room was still warm with the day’s sunlight, shivering, his eyes slightly glazed with the effects of the drug. The three small moons were far apart in the sky, casting a blurred series of shadows and making Crigo’s usual pallor almost greenish.
“Before the message is sent, you’ll do something for me, Crigo,” Roelstra said. He withdrew a candle from a pocket of his tunic and Crigo flinched. “I have a whim to see this young princeling. Conjure him for me.”
Palila caught her breath and Roelstra glanced at her over his shoulder. Quickly she said, “Forgive me, my lord, but I’ve never seen—”
“I’m sure you’ll find it interesting.” He held out the candle to the faradhi. “Light it,” he commanded softly. “Show me the princeling, Crigo. I want to see what manner of foolish child I’ll encounter at the Rialla.”
Crigo lifted both thin hands, the six rings of his earned rank glimmering in the moonlight. The wick sprang to life. Crigo looked up at Roelstra dully, his eyes reflecting the tiny flame. Palila held herself from shrinking back as the Sunrunner stared into the Fire of his calling.
The flame grew and a face began to form. Palila was drawn forward despite herself, fascinated. First the vague oval of the face, crowned by fair hair; then the lines of jaw, brow, nose; at last the features resolved and the curve of the mouth and the color of the eyes were clearly seen. A proud face, and very young; untested, unripe, and unaware of Roelstra’s fine manipulations of power.
“Well?” the High Prince asked suddenly. “Which of my girls will do for him, Palila? I value your advice.”
She stared at him in shock, distracted from the face in the flame. So this was why he had spoken with his elder daughters tonight at dinner, she thought. He usually ignored them, preferring to concentrate on the little ones and their amusing chatter. But tonight he had tested each of them, and now he was testing her. Mind working furiously, she tried to outguess him. He had already decided which daughter would marry Rohan, of course. She would have to anticipate that decision. His green eyes were coldly amused as they watched her during the few seconds she had in which to think.
“Ianthe,” she said.
He frowned and she knew it was the wrong answer. “Why her?”
“She’s the prettiest of your legitimate daughters, and close to this boy in age. She’s sensuous, and this man-child is obviously a virgin. Anyone looking at him could see it. Ianthe will be able to rule him through his senses if she’s clever enough. And Goddess knows the girl is clever.” She paused and made herself look at the flame again.
“Why should I give him one of my legitimate daughters?”
“Would a man of his wealth, family, and position accept a bastard?” she asked bluntly.
“Any daughter of mine would be an honor, but I suppose you’re right. There’s great pride in that face—and his mother is even worse. Go on.”
“Ianthe is also intelligent. She’ll understand where her advantage lies. I assume I’m correct in that this advantage will not be with her new husband?” She smiled, more confident as ideas came to her. “And she is ambitious.”
“How would that serve me, if she’s wed to this powerful young prince?”
“How long would he be able to keep that power on his own?” she countered. “I’ve never heard anything of him except that he’s quiet and studious. You’d never waste a daughter on a man who lets power dribble through his fingers. Ianthe will keep it for him—and for you. The Merida still sit in Cunaxa, north of the Desert border. Would Ianthe allow them to put so much as a boot heel on anything she owned?”
“She does have rather acquisitive instincts. But I fail to see how I may be assured of keeping her in line.”
“She is ambitious and intelligent—but she is also not stupid in any way that I’ve ever seen. Of course you can’t trust her. But at least you know her qualities. Can you say the same of Naydra, who can barely string two sentences together, or Pandsala, who never says what she thinks—if she thinks anything at all? As for Lenala—we all know very well that she cannot think. But you know Ianthe. And Ianthe knows it.” And apart from all that, she thought silently, how wonderful it would be to get rid of the girl, who was the main reason Palila lived so cautiously.