Shadowkill

5

“Visiting a lover?” Aghilo’s voice was peppered with scorn. “Shameless one, out of your bedroom this late.”

“Get lost, old woman. Keep your mouth shut or I’ll have you whipped for impertinence. And don’t think I can’t do it.” Kulyari laughed. “I don’t have to explain anything to Garaddy’s bastard.” She swept off, laughing again.

Aghilo came back. She pulled the door shut, sighed. “You have your witness.”

“She’s putting it on. Under that arrogance, she’s scared.”

“Oh, really. What IS this about?”

“I woke up a little while ago, nightmare I think, but I don’t remember. Anyway, I was looking out the window and saw Arring Pirs crossing on the ferry. Someone else was watching; once Pirs and P’murr were across, she took off. It was Kulyari. She came down in the Family Garden and got into a room there, I don’t know what the room was, but there’s a com in it. I cracked the door and heard her talking to someone on the com. She was telling him, I think it was a man, about Pirs, where he looked to be going, who was with him, you know, everything he didn’t want to get out.”

“Ah.” Aghilo stripped the tie off her long plait, began pulling the strands apart.

“Is there any way we can make her tell who it was she was talking to?”

Aghilo moved to her dressing table, began brushing her hair, her strokes full of nervous energy. “No,” she said. “The only one who could touch her is Pirs.”

“Matja Allina?”

“No. No. You don’t understand the way things are here. She dropped the brush and twisted her long hair into a knot atop her head, began shoving in hairpins, each darting movement of her hand emphasizing a phrase of what she was saying. “She’s the heir’s daughter. Utilas. He sent her here for fostering-once he saw what Pirs and Allina were making of this place. For fostering and to make trouble. Get rid of Mina. Be there to marry Pirs.”

“He’s her uncle, almost like seducing her father. I…”

“No, I told you, you don’t understand.” Aghilo slapped in the last pin, got to her feet. “It’s done here often enough. Usually the second wife, if the first dies or has to be put aside.” She took off her robe, threw it on the bed, moved about, collecting underclothing, a skirt and shirt, talking as she moved. “The Families don’t want conflicting alliances and it conserves the wealth. She’s here to marry him if she can manage it. Viper. Him or his successor if she gets him killed.”

“Since her father’s the heir…”

Aghilo pulled a folding screen out from the wall, went behind it and began dressing. “No. He’s got enough on his hands with the old property. It’ll be Mingas or Rintirry gets this if Pirs is killed.”

“The baby doesn’t count?”

“Who’s to speak for him? Matja Allina? Don’t be silly. If Pirs is killed, the baby’s nothing. Boy babies die so easily on this world.” She came from behind the screen looking quietly neat and lowered herself to a stool at the foot of the bed. “Go get dressed, chapa. You shouldn’t be down here like that.” She thrust her feet into her sandals, bent, and began working on the buckles. “Meet me. Ten minutes. You hear?” She gave a soft little grunt as she switched feet. “When I tell you to speak, you say just what you told me. And nothing,” she looked up, “nothing about what’s to do. The Matja will say. She knows the situation. Don’t even hint what you’re thinking. You don’t understand. She has enough trouble without having to deal with you. Go on. Get.”

Matja Allina was tired and red-eyed. She sat in the only armchair in her bedroom, wrapped in a fleecy white robe with a blue-green silk lining. Tinoopa knelt at her feet, massaging them with a scented cream, working the toes, the muscles of her calves, humming a placid soothing three-note tune. The smell of the cream was strong in the room, a sweetness with an acrid underbite.

“After Aghilo challenged her,” Kizra finished, “Kulyari went sweeping off in a snit.”

“So,” the Matja said. “Our precautions were useless. Hmm. Aghilo, I saw Wuraj in the infirmary yesterday, didn’t I?”

“Yes. He’d tangled with a young l’borrgha and had claw-marks here and there. Bone-deep some of them. Otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered to come in.”

Matja Allina closed her eyes, rubbed at the vertical lines between her brows. “He didn’t look bad…”

“Well, he should probably rest at least a week.”

“Bring him to me. If he can’t go, he’ll know who’s best to send.

“Matja…” Aghilo said tentatively, raising her hands in protest.

“I know, I know. I don’t mean here.” She dragged her hand across her mouth. “I wish… no… impossible… everyone knows everything that happens. Bring him to the entrance hall. I’ll be down immediately.” She cut off Aghilo’s protest. “It has to be me, my friend. You know that. Get Gilli chal and Ghineeli chal, they’re loyal, I’m sure of it. Put them to watching Kulyari and Polyapo. I wish… no.” Once again she closed her eyes. “Tinoopa, thank you, that was lovely. I want you to help me dress and get downstairs as quickly as we can manage. The sooner it’s done…” she pushed at her hair, “the sooner I can rest.”