Free Hunting by Andrea Höst

undetectable,
which only the most expert might identify."
    "You think they're going to kill the
Rhoi?" Ash asked, since that was the conclusion the entire city had
come to.
    "If so, this is a strange and clumsy
way to go about it, raising suspicion in advance. And the murder of
a Rhoi is one crime not lightly forgiven during Astenar and Luin's
judgment. This Rhoimarch – there is more going on here than... Do
not repeat what I tell you now."
    Curious, Ash made a tiny noise of
assent, wishing he would sit up so she could see his face.
    "In late autumn Arun received a letter
from his father recalling him to Montmoth. If we hadn't already
started out in response to it, I'm not sure we would have made it
through the passes which block this place off so effectively in
winter."
    "Did Rhoi Malaster say why he wanted
Rhoi Arun to return?"
    "He instructed Arun to ask my Rhoi for
an advisor on matters of Balance. Which is me, and I don't even
need to see you to know you've screwed your eyebrows up into those
doubtful arches. It's the Estarrel blood – it means I'm sensitive
to Balance thanks to Luin, just as I am to magery because of
Astenar. Rhoi Malaster didn't explain why he needed an advisor –
it's an unusual request, since most Rhois would do anything rather
than admit to a failure of Balance."
    "Is there–?"
    "There's certainly something wrong
here, although I don't think it's with the Balance. Luin's laws are
kept well enough, but many of Astenar's are skirted around, some
almost openly flouted. This book is a good example." He held up the
volume Ash had repaired. "Instead of recording the gods'
instructions, it interprets them. And very few of Astenar's are
discussed. Even if the full volumes of the Edicts are available
somewhere in this benighted place, they're rarely directly taught . At any rate, Arun has not discovered whatever
specific issue was behind the summons. Nor have I."
    Finished with the boots, Ash lined them
at the foot of the bed and eyed the Aremish Visel as he sat up.
    "Was Rhoi Malaster murdered?" she
asked, bluntly.
    "I don't know. A fall down a stair
could be anything. The Guard found nothing definitive." He handed
her back the book. "Arun is taking what care he can. His brother –
well, it is possible that someone works to enthrone him without his
collusion. But there was an incident, a blocked chimney in the
Rhoi's quarters, producing suffocating smoke. It was a near thing,
and kept quiet. The Veirhoi nearly died."
    "Why are you telling me this?"
    Dark eyes assessed her. "As I said, I
know where you stand. You want, most fervently, to destroy the
killer. Since spreading that tale around will only hinder any
investigation, you will not do so. And I want you to know this
because I have placed a street-wise boy, with some herbal
knowledge, in the Mern with the Veirhoi. You will do well as
Heran's bodyguard."
    Ash digested this. She'd not intended
to stay long in the Mern, but this was a complexity to overset
hasty plans.
    "Do you know anything about magic?"
    "A little. I can't use it, but I know
the basic theory of its practice."
    "Do witches or mages or whatever, do
they ever use a kind of coarse grey powder? To do spells with?"
    Thornaster's eyes narrowed. "Yes."
    "What for?"
    "Why?"
    She drew the little bag out of her
pocket and handed it to him, watching as he pulled loose the
drawstrings and tipped out a minute sample of the powder.
    "Emanite," Thornaster said, carefully
pouring the dust back into its container. "Where did you get
this?"
    "What do you use emanite for?"
    "A number of different things. You
didn't have this when I brought you here yesterday."
    "No. I asked someone to look for me."
She sighed, disliking the steadiness of his gaze. Was it a mistake
to tell? "When Genevieve wouldn't leave the city, I checked the
other murder sites, as much as I could. I found this dust on the
roofs – at least, on the Johans' and the Kinriddy twins'. I don't
know if there was any above the