for you. Don’t tell Baba and Mama about the swords.”
“Okay!” She turned and yelled, “Dema, Tenzin is gonna teach me swords!”
Tenzin bit her lip to hide the smile. “Well, she didn’t tell Baba and Mama.”
Sadia turned back to the screen. “Okay bye. I love you, Tenzin.”
“I love you too.”
“Hey,” Ben protested, but the screen went dark. He turned to Tenzin. “Nice.”
“Don’t be jealous. You didn’t offer to teach her swords.”
He spread his notes on the table in the caravan. “I don’t have a board here, so we’ll have to make do.” He stood and taped a paper with Darius’s name on it to the cabinet on the far left. “Darius.”
“Old but not ancient earth vampire.” Tenzin stared at the name. “I’d say maybe fifteen hundred years old. Near East. He knows about the goblets and their significance. I don’t see a motivation for him to take the goblet though, even if he had opportunity. He’s not hungry for power. If he took it, it would only be for sentimental value, and that’s a dangerous play with Radu.”
“Okay.” Ben stuck another paper up. “Madina.”
“Very possible,” Tenzin said. “She’s been ruling Samarkand and the surrounding territory for nearly one hundred years, but Arosh became annoyed with her and now she’s out.”
“Out of what? Territory? Time? How much did she piss Arosh off?”
“Enough that she will want to lie low for a century or two. They’ve been lovers—of course, what female in Central Asia hasn’t slept with Arosh? —but he’s pretty angry with her for cutting one of his children out of a trade deal.”
“Have you?”
She looked confused. “Why would I get involved in a trade deal?”
“Have you had sex with Arosh?”
Tenzin raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to know?”
“Actually, no.” Ben turned back to the paper. “So Madina is kicked out of Samarkand and what? She’s now looking for new territory? A new job? The Poshani seem pretty insular. From what Radu said, they’re not going to follow a leader from outside the clan.”
“Of course Radu would say that because he wants to believe it. But if she had enough support and could make a good case, it’s not out of the question. She’s very rich, and they have many young people. Money matters.”
“And taking the goblet would help her case?”
“It’s a divine symbol of leadership. Of course it would.”
He marked Madina’s paper with a star. “Okay, so she’s the lead suspect so far.”
Tenzin leaned her chin on her fist and tapped her lower lip with a finger. “I’m so curious about Tatyana.”
Ben dragged his eyes away from her mouth. “Me too.” He taped a paper with Tatyana’s information to the cupboard.
“Why is she here?” Tenzin asked. “She’s younger than you are. Is she Radu’s pet? Purely a distraction?”
“I’ll try to get to know her a little tomorrow night.” He tapped her name. “Maybe play up the ‘fellow new vampire’ thing.”
“Good idea.”
Ben turned and realized Tenzin was staring at his ass. “Hey.”
She lifted her eyes. “Yes?”
“Uh… never mind. What do you know about Fynn?”
“Almost nothing. He seems generally evil, but I don’t know anything about him. You might ask Carwyn and Brigid. They’re more knowledgeable about immortal politics in South America.”
“I will.” He put up a paper with Fynn’s name and a large question mark. “And finally…” He wrote Tenzin on a piece of paper and stuck it to the wall. “There’s you.”
“Are you serious?” She sat up straight and smiled. “You’re really going to investigate me?”
Ben sat at the table and started taking notes. “Known thief.”
“Accomplished thief.” She leaned over the paper. “Make sure you write that. ‘Known, accomplished thief.’”
“Noted.” He kept writing. “Multiple connections to human and immortal criminal networks. Military experience. No known ambitions to rule, but she does enjoy causing general chaos and breaking things.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“For reference, see Naples and Puerto Rico.”
“Those were both more convenient timing than intentional chaos.”
“Political alliances are… disparate.”
“That’s one way of putting it. Or you could just write the truth: I have none.”
“Bullshit.” He looked up. “You’re loyal to your father. You don’t want to be, but you are. You’re loyal to Giovanni.” You used to be loyal to me.
She stared at him long enough that Ben wondered if she’d managed to master mind reading.
Finally she shrugged. “Giovanni doesn’t have any political ambitions.”
“You’re loyal to Cormac O’Brien. I know you’ve done him favors over the years and he’s done them for you. For most people, a favor is just a favor, but not for you.”
“Cormac is the vampire in charge of the