Liaden Unibus III (Chapbooks 13b) Daughter of Dragons by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Author:Sharon Lee & Steve Miller [Lee, Sharon & Miller, Steve]
Format: epub
Published: 2009-09-30T16:17:36+00:00

Jelaza Kazone

A small thunderclap echoed off the kitchen tiles; air displaced by Miss Anthora's precipitant arrival, Merlin in her ams.

"Jeeves! I can locate the body easily. But Cousin Kareen . . . she's like fog. No! Like a fog rooted in stone." She leaned heavily against the counter, scarcely seeming to notice when the cat scrambled free and leapt to the floor. There was a certain fixity to her gaze that was consistent with a working trance. She was sweating, which was also not inconsistent with a working state. But this burst of panic in the midst—

Anthora took a hard breath—another; her heart rate dropped, stress hormones leached away. A third breath and her body was soothed.

"The house is," she said calmly to the waiting robot, "as reported, surrounded."

"Noted."

"Suggestion?" She inquired dryly.

"Tactical computations engaged, Miss Anthora. Although nominally engaged as a unit under Plan B, Lady Kareen is currently operating as an independent ally in the absence of Val Con yos'Phelium and others of the Line Direct, until she can return to preassigned duties. She has identified and requested the disposition of certain items of value or concern to the Plan. Tactical simplification is indicated: the orderly disposition of the contents of her house will permit focus on other pending issues."

"Jeeves, are you fully operational at the moment?"

The robot's delayed response brought her pause, but she resisted the urge to scan . . . .

"Computationally, I am more efficient and versatile than when originally constructed."

"Do you have strategic computations also engaged, then?"

A longer pause, followed by what could have been a short laugh, if Jeeves laughed.

"I do."

"We shall discuss them later. Do you have weather-monitoring capability?"

"Of course."

"Very good. Please monitor the weather in the area of Cousin Kareen's townhouse."

Jeeves initiated the necessary protocols. "As you say, Miss Anthora."

"Thank you. I will work from here, I think."

She settled herself bonelessly to the floor; closed her eyes, and said—to Jeeves or to herself or to Merlin, busily bathing in a spot of sunlight—"first, the blood and flesh."

Based on similar situations in the past, Jeeves refrained from replying as her trance state deepened. He also stationed himself to partially block the doors, since the cats inevitably gathered about as soon as they could when wizard-work was being done.

* * *

Patience had not been so easy of late. First, she'd been forced to the conclusion that the calling of Plan B, however much she deplored it, fell within the realm of the First Speaker's duties. It was in the diaries, after all, and consistent with the protocols.

Next, she'd found herself dispatched to multiple errands, most of which any servant might have performed in ordinary times. Then, finding that Luken bel'Tarda's role was set as the one who would guide their mission, she'd had to deal with what he called "the grinding and polishing of small wheels" as the children were gathered, informed of their situations, and in several cases, armed.

She had arranged and conferred with what patience she could muster, discovering in the man

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