back in the my day," Nedus added. "He and his brother Araris. Miles was a hopeless squire, but he grew up pretty good. He remembers me. Might have helped out, but I couldn't find him. I'm sorry, child. I failed you."
Serai murmured, "Of course you didn't, darling. Gaius is making himself scarce, and his captain is nowhere to be found. Clearly something is afoot."
"Not all that scarce," Nedus said. "He presided over the qualifying runs of the Wind Trials this morning, as always."
"Perhaps," Serai said, her brow furrowed in thought. She glanced back at Isana, and said, "We must now consider more dangerous means of reaching him." She opened a small purse affixed to her belt, withdrew a folded piece of paper, and offered it to Isana.
"What is this?" she asked.
"An invitation," Serai replied. "Lady Kalare is hosting a garden party this evening."
Nedus's bushy eyebrows shot up. "Crows, woman. How did you manage to get an invitation?"
"I wrote it," the courtesan replied serenely. "Lady Kalare's hand is quite simple to reproduce."
Nedus barked out a laugh, but said, "Dangerous. Very dangerous."
"I don't want to go to a party," Isana said. "I want to reach the First Lord."
"Without being able to schedule an audience or reach your nephew, we must attempt something less direct. Each of the High Lords has an audience with the First Lord every year, as do the Senator Primus, the Regus of the Trade Consortium, and the head of the Dianic League. Most, if not all of them will be at the fete."
Isana frowned. "You want to talk one of them into letting us accompany them on their audience?"
"It isn't uncommon," Serai said. "You would not be privileged to speak to the First Lord under normal circumstances, but then once we are actually in Gaius's presence, we should be able to resolve matters in short order."
"Very. Dangerous," Nedus said.
"Why?" Isana asked.
"Gaius's enemies will be there, Steadholder."
Isana inhaled slowly. "I see. You think someone might take the opportunity to kill me."
"It's possible," Serai confirmed. "Lord and Lady Kalare will be in attendance. Kalare is at odds with both Gaius and the Dianic League, and is probably the man behind the attempts upon your life. And you are already, I believe, acquainted with the political leanings of Lord and Lady Aquitaine."
Isana felt her hand clench into a fist. "Indeed. They will be there as well?"
"Almost certainly," Serai said. "Gaius's most loyal High Lords rule the Shield cities in the north. It is a rare year that more than one can attend, and this winter has been a particularly hard one on the northern High Lords."
"You mean that Gaius's supporters may not be there to protect me."
"In all probability," Serai said.
"Is there any chance at all of successfully reaching Gaius if we go to this party?"
"Slim," Serai said, her tone frank. "But it definitely exists. And your favor with the Dianic League should not be forgotten, either. They have long waited for a woman to attain Citizenship outside the structure of marriage or the Legions. It is in their interest to preserve and support you."
Nedus growled, "Is the League going to walk the street next to her and make sure your assassin doesn't take her on the way there?"
Isana felt her fingers shaking. She pressed them against her forehead, and said, "You're sure we can't reach Gaius by any other means?"
"Not quickly," Serai said. "Until Wintersend is over, our options are severely limited."
Isana forced herself to ignore her fear, her worry. She had no desire to die, but she could not allow anything to stop her message, regardless of the danger. Wintersend would not conclude for days. Tavi could be in danger even now, and her brother would surely face it before another day had passed. She did not have time to wait. They did not have days.
"Very well," Isana said. "It would appear that we must go to a party."
Chapter 17~18
Chapter 17
It was late afternoon by the time Fidelias returned from gathering information from his contacts in the rougher parts of Alera Imperia. He emerged from the labyrinthine passages in the Deeps into the wine cellar of Aquitaine's manor, and it was a relief to arrive in an area where prying eyes were most unlikely to single him out for attention. He moved directly up the servant's staircase to the top floor of the mansion, where the lavish master suite of High Lord and Lady Aquitaine lay sprawled in luxurious splendor.
Fidelias entered the sitting room of the suite, walked across