Traitor's Moon

this,” he remarked, showing the others how the barb could be extended and retracted by means of a lever set inside the band. “The Plenimarans rather poetically call this a
kar’makti
. It means ‘hummingbird’s tongue.’ With some, the barb is dipped in poison. Others have a reservoir inside the ring. We’d better handle it carefully until I figure out which sort it is. It could still be dangerous.”
    â€œBut how could such an odd-looking ornament go unnoticed?” asked Adzriel.
    â€œSee these?” Seregil showed her several traces of gold on the ring’s edges. “It was fitted inside a larger ring, which would in turn have a hole for the barb to fit out through.”
    â€œCan you produce this other ring?” the old Silmai asked Ulan.
    â€œI cannot, because I own no such ring, nor have I ever,” the Virésse replied. “Anyone could have dropped this thing here.”
    â€œYou seem to know quite a lot about such devices, Exile,” the Khatme khirnari observed, turning on Seregil.
    â€œIn Skala it was my business to know,” Seregil replied, letting her make of that what she would. “Have you ever seen this object before, Ulan í Sathil?”
    â€œCertainly not!” Ulan said, bridling at last. “I give my oath before Aura and the khi of my father. Violence may well have been done under my roof; I accept the dishonor of that. But it was not done by me.”
    Seregil made certain the barb was fully retracted before passing it to Thero. “Can you divine anything from this?”
    The wizard pressed the ring between his palms and muttered a quick spell. “It will take a more concentrated effort.”
    â€œMay I?” asked Adzriel. After a moment, however, she shook her head as well and gave it back to Thero.
    â€œEither it was too long inside the fish or someone has purposefully masked it,” he said. “Given the difficulty I had finding it in the first place, I’d guess the latter.”
    They’d have done better to retract the barb
, thought Seregil. “You sense nothing else in the house?”
    â€œNo. There’s little more to be learned here.”
    â€œExcept that our poisoner was a man,” Seregil said, fitting the ring easily onto his forefinger. “And that he had a knowledge of eastern sea snakes and Plenimaran poisoning tricks.”
    â€œAll of which points to a Virésse, I suppose?” said Elos í Orian, standing protectively by Ulan.
    â€œNot conclusively,” Seregil replied. He turned to go, then paused, as if he’d just remembered something. “There was one other thing I meant to ask about, Khirnari.” He took the Virésse tassel from his pouch and held it up for the others to see. “This was found in Lord Torsin’s hand after he died. Was someone of your clan in the habit of sending these to him to signal a secret assignation?”
    The khirnari’s eyes narrowed slightly, and Seregil sensed he’d at last managed to take the man by surprise. “I did so,” Ulan admitted. “But not that night. Why would I, when the man was in my own house?”
    â€œYet who else but a Virésse would have such a token to send?” asked the Silmai. “I fear Virésse must remain under interdiction, Ulan. Until we have cleared this matter up to the satisfaction of the Skalans, you may not vote with the Iia’sidra.”
    Ulan í Sathil bowed to the elder khirnari. “So it must be. I will doall in my power to bring justice to the Skalans for the injuries they have suffered beneath my roof.”
    â€œWhat was the reason for your secret meetings with Torsin?” asked Seregil.
    â€œThat has nothing to do with this!” Ulan objected.
    That definitely struck a nerve
.
    Thero stepped in smoothly. “For the time being, Khirnari, I speak for Princess Klia and must know of any dealings between the two of you, no matter what they relate to.”
    Ulan looked to the Silmai khirnari, but found no help there. “Very well, but I must insist we speak privately.”
    Ulan had clearly intended to exclude Seregil, but Thero motioned for him to follow, as if he could not imagine being denied his adviser.
    Smothering a grin of admiration, Seregil squared his shoulders and followed the two men into Ulan í Sathil’s inner chamber. Once alone with the khirnari, however, his amusement quickly