Free The Pages of the Mind by Jeffe Kennedy Page B

when he was well into his cups. The man is a warrior king, very difficult to deal with. The Nahanauns treat him like a god. You can present the supplies as a gift and sweeten him up for later discussions of how to merge our kingdoms. Kral offered to help you with translation from Dasnarian to Nahanaun. You won’t need to say much—don’t tell him anything about the magic barrier yet; we’ll wait until Andi knows more about manipulating this new version. You’re good at that kind of diplomacy.”
    â€œAll right, but . . . Dasnaria ?”
    â€œIf Kir is in Dasnaria and conspiring with the Temple of Deyrr, it’s possible that he’s the one behind Illyria coming here to seek the Star of Annfwn. He knew something about the dolls Salena left us—at least enough to have interfered with the magical tool Salena left Ami in hers. It’s not clear what Deyrr knew before, but it seems they’ve put their pieces together to come up with a purpose for it. Thus the answers to why Deyrr wants the Star—along with how badly, what they plan to do with it, if they will make another attempt, what we need to do to counter it—all lie in Dasnaria, with the temple.
    â€œYou speak Dasnarian; you read it as well, including older books and documents with their more archaic texts. You know how to do the research and you’re already familiar with Deyrr, to the extent any of us is. I’d send Harlan to find out, but we both know he’s too stubborn to go, especially with all the unrest here, and besides, he doesn’t have your talent for ferreting out information. Nor does he have your particular subtlety and guile.”
    â€œMy . . . my guile?” I couldn’t seem to stop stammering.
    She gave me a look both stern and amused. “Please, librarian. You vanished yourself from Uorsin’s attention, something that only Andi also accomplished, and now we know she had magic to help her. You didn’t. And you not only survived the court here, but lived to see your long-term plans unfold. You manage me better than Derodotur ever did my father—don’t think I don’t notice and appreciate it. You manage Andi and Ami equally well, which means you’re very good at reading people and adapting to their personalities. More, you look like a nyrri to the Dasnarians, on top of being female, so they won’t suspect you and they’ll underestimate you.” She stopped in front of her desk, leaning against it. “You’re the perfect spy.”
    I’d mustered some coherent thoughts while she spoke. “Spies know how to defend themselves. I do not.”
    â€œI’ll teach you some tricks. If Ash could get the basics through Ami’s stubborn skull, then by Danu I can teach you. And I’m not sending you alone. I’m asking Jepp and Zynda to go with you. Zynda can continue to be our messenger and Jepp can be your guide and bodyguard. Nobody gets past her knives. Also, she knows enough of the Dasnarian customs and language by now to be an asset—even if most of it is related to sex play.” She smiled sourly.
    â€œBut you need me here.”
    Ursula sobered, going intense in that Danu-channeling way she had. “I need you more there. I wouldn’t ask it of you if I didn’t. We need eyes—and ears—in Dasnaria. You’re the only one who can do this.” It seemed far too huge to contemplate. Harlan’s voice echoed in my head: Hlyti is playing a fine game with me.
    For a time I’d thought hlyti meant fate, until I asked him one day.
    â€œ Hlyti ,” he’d said, “is more as Queen Amelia believed Glorianna guided her steps in bringing magic back to the Twelve. But not an actual deity.”
    â€œ ‘Fate,’ we would say, which does sound like a similar derivation,” I’d answered.
    He’d rumbled a thoughtful sound, then shook his head. “Perhaps so, but in that case the