Kushiel's Chosen

been a long day.
    "It's not what you think, my lady." Ti-Philippe pushed Gemma's hand away and grinned at me, revealing a bruised and swollen visage. "We didn't get caught, or any such thing. We were dicing in quarters with the Palace Guard, like you said."
    "One of 'em accused Ti-Philippe of cheating," Remy said helpfully, "and we quarrelled. Then he said somewhat about you that we didn't take kindly. So we showed him the error of his ways."
    I flung myself into a chair. "And how much trouble are you in?"
    Remy coughed. "Not much. The Captain of the Guard agreed we had the right of it and put the fellow under reprimand. We're allowed back, all right. But there's, um, a small fine for causing a disturbance in their quarters."
    "How small?"
    "Twenty silver regals." He squirmed. "We promised you'd send it around."
    "Fortun?" I looked imploringly at him.
    "I'll take it tomorrow," he said calmly. "And you can dock our retainers for it, if need be. But my lady, there's somewhat else you should know. The lads learned a few things that might explain how Melisande Shahrizai escaped."

TEN
    At Fortun's words, a sharp excitement seized me, and my weariness fell away. I'd as soon have heard their news right there and then, but for the habit of discretion. Delaunay's servants had been hand-picked and trusted; though I liked them, mine were not. "Gemma." I turned to the day-maid. "Would you see if Eugenie has aught prepared for dinner? Tis early, but I'm fair famished. If you would be good enough to serve whatever is ready, that will be all."
    Gemma pouted, but did as I bid. Happily, there was a lamb stew with fennel ready to serve, and loaves of warm crusty bread. I thanked the kitchen-mistress and dismissed her for the evening, over her grumbles; Eugenie did not trust that a D'Angeline noblewoman could get along without at least one trained servant. I would have laughed at that, another time. In the Skaldi wilderness, I boiled pottage with melted snow and survived. I'd not have thought I could either, before I had to. Of course, I'd not been a peer of the realm, then, but highly prized courtesans are not exactly known for woodcraft. I learned to build a fire in a blizzard with naught but a flint and damp tinder on that dreadful flight with Joscelin. No adepts of the Night Court can claim as much, I daresay.
    At any rate, we were soon enough seated at the dining table, and Remy and Ti-Philippe told their story over bites of rich stew and warm bread, washed down with plenty of wine.
    "So," I asked directly, "you found the men who were on guard the night Melisande escaped?"
    Ti-Philippe, his mouth full of stew, shook his head vigorously. "No, my lady," Remy answered for them both, pulling a rueful expression. "That, no one seems to know, exactly; we have a couple of names, but no one knows where they're posted, and we dare not ask too closely if you don't want us to arouse suspicion. It may be that they're not attached to the Palace Guard. If they were among the men the Royal Commander sent to Camlach, they've been ordered to stand down, and it will be a hard job finding them. But we found somewhat almost as good."
    "Go on," I said, intrigued.
    "House Shahrizai is at war with itself." Ti-Philippe grinned lopsidedly. "The two that betrayed Melisande? Marmion and Persia? Well, Persia's dead.”
    "What?"
    "Oh, yes." Remy took a long drink of wine, eyes sparkling. "It was an accident, in Kusheth, my lady; a fire in her manor-house. Only a few of the Lady Persia's men-at-arms, they did not think it an accident. And neither did two of her kin. So they have sponsored them, three men-at-arms, to the Palace Guard, where they could keep an eye on Lord Marmion."
    "They think Marmion did it? Her own brother, and an ally at that?" My mind began to tick over the possibilities. A dreadful thing, yes, but dreadful things have been known to happen even in the Great Houses of Terre d'Ange.
    "This fellow," Ti-Philippe said, "Branion, his name was, he said it was the Lady Persia that the Duc de Morhban approached first. She was the one persuaded Lord Marmion to join her in giving over their cousin. This Branion, he thinks Lord Marmion only went along with it so he could set her free. Now Melisande holds him in high regard, all the while he holds the Queen's trust. Only Persia must have known something, or guessed. And now the House is split over it, but they don't dare accuse him without proof."
    "Marmion might have got past the guards at Melisande's