Passion Play (46 page)

Lilien House, Tiralien. To Lord Raul Anton Maximiliam Kosenmark. My dear Lord Kosenmark, I fear I must call off the picnic that I had planned for tomorrow. Other obligations have intruded, among them a host of unexpected visitors to my household. However, Benno insists that we do not give up the excursion entirely, especially since he would like to present his cousin to you, newly arrived from Duenne. Write to me as soon as you might, and let me know the best time and place for such an introduction.

After another paragraph of flourishes and polite nothings, the letter ended with all of Lady Theysson’s titles and names.

“Very … polite, my lord.”

“So I thought. Did you notice anything odd?”

She scanned the letter again. “Unexpected visitors” could only mean agents watching her house. Ah, Lord Iani had no cousins in Duenne. Perhaps that phrase translated to news from the capital. But that would not account for Raul’s unease. “I don’t understand. Or rather, I think I understand what she means, but not why it bothers you.”

“Look again,” he said. “Notice how Emma spelled my name.”

There was nothing wrong with the spelling. Ilse stared at the invitation, trying to see what Lord Kosenmark meant. Oh. A soft exclamation escaped her. “It’s not her script. Almost, but not quite. Lady Theysson slants her
X
s more, and the loops for these
L
s are too wide.”

Raul nodded. “The marks are all correct, however.”

Kosenmark and his closest associates used a series of unobtrusive marks on their letters—an underlined word, a tiny dot in the margin. The number and placement changed with every message according to a pattern Kosenmark had worked out. A wrong mark might indicate a letter gone astray. What did it mean when the letter had all the right marks, all the usual code phrases, but the script did not quite match?

“Would she dictate the message?” Ilse asked.

“I doubt it.”

He took the letter and folded it carefully into its fan-shape, still frowning. Behind them, Ault was watching surreptitiously, even while he busied himself with checking over the weapons in their rack. How much did he know about Lord Kosenmark’s other activities?

“What do you mean to do?” she asked. “Could you send another letter to Lady Theysson?”

“The straightforward method. No. If someone has infiltrated my courier network, my letter will not reach Emma but her substitute. So … I believe I shall accept this invitation to meet Benno’s newly discovered cousin.”

“But my lord—”

He cut her off with a gesture. “No arguments. Send a runner to fetch pen and ink.”

Reluctantly, she did as he ordered. Once the courier had left with his letter, Raul turned back to Ilse. “I should return before dark. If I do not, send out two squads from the guards. Have them search the district around Hansenau Square. That is where I suggested that we have our introductions.”

She nodded, still uneasy with his decision.

“One more favor.” Kosenmark hesitated a moment. “If Lord Dedrick visits, tell him I’ve gone to investigate a curious matter. But do not tell him where I’m going. He comes here on his father’s sufferance. I doubt the baron would thank me for leading his son into danger.”

“What if Lady Theysson comes here?”

He smiled briefly, without humor. “Then the matter becomes more dangerous than curious.”

“Why not send Lothar Faulk, my lord?”

“Because I sense we do not have the time or the privacy for arranging that.” He looked at her again, searchingly. “Are you worried, Mistress Ilse?”

She blew out a breath. “Yes.”

Kosenmark grinned. “Thank you. Will it relieve you to know I’m bringing an escort of guards?”

She flushed. Of course he would bring someone to guard his perimeter. She ought to have remembered. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you care enough to argue with me.”

He drilled every day, Ilse reminded herself, as she and Ault helped Kosenmark arm himself. He knew knife and sword and unarmed combat, and he was taking a squad of guards. Whatever danger he faced, he was not going unprepared. Still she had a sick feeling as Kosenmark gave her a cheerful wave and departed.

As though he guessed her thoughts, Ault set Ilse to learning a new and complicated sequence of knife strikes and blocks. It took them another hour before she could go through the pattern without reminders, and another hour before she felt comfortable with the moves. “You have it,” Ault told her. “Now practice it slowly.”

She was tired and hungry and far sweatier before Benedikt Ault dismissed her. “You’re quick but you think too much.”

“How can I remember the patterns unless I think?”

“Practice, Mistress Ilse. Practice until your body remembers for you.”

They agreed to meet again in two hours, after supper. By then, the sun would have set and the air would be cooler. Torches would give them enough light, Ault claimed, and if not, well, it was good practice for her.

She was halfway to the baths when a runner intercepted her. “Mistress Ilse.”

Lord Kosenmark was her first thought. “What happened?”

The runner shook his head. “Nothing. That is, Lord Dedrick came for Lord Kosenmark. They told me you would know where to find him.”

“He’s not here. He had an important visit to make.”

But at her answer, the runner glanced around nervously. “Could you speak with him? He seemed rather anxious.”

He should be anxious, Ilse thought as she followed the runner up to the second-floor parlor, where Lord Dedrick waited. She had no idea what she might tell him, other than Lord Kosenmark had gone on an errand. Saying “a curious matter” would provoke him.

Dedrick stood with his back to the door, hands clasped behind him, while he examined a painting on the wall. Ilse paused and knocked softly. The moment she did, Dedrick spun around. “Where is Raul?” he demanded.

She took a deep breath. “Lord Dedrick, I’m sorry, but Lord Kosenmark is not at home.”

“Did he say where he’d gone?”

Ilse glanced at the door. The next room appeared empty, but a vent by the fireplace doubled as a listening pipe, and there were peepholes as well. “To investigate a curious matter, my lord. He should be back by dinner. Will you wait for him, or would you prefer to leave a message?”

Dedrick turned pale. “What curious matter? And where did he go? I have important news.”

“I’m sorry, Lord Dedrick, but Lord Kosenmark didn’t tell me.”

“He did. I can see by your face.”

Ilse bit back the angry retort that came to her lips. Dedrick was clever and stubborn. Soothe the man and he might go away. Provoke him and he would probably lash himself to the doorpost until Raul returned. “Can you tell me the news?” she said in a soft voice.

Now it was Dedrick who peered into the next room. Ilse closed the door and led him away from the fireplace. He bent close and in a soft voice said, “The watch found one of Lord Kosenmark’s couriers dead in the harbor. His throat was cut.”

Her stomach lurched at the news. “Who?” she whispered. “When?”

“I don’t know his name. Faulk wouldn’t tell me. All I know is that the watch discovered the man’s body this morning. Faulk heard of it … however Faulk hears these things.”

Khandarr’s agents, she thought. Or someone in alliance with Khandarr. They must have intercepted one of Lady Theysson’s messages and used it to create their own false message. He suspected that. He’s not going into the trap unaware.

“I have more news,” Dedrick said.

“More?”

“Armand has summoned Lord Iani to court. Benno left Tiralien yesterday. He and Emma didn’t want to be so obvious as to come directly here, so they sent word through the usual channels.” He paused and ran his hands through his hair. “Raul didn’t answer. And he always answers. That’s another one of his tests. Send word, wait for a reasonable reply. Benno couldn’t wait. He left for Tiralien by sundown, but Emma set Faulk to investigate. That’s when he discovered what happened to the courier. Now will you tell me where he’s gone?”

Ilse hesitated. Dedrick had the look of someone who would not leave unless dragged out by six of Lord Kosenmark’s strongest guards. She spun around and marched out the door, Dedrick followed close behind. “You cannot walk faster than me,” he told her.

Ilse ignored him. She skimmed down the corridor to the nearest runner. “Fetch the guard captain,” she said. “Have him bring a squad. Hurry!”

The guard captain and his squad arrived within moments. Ilse spoke at once. “Captain, Lord Dedrick is not feeling well. He needs to return home at once.”

“You cannot do that to me,” Dedrick hissed.

“I can and I must. Captain, you have my word that these are Lord Kosenmark’s wishes. He left explicit instructions—”

“And I say you are lying,” Dedrick shouted, his face dark and furious. “Listen to me, Captain. You must send two squads after Lord Kosenmark. He’s in danger. And I have news that he must hear.”

“Mistress Ilse?” The captain turned to her.

“Send an escort with Lord Dedrick back to his father’s household,” Ilse said. She turned to Lord Dedrick. “You must go home. Lord Kosenmark wishes it. So does your father.”

Dedrick shuddered at the mention of his father. Yet with an obvious effort, he seemed to bring himself under control. He glanced from Ilse to the captain. “Very well. But I do not need an escort. My own groom can do well enough.”

“You should have a few men accompany you,” Ilse said firmly. “To ensure that you reach home safely.”

Dedrick jerked up his chin. All the guards went alert, but then Dedrick released a long breath. “So,” he said. “Yes. I see that you are right, Mistress Ilse. Thank you for your consideration.”

He gave Ilse a stiff nod. At the captain’s signal, three of the guards detached themselves from the group. Dedrick regarded them with distaste, but he made no further protests and allowed the guards to usher him from the house.

Ilse waited until she was alone with the guard captain, then relayed Lord Kosenmark’s instructions about Hansenau Square. “That’s on the other side of the harbor,” he said. “We’d need an hour if we go on foot. Maybe longer.”

“What about horses?”

“We don’t have enough for two squads.”

“Send one squad mounted, then, and the second on foot.”

He nodded. “Well enough, Mistress.”

Only when he had gone did her body react to the news. A shudder went through her. She nearly did not make it to the nearest bench before her legs turned watery and she sat with a thump that jarred her teeth.

Murder. Betrayal. Simkov’s memoirs. The feint turned against Lord Kosenmark. It didn’t matter if Lord Khandarr acted from panic or cold deliberation, if his agents reached Lord Kosenmark before the guards did, they would murder him and blame Tiralien’s street thugs. One squad of guards was not enough to protect him. Even if these two reached Hansenau Square in time, there would be an outright battle.

She turned from the gallery and threaded her way toward her rooms. Her stomach growled. Dinner, she thought faintly. Then a bath. Or perhaps she could eat while she bathed. No, evening was coming on, and Maester Ault expected her soon.

Worn out with anxiety and the long drill, she fell into a doze while eating in her room.

“Mistress Ilse …”

Someone was shaking her by the shoulder. Ilse started up, forgetting where she was for a moment. In the background, the quarter bells were ringing. Her vision came into focus. It was the guard captain’s second hovering over her, his face taut and worried. “What’s wrong?” she said.

“Lord Dedrick. We sent an escort with him just as you ordered …”

A sick feeling came over her. “I can guess. Lord Dedrick lost his escort, didn’t he?”

The man nodded. “The guard squad came into the stables just as we were leaving with Lord Dedrick. He must have overheard something, because he had a strange look on his face. I didn’t think much about it at the time. But half a mile from here, we had stopped because a mule train was blocking the streets. Lord Dedrick started cursing, saying that his horse had gone lame. He pretended to look at its off back hoof. Before we knew it, he’d disappeared into an alleyway and was gone.”

“You sent the guards after him?”

“Yes, but they could not find any trace of him. Should we send out another squad?”

Ilse thought fast. Kosenmark had hired extra guards, but with three squads already dispatched, they had barely enough to patrol the grounds, and she wondered if Khandarr’s agents would also attack here. She could alert the city watch, or report the business to Lord Vieth in his palace.

No. We cannot start to confess our secrets now.

Besides, none of them could reach Lord Dedrick quickly enough. Meanwhile, Markus Khandarr’s secret army was hunting down Raul Kosenmark. She had to warn them both.

The thought made her go weak. This was no practice drill.

And if I do not, he will die.