Ghost in the Winds (Ghost Exile #9) - Jonathan Moeller Page 0,154

mean?” said Kylon.

“Here, in Istarinmul,” said Caina. “I can’t leave now. This business about being an amirja and the Padishah’s sister…I don’t know how to do it, Kylon. I’m a spy and an assassin. Not a noblewoman…”

“Technically, you are a noblewoman,” said Kylon. “Your father was a lord of the Empire. You’ve pretended to be a noblewoman countless times.”

“I’ve pretended to be a man, too,” said Caina. “That doesn’t make it so.”

He nodded. “Of course I’ll help you.”

“Thank you,” said Caina. “I…”

“Ah…Lord Kylon?”

Caina blinked and turned.

The Kyracian embassy approached, Lord Ramphias at its head.

###

Kylon gazed at the man who had succeeded him as High Seat of House Kardamnos.

Rhamphias had always been a blustering, arrogant braggart, full of confidence and self-assurance, and utterly convinced that he should have been the High Seat of House Kardamnos instead of Kylon. After Kylon had saved Rhamphias from a nagataaru in New Kyre, that bluster had vanished, at least around Kylon, and now his cousin regarded him with a mixture of respect, uneasiness, and a hint of fear.

A tangle of dark emotion went through Kylon at the sight of Rhamphias. Oddly, little enough of it had to do with Rhamphias himself. The Surge had given Kylon the ability to sense nagataaru, and that had allowed him to save Rhamphias’s life. Of course, that same ability had given him no warning of the Huntress’s attack, had not permitted him to save Thalastre.

“Cousin,” said Kylon. He ought to have addressed Rhamphias as the Lord High Seat of House Kardamnos, but he could not bring himself to care, and he was curious to see how Rhamphias would react.

Rhamphias’s lip twitched a little. “Cousin. I…confess that I am surprised to see you here. I was not expecting it.” He glanced at Caina. “Or in the company of…that woman.”

“She does have a name,” said Kylon. Caina smiled a little.

“Indeed,” said Rhamphias. “She…is the one, Kylon? The Balarigar? The one who was in New Kyre on the day of the golden dead? She stopped that scarred assassin?”

Caina gripped her Iramisian skirts and offered a bow. “Caina Amalas, at your service, Lord Rhamphias.”

Rhamphias was too wedded to the traditions of a Kyracian nobleman to do anything but bow in answer. “Rhamphias Kardamnos, High Seat of House Kardamnos. Though I suppose you are properly the amirja Caina Amalas Tarshahzon now. It was Lord Corbould Maraeus who pushed for your banishment, was it not? I imagine he would be most vexed to find out that you are now the Padishah’s adoptive sister.”

Caina smiled again. “Perhaps I shall have the opportunity to see his vexation in person.”

“Yes, undoubtedly,” said Rhamphias, looking back and forth between Kylon and Caina, and Kylon sensed his cousin’s discomfort grow. “I…had not realized that you two were…ah…”

“Cousin,” said Kylon. “What do you want?”

Rhamphias shrugged, the discomfort sharpening. “To greet you, that’s all.”

“No,” said Caina, in the quiet voice that meant she was thinking. “You were sent as the Kyracian Assembly’s ambassador to the court of the new Padishah. You ought to be following the Padishah, or the new Grand Wazir, attempting to get into their good graces. Instead, you have come to speak with a man the Assembly banished from New Kyre, a man who once was the High Seat of the House you now rule. That means you have a reason rather more pressing than mere greetings.”

Rhamphias sighed. “Clever. I never liked clever women. Andromache was clever, and look what it brought her.”

“How fares House Kardamnos?” said Kylon, wondering if Rhamphias had steered the House to ruin.

“Well,” said Rhamphias. “I…admit that the business of High Seat is harder than I anticipated. Certainly you and Andromache made it look easier than it really is.”

“High praise,” said Caina.

Rhamphias gave her an annoyed glance and then looked back at Kylon. “But the House is not in dire straits. Granted, our standing was not as high as it was under you or your sister, but our finances are sound, and our properties are profitable.”

“Good,” said Kylon. “I haven’t been to New Kyre in two years, so you can take credit for that, not me.”

“I agree,” said Rhamphias, “but I haven’t come to speak of the business of House Kardamnos. I have a message for you.”

Kylon felt something cold close around his heart. “From whom?”

“The Surge, the oracle of the Kyracian people,” said Rhamphias.

The ice flickered into anger, and he felt Caina’s concerned glance.

“What the hell does she want?” said Kylon.

“She commands you to return to New Kyre at once, in our company,” said