Free Bonds of Vengeance by David B. Coe Page B

staring down at him as if he had never seen the man before. The duke should have thought of all this long ago. For that matter, Diani should have as well. But clearly neither of them had. By considering it for them, Kreazur was merely doing his job, proving himself to be a loyal servant of House Curlinte and an enemy of the renegade Qirsi. Yet, the mere fact that he could think in such a way, that he could anticipate the desires of the conspiracy with such chilling certitude, made him more suspect in Sertio’s eyes, not less. Did all the white-hairs think this way? Were they born with a propensity toward treachery, or was it a product of their service in the Eandi courts?
    “You disagree with me,” the minister said, misreading his expression.
    “Not at all. It just never occurred to me to think . . . in such terms.”
    The man actually smiled, shaking his head. He was heavier than most Qirsi, with a fuller face, and in the dim light, looking both hurt and amused, he resembled an overindulged child. “So now you think me a traitor, just as your daughter does.”
    Sertio resumed his pacing. “Not at all.”
    “Please don’t dissemble with me, my lord. It does both of us a disservice.”
    “I don’t think you’ve betrayed us, Kreazur. If you had, you wouldn’t have been so honest a moment ago in your assessment of the danger facing the courts.” He faltered briefly. “I merely find myself thinking that the Eandi mind and the Qirsi mind work differently. No Eandi could have devised such an ingenious plot.”
    “I think you give your people too little credit, my lord,” the minister said, his voice thick with irony.
    They both fell silent once more, Sertio wishing he hadn’t come at all. He feared for his daughter more now than when he had come, and though convinced of Kreazur’s innocence, he doubted that he could ever rely on the minister’s counsel again. It wouldn’t come as a surprise if the Qirsi and his fellow ministers left House Curlinte permanently upon winning their freedom from the prison tower. If Kreazur had accurately gauged the intent of the conspiracy’s leaders, the duke and his daughter had been all too quick to further their plans.
    “I take it you haven’t found the assassins yet,” Kreazur said at last.
    “No. I have men searching the countryside, but I fear they may have come to Curlinte by sea. They may be impossible to find.”
    “Perhaps not impossible. More difficult certainly. But our house has good relations with most of the merchant captains between here and the Crown, even those sailing under the Wethy flag. They may be able to help us.”
    “Yes, that’s a good thought. I’ll send messages to the ports later today, provided there’s no word from the moor. Thank you, First Minister.” It was sound advice. Perhaps Kreazur could still serve House Curlinte after all.
    “Of course, my lord.”
    They slipped into another uncomfortable silence, until Sertio finally decided that he had best leave. He stepped to the door and called for the guard.
    “I’ll leave you to sleep, First Minister. Please forgive the disturbance.”
    “There’s nothing to forgive, my lord. Were I in my chambers neither of us would think twice about such an interruption. Despite this unpleasantness I still serve you and your house.”
    Sertio nodded as the soldier appeared in the corridor and unlocked the steel door.
    “I will speak with the duchess about gaining your release. You have my word.”
    “I’d be most grateful, my lord.”
    Sertio nodded and walked out of the chamber as soon as the soldier pulled open the door. He was eager to leave the prison tower and the company of this man. No doubt Kreazur had been wronged, by Diani as well as by the duke himself. But though he would keep his word and attempt to prevail upon his daughter to free Kreazur and his fellow ministers, he had no desire to prolong their conversation.
    It was still dark when he stepped into the ward once more and began