The Darkness Before Them by Matthew Ward

Author:Matthew Ward [Ward, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-12T10:05:10+00:00

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“How much of that did you hear, Ihsan?” asked Yennika, her eyes on the pyrasti in the crackling hearth.

Again custodian’s instincts fought castellan’s duty. This time the castellan won. “Enough to know she’s upset.”

The corner of Yennika’s mouth twitched. “And you’d like to know why?”

Yes, but it would hardly be proper to say so. “Only if you think I should.”

“Tanith’s inheritance . . . weighs on her. She’s impatient for resolution.”

He glanced down at the uneven pile of books on the table opposite where Tanith had lately stood – most of them lying open. A family who’d scarcely acknowledged her. Had she been searching for legal precedent?

Some other form of leverage? “Illegitimacy always presents challenges.”

Yennika nodded, her eyes still on the fire. “Firebloods and cinderbloods are the same, and yet we’re not. It makes things complicated.”

Damant scowled. “If Tanith shares blood, she’s family. It’s that simple.”

“Ihsan, darling.” Yennika laughed under her breath and at last met his gaze. “I wouldn’t expect you to get it – after all, you’re a cinderblood yourself – but thank you for trying.”

She was right, he didn’t understand. After his recent re- evaluation of Yennika, Damant found it oddly disappointing to learn that she was as elitist as any of her kind. People were people, and it was only the accident of wealth and status that changed things. “Can you help her?”

She offered a slow, steady nod. “I think so, but it requires resources, and time. Tanith has little of the former, and no patience for the latter. I can’t blame her. Plenty would kill her for what she is.”

Many a troubled inheritance was smoothed over by an “accident”.

After all, wasn’t that the reason he’d met with Marida that morning?

Now that Damant came to think of it, he couldn’t recall having seen Tanith leave the palace grounds since she’d arrived. Its decaying walls had become her refuge. “That’s why you’re working so hard to restore law to the city? So Tanith might be safe beyond the palace?”

Yennika beamed. “Oh, Ihsan, do you really think me so selfless? What 279

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a long way we’ve come.” She shook her head. “I’m restoring Tyzanta to order because someone should. It was a great city once. It will be again.”

“And Tanith?”

“Will understand. If she’s truly a fireblood. We accept our responsibilities.” Her smile vanished. “Well, most of us.”

“In that vein, you should probably know that she’s become,” he grimaced, wondering at the quirk of nature that prevented him from being direct, “friendly with one of the estate custodians.”

“Really?” Yennika’s eyes twinkled with enjoyment at his discomfort.

“How friendly?”

“About as much as it’s possible to be.”

Yennika shrugged. “Good for her.”

“It doesn’t worry you?”

“What are her family going to do? Disown her again? Kill her twice?

Let Tanith enjoy life while she’s young. It may not be seemly, but as long as they’re discreet, where’s the harm?”

“Josqa uses isshîm. He’s on his last warning for it.”

“Then I’m surprised he has anything like the energy to be as friendly as you suggest.

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