my intent,” she added softly. “Jarven has, as far as I’m aware, never attempted to gain position on the House Council. The power he holds in the Merchant Authority is of greater weight, in my opinion, than a House Council seat would be. I can’t imagine that Jarven approached Gabriel, of all people, with this request, but—” She froze.
Finch tensed again.
“No, let me take that back,” Jewel said, rising. “Gordon, Marave, accompany us. We must retire to my personal chambers for a brief period of time.” She didn’t mention Avandar by name, but it wasn’t necessary; he was her shadow.
* * *
Haval was sitting with Hannerle when Jewel arrived. He rose when he heard the knock at the door; he knew who it was. The weight of her steps in the hall, the particular tenor of her knuckles against the door, were by this time familiar. Before he could reach the door, she’d opened it, but given the way her steps had fallen, he expected no less.
“I need to speak with you,” she said, in a very chilly voice.
He raised a brow. “If it will not discomfit you, speak with me here. Hannerle will not wake.”
“Finch is here as well.”
He glanced at his sleeping wife. “Very well. Shall we retire to the great room?”
* * *
The fireplace in the great room was no longer cold and black; wood burned there. It was a decent hardwood. Clearly, Ellerson had anticipated that the space would once again be needed. Haval did not understand the domicis, but he admired them in his fashion. Had a guild of such men desired power, they would have it; they would be a very, very dangerous entity. Ellerson did not want that power. Avandar Gallais? Haval found him almost mystifying. He did not trust the man—only a fool would. But he did not understand Avandar’s ambitions, either. They were not akin to Ellerson’s, and they were in no way comparable to Morretz’s.
Haval entered the room carefully and slowly, affecting a weariness that was not entirely assumed for his own purposes.
Finch sat gingerly in one of the armchairs nearest the fire, thereby unconsciously choosing where the discussion would take place. Jewel sat heavily, the fingers of her right hand drumming the gleaming wood of armrests. Haval, of course, sat last as etiquette demanded.
“Terafin,” he said gravely.
“When you were conducting your investigation into the personal affairs of Gabriel ATerafin, was Jarven ATerafin one of your sources?”
His brows rose; his surprise at the question was not entirely feigned. “I would sooner ask Duvari for aid.”
Finch uttered a delicate, deliberate cough.
“I realize that he is in every possible way an admirable employer in his own rather impressive fief. His concerns are not, however, my concerns.”
“His concerns may be my concerns,” Jewel said, before Haval could draw another breath. He studied her, considering his reply. He was indeed surprised that she had asked the question, and wondered idly whether or not he had underestimated her. It did happen, although not nearly as often as he would like.
“Beyond the obvious—he is the titular head of the Merchant Authority offices—I fail to see how. I also fail to see how the inquiry is an emergency, given the events of the day.”
“Gabriel will, as you know, retire.”
“So you’ve said.”
“He has chosen to take his retirement today.”
Haval folded his hands in his lap. He nodded, all expression dropping away from his face. Her frown was reward for the effort.
“He had one piece of advice—one last request.”
“Please do not tell me it involved Jarven ATerafin.”
“You’re surprised? I don’t believe it.”
He smiled then. “No,” he said quietly. “You don’t. Very well. I will not answer your question; it was clumsy and irrelevant. What does Jarven want?”
“That’s what I want you to tell me. You, or Finch,” she added. “I don’t care which. I’m expecting at least a letter from the Exalted, and some missive from Duvari—if I’m lucky. Haerrad and Rymark will no doubt descend on my vacated office; I expect to see both Elonne and Marrick as well. I don’t have a lot of time.”
“What makes you believe that Jarven wants anything?”
“Gabriel asked me to install Jarven on the House Council, in the seat Gabriel will vacate. I thought at the time it was an unusual request; I’m unaware of any similar request that Jarven has made in the past. As he is not a member of Council now, I assume he has never made one.”