Traitor's Moon

effort.
    â€œYes. Why sacrifice Aurënfaie lives, Aurënfaie magic, to a lost cause?”
    â€œHow could Torsin agree to such an arrangement?” Thero demanded angrily.
    â€œHe is a Tírfaie, measuring the future in his own short spans. The same can be said of Klia and her line, clever though they undoubtedly are.” Ulan waved a dismissive hand at them. “The two of you are still too young to see how slowly the tides of history turn. It is not that I wish to see Skala suffer; I am determined that Virésse shall not. Daughter of Idrilain or not, Phoria will not prove a worthy ally.”
    â€œBut the Overlord of Plenimar and his necromancers will?” Seregil exclaimed. “The name of Raghar Ashnazai is not unknown to you, Khirnari. I knew the man’s kinsman, a necromancer.”
    â€œAnd you overcame him, as well as a dyrmagnos,” Ulan returned indifferently. “If you were able to accomplish that with a handful of Tír, what should the Aurënfaie fear from them?”
    â€œIt was only one dyrmagnos, and a handful of necromancers, but it took the life of the great Nysander í Azusthra to defeat them,” Thero said softly, and something in his voice made Seregil glance nervously at his friend. For an instant Seregil thought he saw the wizard’s eyes flash gold. Probably a trick of the light. “Beware what you trade away for prosperity, Ulan í Sathil,” Thero went on. “There are those with vision even longer than yours.”
    Ulan went to the door and opened it. “Torsin was my friend and I grieve his loss. There is nothing more to be said. As for what happened to Klia beneath my roof, it is a most grievous offense, but one she perhaps brought upon herself. She’s sown discord in a city that has known only peace for time out of mind. Perhaps this is Aura’s punishment.”
    Thero blanched at this but held his tongue.
    Seregil felt less restraint. “The Lightbearer had nothing to do with this,” he growled. “Mark my words, Khirnari, the truth of this will come out. I’ll see to it.”
    â€œYou?” Ulan made no effort to hide his contempt. “What do you know of truth?”

35
A CCUSATIONS
    A lec saw Seregil waiting for him on the front steps when he and his search party returned.
    â€œAny luck?” he called.
    Alec swung down from the saddle and presented him with the Akhendi charm. “It’s Klia’s, all right. It must have come loose in the struggle.”
    â€œIllior’s Fingers!” Seregil exclaimed, examining the blackened carving.
    â€œKheeta’s gone to fetch Rhaish,” Alec told him. “Säaban claims he should be able to use it to tell us who caused this. It was still white before the hunt. Care to lay any bets on who changed that?”
    Seregil took the poisoner’s ring from a pouch. “Not just yet, I think.”
    â€œWhere did you find that?”
    â€œIn the fish pond outside Ulan’s bedchamber. So far, Thero hasn’t been able to divine anything from it, though. He says it’s masked.”
    Alec cocked an eyebrow. “How hard is that to do?”
    â€œHard enough to make me think that we’re dealing with someone powerful.”
    â€œDamn! Then this charm may be, too.”
    â€œIt may be useful to learn that it is,” said Seregil, examining the bracelet again. “That would suggest that whoever masked onemasked the other, as well. Chances are they’d have to be there to do so after Emiel had attacked her.”
    â€œSo we find out who in the hunting party was also at the Virésse banquet?”
    Seregil shrugged. “If this turns out to be masked, then yes.”
    Kheeta arrived with the Akhendi khirnari, and Seregil ushered him into the sitting room off the main hall, where Alec and Thero were waiting.
    â€œYou found something in the forest?” Rhaish asked.
    â€œThis,” said Alec, giving him the blackened charm. “Can you tell us who did this?”
    The khirnari held it a moment. “Ah, yes, this is my wife’s work. It would be best if I took it to her. I’ll send you word of what she finds. She is not well enough today to go out.”
    â€œIf you don’t mind, Khirnari, we’ll save you the trouble and come along now,” Seregil interrupted.
    â€œVery well,” Rhaish replied, clearly taken aback by such presumption. One did not demand access to the