The Emperor's Wolves (Wolves of Elantra #1) - Michelle Sagara Page 0,49

it, as you well know, when I am bored. At the moment, I am not bored.”

“You are favoring your left leg.”

Severn was surprised, but his surprise—or lack—was as irrelevant as the name the Barrani criminal had given to the mortals who had carried out the murder.

“I was perhaps overfocused on my current mission. You understand that I am not well loved at court; I was careless. I survived it.”

Severn wondered if the other person had. He didn’t ask. Nor did Lord Marlin.

“Given the nature of my welcome, I feel it would be an act of negligence on your part to insist that the private accompany me in the future.”

“You do not.”

Elluvian shrugged.

“Severn, explain to En why he is lying.”

Severn exhaled. “Lord Marlin feels—” he began.

“Do not speak for me; I can do that for myself, and a damn sight better.”

Elluvian had turned only his face in Severn’s direction; his eyes were a forbidding martial blue. But Lord Marlin was the boss here. Severn began again. “If I’m with you, and they hurt me, it’s no longer a matter for the Barrani Caste Court. The laws of exemption won’t apply; it won’t be a Barrani fight. It will be a cross-racial fight.”

“I am going to have Rosen fired.”

“You are not,” Lord Marlin snapped. “Severn doesn’t understand enough of the laws that govern Elantra. She’s been explaining them at my request. Private, continue.”

“If I’m with you, your enemies are far less likely to attack you because it might injure me. If I’m injured or killed, the laws of exemption won’t apply. The Halls of Law can charge the Barrani with assault or murder, and the Barrani High Court can’t block the charge.”

“You would not be the first mortal killed by my kin.”

Severn’s childhood had been spent in the fief of Nightshade. He knew. But the fiefs weren’t subject to Imperial Law.

“I’m a Wolf,” Severn replied, testing the words to see if they’d hold. They did. “I’m not just any mortal. I serve the Emperor. Killing a random person in the streets, they might get away with. Killing a Wolf?”

“Helmat.”

Lord Marlin nodded at Severn; Severn shut up.

“I don’t care what games you play with Barrani on your own time. You are not on your own time now, but mine. You will take Severn with you on any work-related investigation. You will do so without fail.” He rose. “You are not a Sword or a Hawk. Your time is not parceled out in the same way. Your mission is an execution, and until you have achieved that—or died in the attempt—you are working for me. Is that clear?”

Elluvian, wordless, nodded. Severn didn’t like the color of his eyes. Lord Marlin didn’t appear to notice.

“I want a name, En.”

“I do not have a name to give you, yet.” The Barrani Wolf smiled. “I promise, however, that if I kill a man, you will know who he is after the fact.”

Severn lifted his chin. “Do you believe that the man you’re hunting was not the man in charge?”

Both of the Wolves in the room now looked to Severn.

“We only have permission to hunt one man,” Elluvian said. The words were soft; there was a warning in them.

“You have a question,” Lord Marlin added. “Ask it.”

“If the Emperor chose to dispose of Elluvian, and Elluvian was acting under your orders, would he be considered the criminal, or would you?”

“I see you understand the mechanisms of power,” the Barrani Wolf replied. “I will answer this question, Helmat, if you have no objections.”

“I have a great many objections; I will, however, hold them in abeyance. Answer the boy, if you will.”

“It would depend.” The Wolflord snorted. Elluvian apparently didn’t hear it. “If the Emperor considered Helmat an unpleasant but nonetheless necessary presence, I would be considered the criminal. I would—if it were possible for the Wolves, and I have my doubts—be disposed of as a warning to Helmat that he had exceeded his authority. In that case, I would be considered the criminal. The hunt would involve me and me alone.

“If, however, the crimes committed were severe enough and problematic enough, Helmat would no longer be considered a distasteful necessity. He would be considered a primary threat. In that case, Helmat would be the criminal, and Helmat would be the target. My death—and my death would be required—would be ancillary. Removing me would disarm Helmat; it would be like destroying a weapon. In this case, I would not likely be named as the hunt’s target. But in this case,”