Free Battle: The House War: Book Five by Michelle West Page A

without consideration for the political costs and benefits accrued. But she trusted Teller and Finch; they trusted her. They would understand why she had chosen Elonne and Marrick over two members of the House Council who had occupied their junior seats for a scant handful of months.
    She also knew that would have to change. She trusted Teller and Finch. In order to build a House Council she could trust to actually support her, both of them would have to gain power. Power, in the Council chamber was not decided by any actions or arguments taken therein; you brought your power to the table and you wielded it with care. Or, in Haerrad’s case, like a cudgel.
    Jarven was close to retirement—or so he’d said. But Finch pointed out that he
said
this on a more or less continual basis. If he did amaze them all by actually retiring, Finch could, in theory, succeed him—but it was tenuous theory. To make it solid, she had to be responsible for some truly clever, and extremely profitable, trade deals. At the moment, according to Finch, there were three men associated with the Merchant Authority offices who were capable of doing what Jarven had done in his prime. Unfortunately, they were capable in thirds, and three men would not fit in that office.
    Jewel shook herself and ascended the stairs; no one else would move if she did not. Gabriel offered his arm; she took it. “You will have to choose a right-kin in the near future,” he said, his voice low.
    She nodded, that stiff almost regal movement of chin—and nothing else—that Ellerson had so laboriously taught her. “Let us discuss this in two days.”
    “Terafin.”
    She did not go to Gabriel for advice anymore. Not directly. Teller did, and Gabriel was comfortable with that. He had been comfortable giving advice to Amarais—but Amarais didn’t follow advice; she accepted it, as if it were an offering, examining it for its inherent value before she decided its disposition. She did not
need
Gabriel’s advice; she valued it, no more. Jewel, in Gabriel’s eyes, was in need of advice and it unnerved him.
    Teller was her right-kin. He was the right-kin of her heart; he had served as right-kin in her den, although her den had never required pretentious titles for what he did. But Teller was so junior a member of the House Council he lacked the gravitas of Gabriel. If she made him right-kin now, she would be throwing him into the line of fire.
    * * *
    Gabriel took the chair to her right out of long habit; only when he was halfway seated did he realize what he had done. He glanced at her, chagrined. She couldn’t help but smile; she could keep it as brief as possible. Elonne took the seat directly to her left. If there had been some subtle negotiation between Marrick and Elonne, it went unnoticed; Marrick did not appear to be unduly ruffled.
    When Snow and Night joined her, Snow to the left and Night to the right, she realized why; he’d taken the seat farthest from the cats. He caught her gaze and winked. It was something he wouldn’t have dared to do with Amarais, but it was conversely something he’d frequently done with the den. She knew it was inappropriate to respond to it here; she knew Marrick knew it, as well. It was a game, but as far as games went, it felt harmless. Attempting to avoid making any further eye contact, she looked up, and up again; the trees of the Common cast their shadows. Here, the leaves were in bud, not bloom, and the trees were surrounded by buildings and awned carts, not the carefully cultivated flower beds and smaller trees of the Terafin Master Gardener.
    Wind rustled the tips of high, slender branches. It was a cool, biting wind, heavy with salt. Home.
    Terafin
.
    She blinked and found herself staring into the wide, golden eyes of Snow; he had shifted position to face her, and his wings were high.
    Avandar
. Beneath the tier on which the Terafin chairs stood, The Kalakar and her attendants had arrived. Not to be outdone, The Berrilya,