancing throng.
"Glaring peacocks, the lot," Morgan said dismissively. "No." Laerin shook his head. "She means the merchant families."
"What of em?"
"They announced them at the door, each according to his station," said Laerin. "I watched them separate immediately, almost as if they couldn't stand to be in each other's company."
Morgan nodded sagely. "Reminds me of my family."
"It's what they prefer you to think. Look." Laerin pointed with his glass to a group of women gathered near the staircase. Their ornate tutbans shimmered with glitter dust and bobbed together like a star storm with the force of the women's back and forth whispering. "The younger lass, standing at the edge of the crowd-she's Seyana Veshpel, a niece of Lord Uskan Veshpel-patriarch of his house. I saw her announced last in het family. See how she's tteated as such?"
Yet that youngest Veshpel, said Cesira, so innocently lingering at the edge of the group, stands less than a whip crack from her father, and he from his wife, and she from-
"Lord Uskan," Morgan said, seeing the pattern emerge.
"So it goes with every family," said Laerin. "A living chain to see and hear everything in the room. Whatever their personal rivalries, good business benefits the whole family."
"Forced loyalty," Morgan muttered, shaking his head. "One of Morel's fine emeralds says in private they're one wrong word from slaughtering each other." He raised a fist, showing thtee of the Morel emerald and stone symbols between his fingets.
"Where did you pick those up?" asked Laerin, affronted. "I only received one."
Cesira rolled her eyes. As did everyone at the party, she said.
"Oh, wait, here's another," Laerin added. He smirked, drawing a handful of glittering green from his pouch.
Wonderful, Cesira muttered. Now, would you care to point out which ladies you lifted them from, or shall I wait until one of them gives me a look of horror when I try to speak to her?
Morgan pointed to a woman whose dress was a configuration of red silk scarves fastened in her hair and looping outwards, wrapping down around all the vital pottions of her lithe body. "She was definitely one of them."
Thank you, the druid sighed. I think I can divine the others on my own.
Cesira slipped away to join Kali just as Lady Tanislove left him.
He's here-Lord Rays, she told him. He arrived while you were with Marstil.
"Is he still coherent?" Barely.
"Wonderful. He'll be much more open to my proposal."
Cesira tapped a slender finger against her chin. Now, would that be another business venture, my lord, or the systematic murder of Bladesmile mercenaries? I do get the two confused, you know.
"The latter," Kail said dtyly, "but I only intend to mutder the ones who prove uncooperative."
You still think one of them will be able to lead you to Balram?
"Somebody knows," said Kail darkly.
As he statted to walk away, Cesira took his arm. Relax, Kail, she said. The Morel name demands the merchants treat you