Herb-Wife (Lord Alchemist Duology) (59 page)

Thioso
answered, "I've volunteered as the corrupt watchman. There'll be
an honest one around. Been working on my role since we took him."

"Ah."
Iathor tried to force animation into his voice, but Kessa thought it
a poor job. "How did that go?"

"Perfectly,"
Thioso gloated, as smug as . . . she shied from other
memories of smugness. "We took his horse to a different stable,
and chained his carriage-wheel to a post. He came out of the inn, saw
the chain, and I stepped 'round. 'Carriage problems?' said I. His
driver went white. Then the others came out and we made our arrest,
with bluster and no fists."

"Your
brother's not been harmed, Sir Kymus," Commander Braenen said,
carefully neutral. (He didn't know if Iathor'd meddle in the watch's
affairs, Kessa realized.) "If he cooperates, there should be no
trouble."

Iathor
sank onto a bench-corner. Kessa crept over to perch on the bench as
well, back to the table. Iathor said, "Then proceed as you
normally would. I should like . . . some warning if
you feel . . . extreme actions are needed."

"Of
course, Sir Kymus." Commander Braenen let sympathy into his
voice. Kessa was too rattled to tell if it was real or professional.
To Thioso and the other man, he said, "Go to it."

Officer
Maern stood, murmured, "Yes, Commander," and left. Thioso
lingered to say, "Sir Kymus, might I ask some questions of your
wife first?"

"If
she agrees." Iathor looked only at his hands on the table.

"All
right." Kessa pushed herself up to accompany Thioso.

"I
fear the best interrogation room is currently occupied . . ."
Thioso paused, as Bynae and Dayn both followed. "Ah, could your
maid, at least, stay elsewhere?"

"I'd
rather not order her to do anything." Kessa wrapped her hands
together beneath the cloak. "She'll not act against my
interests."

"Ah,
she's
that
girl. Well, to the corner with us, if we've this
much audience." Thioso's good mood was still intact, despite
what must've been hours of wretched slogging through freezing muck.
He led the way to his chosen corner.

Kessa
sat on a bench and held her cloak around herself, though it was
beginning to be over-warm. "What would you ask?" From the
corner of her eye, she saw Dayn lean against the wall, Bynae sitting
nearby.

Thioso
sat beside Kessa, perhaps a bit over-close for a man and a married
woman – though he'd been along, that whole wretched trip when
she was dressed in men's clothing. He dropped his voice. "Lady
Kymus. Your brother-by-marriage is already accused by the words and
silence of his own dramsmen. I want to know what
you
know or
suspect of him, that you've been keeping from everyone."

"Little
enough you don't know. You found he'd taken the hired buggy. You
found the lid of the jar the men had when they tried to . . .
attack me." That still made her shudder, as losing fights as a
street brat hadn't. "The night after, I woke and heard shouting.
Iasen telling . . . his brother I was . . .
unchaste. But he'd been to my shop once, when I was capturing
moon-flows to be maiden's blood for dry tea. He should've realized,
and not been so very sure otherwise – save if he knew what was
intended."

"Married
the one to be safe from the other, did you?"

"Something
like," Kessa said, unwilling to voice her true reasons. "And
at the warehouses, I saw Viam give Bynae the draught. I couldn't stop
it. I . . . just wanted her to be safe. Viam's master
never spoke well of barbarians – tribesmen – and I
feared for her if she were bound to Viam."

"But
she's . . ." Thioso probably looked more
carefully at Bynae. "Um. I see. Near the same color the
bodyguard has, now. Was the man's hair dark before?"

"I
don't know. When Iasen came to my shop, his man had dark hair, though
his skin was pale. It's not been long, though. He'd have needed to
bleach it."

"Not
showing dark roots. The potions to dye hair don't lay a man up
overlong, do they?"

"No.
Eyes . . . a few days. The person can't see while the
eyes change." She'd sat with Burk as his eyes went from brown to
amber, and then to green. "Hair, perhaps a day or two of fever."

"Hm-hm.
And what d'you know of Darul Reus' sister?"

"She
came to the house, with an anonymous note. I persuaded her to show
you."

"Going
to tell me how? She looked stubborn."

"Women's
talk."

Thioso
made a slightly grouchy noise. "Aught else? Death threats?"

"I
refused a note from him, just before my wedding. So I don't know it
might've held. Miss Talien Irilye might."

"Huh.
Earl's daughter talking to a watchman?" Thioso snorted. "I
doubt it. Minor enough, anyway, though I'd like to have all the
pieces for a change. That everything?"

"The
day I started lessons, he found me in the workroom of the guild
offices. He was upset. Thought I'd lied to him in my shop, about not
seeking his brother's interest." Kessa shook her head. "Nicia
returned before he'd worked himself up to lay hands on me, but I
thought he'd try."

"And . . .
have you tried anything against him, in return?"

Only
married his brother, and conceived a child to cut him from the title
and all charity that being the heir had granted him.
Kessa felt
her mouth twist in something that might've been a bitter smile.
"You'd not trust whatever I said, watchman. But even so, I'd no
opportunity, nor skill with a crossbow for more than idle dreams. And
I'd not speak against one brother to the other."

"Nor
speak against him to me, eh?"

"It
would only've gotten back to . . . the elder brother."
She felt sad and sick, and tried to force the smile back, even if
it'd been crooked. "And if Iasen'd resigned himself after all?
Little enough harm done, I suppose. No need to boil the brew once the
trouble's quiet at the bottom."

"Man
tries . . ." Thioso paused, and changed his
startled outburst. "Tries to have you hurt like that, and you'd
have forgiven him so easy?"

Never
forgiven.
"No reason to fuss if he'd not kept trying."

The
watchman made a noise in his throat, but didn't press the matter.
"All right. That everything?"

"All
I can think of."

"Right.
I'll go be corruptible now." Thioso stretched. "I'll likely
suggest I'd put a knife in you myself, for enough coin. See how he
jumps. Try to keep your . . . maid . . .
from taking it seriously if she hears."

Kessa
managed to get her smile back again. "So long as you don't show
up in my bedchamber. We'd all suspect you meant no good."

The
man snorted as he stood. "I'll go see what I can get."

Good
luck.
She couldn't make herself say the words, and wasn't sure
why.

Whatever
conversation Iathor'd had with the Watch Commander was over, and the
gray-bearded man followed Thioso out. Iathor stayed at the table,
with Brague nearby – probably nearly as miserable as anyone
else in the room. Dayn sighed in frustration.
Five of us, and no
answers.

After
a while, Bynae moved from the other bench to sit beside Kessa.
"M'lady?"

"Yes?"
Kessa watched the girl wind her hands together in her lap, where her
own cloak parted.

"If . . .
If it were permitted . . . Could I talk to Viam? If
he's here?"

The
only worse tragedy for them, bound to enemies, would be if she'd been
bound to Viam, and him ordered to kill her.
Kessa said, "If
there's a way to do it safely. His orders . . . I
don't know if there'd be any trace left, but I don't want to risk
you."

"I
suppose I understand him a little better now."

"I'm
sorry," Kessa whispered.

Bynae
shrugged. "Father Thon will be pleased, at least."

"Yes,
I suppose he would be." Kessa paused. "If you wanted to
stay with your family–"

"No!"
Bynae instantly slid to the floor, pressing herself against Kessa's
leg. "Please, m'lady, don't!"

Gingerly,
Kessa patted the girl's hair, trying to be reassuring. "Dayn?"
she asked. "Help?"

"When
someone's so important," Dayn said, almost diffidently, "it's
hard to be apart. One feels something'll happen. Takes time to trust
it's not one's own will that keeps the other breathing. Easier, too,
when it's been explained beforehand. My father was bound, so I could
talk to him when I was thinking on employment."

"Ah."
Kessa patted Bynae again. "Bynae. It's all right. I won't send
you away if you don't want to go."

Dayn
said, "And m'lady will forget that the moment m'lady is in
danger and wants everyone else out of it?"

Kessa
glared at him as Bynae whimpered, but the dramsman was looking
towards his own master. Dayn added, "If Bynae wants and m'lady
is willing, I could teach her something of defending someone. She'd
the right idea, poking at those men with a board."

Bynae
whispered, "Please, m'lady. I should learn that. I should. Even
if fighting's a thing for men. Mother said there are stories of
war-women, who draw a man's soul in and fight in his stead."

Kessa
didn't know whether to be angry with Dayn for further muddling
Bynae's life, or glad he was taking her under his wing. "If you
want. I don't ask you to do things that upset you."

"Thank
you, m'lady." And now Kessa'd a relieved dramsman maid leaning
against her knees.

Dayn
went
hm
and walked to Iathor. They spoke for some time, low
enough that Kessa couldn't make out anything; in truth, she didn't
feel up to trying. She just leaned against the wall, hand on Bynae's
shoulder. Eventually, Kessa said, "I hope you'll get up if your
knees hurt," and got a little noise in return.

Shortly
after, Dayn returned and cleared his throat. "M'lord says, if
Bynae wishes to speak to Viam, I could go with her and help arrange
matters. But m'lady should sit closer to m'lord, so Brague can watch
over you both."

The
ploy was probably Dayn's. It wasn't worth glaring at him. Kessa said,
"Bynae, it's all right with me."

Looking
torn – and meeting Kessa's eyes unexpectedly, without
flinching – Bynae stood. "Thank you, m'lady."

Kessa
stood, too. "I hope the visit goes well." And that Viam
didn't declare he'd just been toying with the girl, using her
affection for his master's plan. Depressing thought. She sat next to
Iathor, finally undoing her cloak's clasp before she sweltered all
over the dress. He didn't react.

He'd
not thrown her out, locked her away, nor any of the things she'd
thought he might. Though neither had he seemed to see her since she
woke.
Traditional, that nobles have marriages in name only.
Street stories and theater plays were full of such alliances, maids
and stableboys providing diversion for the allegedly wedded couple.
No stableboys for you, half-breed. Even if you wanted one, they'd
not be interested.

Iathor
stirred, making her flinch, startled. He hesitated. "Kessa."

"Yes?"
she asked, trying to smother tangled emotions. Not scream at him in
rage, sob in grief, nor let the word fall in leaden despair.

"I . . ."
He trailed off, took a breath, and might've said something else had
the door not opened. He turned to face it. "Yes?"

It
was Thioso. He coughed. "Sir Kymus, your brother asks to see
you."

"All
right." Iathor stood instantly. He and Brague were halfway to
the door before he looked over his shoulder. "Kessa, if you
don't stay with Brague, your dramsman will fret."

"Won't
she be more worried to find me missing?" Kessa asked, able to be
concerned for Bynae's sake.

"Dayn
will know we left peaceably. He'll find us." Iathor started
walking again, so Kessa gathered up her cloak and followed.

Whitewashed
halls had more dirt at the edges and occasional dark scuff-marks, as
they went along. Up a short flight of stairs, it was better, but
still jail-like. Thioso stopped at a heavy, wooden door. "In
there, Sir Kymus. Please don't untie him."

Iathor
took a breath and released it without promising anything, then walked
inside. Brague gave Thioso a dark look as he followed. Kessa
hesitated; Thioso held out his hand to bar her way, and eased the
door shut till it just barely touched its frame.

Kessa
slanted a look at the watchman, through her hair, and let him draw
her a few steps away.

He
whispered, "I'm supposedly luring your husband here so I can
drop you down a pit. Shh."

Kessa
snorted as quietly as she could. "I trust you're not telling me
as a trick before you do it."

Thioso
snorted back. "There's better-paid ways to become a dramsman."

Kessa
might've said something else, but lost the thread of banter when she
heard Iathor's shout, only somewhat muffled by the not-quite-closed
door. "You
idiot.
You send your dramsman to hire minions,
and
send alchemy
with them?"