Shadowplay by Terry Mancour & Emily Burch Harris

Author:Terry Mancour & Emily Burch Harris [Mancour, Terry & Harris, Emily Burch]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Podium Publishing
Published: 2021-10-04T22:00:00+00:00

There were no recriminations the next morning for her outing. Indeed, Cousin Onnelik did not rouse her from bed until late in the morning, feeling that she had been exhausted by her recent days’ work. He was a kind soul, Gatina knew, and she was glad she was related to him. He resembled her father enough in face and voice that he was a comfort for her. He’d even had the cook leave her some porridge over the fire before she left for the market.

“Where’s Mother?” she asked him, between hungry bites at the kitchen table.

“She had business elsewhere, today,” he said, in a tone that told Gatina she would get no more from him on the subject. “She left instructions for you to continue your street work. She still wants you to keep infiltrating the local Rat’s nests. But avoid trouble, at all cost. I’ll keep taking your reports until she returns.”

“I will,” she agreed. “Any new word from the palace?” she asked, hoping for news. Hearing about Atopol’s work had intrigued her further.

“Alas, just more pronouncements about days of mourning, and temple services for Their Graces, and a few edicts,” he sighed. “Count Vichetral’s banner flies near the gates, and his men guard them. I heard as much from the milkmaid this morning.”

“The milkmaid?” Gatina asked. “Is that a code name?”

“No, no, Artessia is an actual milkmaid,” Onnelik chuckled. “Some of my best sources are common folk, like that. Servants and artisans always gossip, and they go places and see things others do not. Artessia sells milk to the houses on the far end of the Processional, to a wealthy family who lives across from the palace. Their stableboy hears everything that happens near the palace gates. And he has a crush on Maid Artessia, so he tells her everything. And she tells it to me,” he supplied.

“Interesting,” Gatina nodded. She knew from personal experience the kinds of things people saw when they were almost invisible. The nits witnessed lots of things as they tossed around, looking for alms or work. Unfortunately, Gatina had found, their tendency to exaggerate or lie to make themselves important – or for the pure joy of lying – made them unreliable about most things. “Tell me, this Shadow person, the one she reports to, is he to be trusted?” she wondered. She had never been told about the man to whom her mother was passing along information. Secrets were secrets, she knew. But kittens were curious.

The question took Onnelik by surprise. “Shadow? Why yes, yes, he can be trusted,” he assured her. “Your mother places a lot of stock in his leadership. He’s terribly well-informed. And he has the interests of the duchy in mind, of that I have no doubt, and the welfare of the ducal house. Yes, I would say that Shadow is to be trusted.”

“Would he help people, if he had a chance?” she asked.

The question puzzled Onnelik. “Well, I suppose so, but that isn’t his focus at the moment, I’d wager.

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