The Emperor's Wolves (Wolves of Elantra #1) - Michelle Sagara Page 0,114

and his heir is unknown to the Imperial Service.

They have no suspicions?

Of course there are suspicions—but it’s a Barrani Caste Court matter. The Barrani are not required to tender information about those deaths. Regardless, An’Sennarin is now his line’s ruler. She frowned. Elluvian implicated him in the murders?

...Sorry. I’m not as good at this as you have to be. Yes. But I think he was fishing. He wanted to see what Corvallan and Cassandre said or did in response. What does the Imperial Service know about either Corvallan or Cassandre?

Cassandre is of Casarre. Corvallan is of the Mellarionne line. Here, the tone and texture of her words darkened considerably, and the weight of the silence between them grew almost oppressively heavy. He couldn’t tell which of the two names had caused this.

We went to speak to Corvallan—it was the reason we were at the High Halls. Corvallan’s wife met us at the doors.

What was your impression? The question was controlled.

Severn considered the answer, and then surrendered. You have to guard your thoughts and your reactions, he told her. There’s no reason I have to guard mine.

He felt her surprise.

You don’t want to do this, he said. Neither do I. But you have better reasons—or they seem better to me. I won’t apologize—you already told me how unwelcome pointless apologies are. But I won’t fight you. You’ve seen and experienced the worst of my life already, and you’ve accepted it.

After more silence, Ybelline said, Anger and fear are easier to understand in some ways than this. She wasn’t lying, but she wasn’t telling the truth; she was speaking almost entirely to herself. And he knew she would never choose anger and fear where any other choice was possible.

He let her watch the entire meeting between Corvallan and Cassandre.

You think Cassandre is the more dangerous of the two.

I did. You don’t?

Corvallan is afraid. She seemed almost apologetic. For my people, it is that fear that breeds insanity.

It’s not just fear that’s a threat to the rest of us, Severn replied. I highly doubt the Barrani who orchestrated all these deaths was afraid. The person who hired him or commanded him, yes—but he was willing to do it all without the same driving fear.

Corvallan is known to the Imperial Service—most of the active Mellarionne relations are.

Mellarionne is dangerous.

Yes, although Saidh says Mellarionne is ambitious, not afraid. Corvallan is a distant cousin of An’Mellarionne, and if he’s at court, he’s beholden to the head of his line. There is little love lost between them, but the damage they have done to each other in the past is apparently forgivable to Barrani.

Cassandre?

Casarre. Casarre, however, is less obviously active. It is not considered a family of much power within the High Court, but there is prestige in it: the line is old.

Does the Service have any idea what either—Corvallan or Cassandre—could gain from an alliance with Mellarionne?

It is not Mellarionne that is the danger here, given their reactions; it is Sennarin. They are connected, but the connection is not a full alliance; they are, in some fashion, beholden to their families. Their position within the High Halls depends on those families and the favor shown them.

Before Severn could speak, Ybelline continued. Corvallan has some connections with a man known as Teremaine.

You think the Barrani that reopened this investigation is Teremaine?

We think it very likely, yes. He is not a lord of the court. His name has appeared multiple times in Imperial Service Records; he has never—until now—fallen afoul of caste court exemptions. His value to any of the lords with whom he has connections depends on his ability to remain within those laws of exemption.

He hasn’t.

No—but that was not known until very recently.

Is it known now?

You are afraid there is someone who informs the High Court, or members of it.

Yes. I think, given the deaths of the witnesses we wanted to interview, there’s a leak in the Halls of Law.

The Halls of Law and the Imperial Service are not the same; there is some overlap, but that overlap exists at the Emperor’s discretion. Ybelline exhaled. The Halls of Law exists as an entity almost separate from the Emperor. The oaths you take are to uphold the Emperor’s Laws. The Imperial Service does not take the same oaths you take.

They serve the Emperor directly.

They serve the Emperor directly. It is why there is conflict between the Halls of Law and the Service. It is therefore entirely possible—even probable—that the leak in question exists only in the Halls