Shades of Gray (110 page)

“Yes, Majesty,” said Zerdish, bowing.

Lassimiss unfolded himself and got to his feet. “I go now. This you deal with, not me.” He stalked off to his enclosed carrier and disappeared inside it.

K’hedduk turned his thoughts back to the pillar of flame as the TeLaxaudin left his office. He had to ensure that this rumor was snuffed out as quickly as possible. Leaning forward, he thumbed his comm unit.

“Get me Inquisitor Ziosh,” he said.

THOUGH the front of the house was square with an imposing pillared facade and long driveway, the rear had seen several additions over the years. Behind the high wooden fence, it sprawled out to either side of the main building, bracketing a heated swimming pool. Set to one side of it was the obligatory island.

“I remember hearing that they only considered open water as holy,” murmured J’korrash as they concealed themselves amid the thick bushes and trees.

The large pool dominated the garden. Beyond it was a tiled area that led up to the rear of the house and the three covered lanais, or porticos, where the new Lord Nayash was entertaining the remaining funeral guests.

Tables covered with a variety of food stood against the walls of the largest lanai, and sandy-skinned servants, obviously drones, moved among the guests with trays of drinks. Counting the two guards at the front entrance, Kusac could see another four, each wearing a green armband, presumably for mourning. There were twenty guests, including Nayash, and four servants as well as a couple of kitchen staff inside.

“They’re trying to work out what happened,” whispered Carrie from beside him. “They seem to be convinced it was sabotage by a rival House. Their tempers are high, mainly to hide their fear.”

“I can’t sense anyone even thinking about the Zsadhi legend,” he said as an altercation broke out among a small group of males.

Saboteurs are good,
sent Kaid.
Who are they blaming?

No one person yet,
Kusac replied, watching as a male dressed in dark green fatigues moved over to calm them down.

These courtiers won’t know the Zsadhi legend well, if they know it at all,
came Rezac’s thought.
If he’s a savior of the downtrodden, then the workers and servants will think of him soon enough.

Find out who the elite blame,
Kaid sent.
We may hit them next, or one of their allies.

Well, we have a fair idea of who their allies are today,
Kusac replied.
Which one’s the new lord?
he sent to J’korrash.

The one by himself near the fountain,
she replied, drawing his attention to the figure out on the tiled area, dressed in dark green with an abundance of gold braid.
Looks like an underdressed Touiban. Don’t feel sorry for him—he hated his father for taking a much younger wife that he himself wanted.

Kusac smothered a laugh at her description.
No brothers or sisters?

We’ll wait till nightfall,
Kusac decided.
There are just too many people about right now. Pass the word on; I want everyone staying alert. No food until they all go inside. You can drink, though—stay hydrated at all costs, but be silent. Carrie, you three females keep an eye on our rear, please, see no one approaches. We males will watch the building.

Right,
she sent.

 

It was a long day for them. Thankfully the reception broke up just after noon; then Nayash sent his guards down to the workers’ dormitory building to take some laborers with them to the graveyard to investigate his father’s remains. Apart from the servants clearing up, the rear of the house was deserted.

“Eat now while you can,” Kusac said quietly, rolling on his side to get the empty can that he’d been lying on for several hours out of his pocket. He crushed it, then put it in a sealed pack and stowed it in one of his side belt pouches and pulled out an instant paste meal and a nutrition bar.

I hate field rations,
sent Carrie, reluctantly sucking on her paste.
What you having, Tallinu?

Stew,
sent Kaid, with a laugh in his voice.
Banner caught a rabbitlike beast this morning when he went out to scout around the area.

Bastard,
she sent good humoredly.

Might not be that good on this world with their restricted diet,
she replied, pulling a face as Kusac grinned at their interchange.

So long as it isn’t laced with laalquoi, I’ll be happy,
he sent, stowing the remains from his meal in his garbage bag and returning it to the pouch.

They settled down again to wait, as the day got hotter.

The sound of laughter from inside the house roused them from their heat-induced stupor.

It’s Nayash,
sent Kusac, reaching out for the young lord.
He’s heard that his father’s remains have been burned almost to ashes. Nice son.

A series of orders to have what was left put into the grave anyway, and have it covered over, were sent over a comm unit.

He’s coming out!
warned Carrie.

Flanked by two of his guards, Nayash, wearing only swimming shorts with a towel thrown over his shoulder, came out from the far right onto the lanai. Cutting across to his left, he made for the steps down to the pool and the loungers by a table set under some palm trees off to their right. As he threw his towel over the lounger and headed for the pool, the guards took up positions at opposite ends of the garden.

“It’s all right for some folk,” muttered Jo quietly as Nayash began swimming across the pool.

I’m going to have to find a way to cover up that damned tattoo,
Kusac sent to Carrie, Kaid, and Rezac.
At least until I need it, if I do. Looks like this guy is the outdoors type, given a chance. Plus, I have a feeling water is more than just social here.

I’d love a swim,
sent Carrie wistfully.
These suits don’t keep us completely cool. I feel like I’m being broiled here.

I’ll see that all you females at least get a shower as soon as I can,
he promised, patting her arm.

Perhaps it was a mistake taking them with you,
sent Kaid.

Rubbish. They are the start of my harem,
sent Kusac with a laugh.

Start?
said Carrie ominously.

Maybe I should rephrase that,
he sent, backtracking.

I think you better,
sent Carrie, ignoring muffled chuckles from J’korrash and Kushool.

Nayash got out on the small island and wandered about there for a while, shifting various pieces of furniture and uprooting the odd small ornamental flowering tree, which he tossed to one side near the water’s edge.

Seems the females get to swim here too,
sent Kusac, surprised.
He’s getting rid of things his stepmother liked. You may get your swim yet, Carrie, if you can sustain an illusion long enough, and if we dispense with the guards.

Nayash dove back into the pool and swam a few more circuits before going to relax in the jet pool at the far end.

He’d only been there a few minutes when one of the guards he’d sent to the graveyard came out to make a report in person.

“We’ve done as you asked, Lord Nayash. While we were there, an officer from the Palace arrived to check over the scene. He was not pleased we were burying the remains.”

“It’s none of their business,” said Nayash. “What else did he want?”

“He poked about in the dirt and ashes looking for signs of how the pillar of flames was generated. Then, when he found nothing, he took three of the workers and began to search around the area for signs of intruders.”

“Did he find anything?”

“The workers said no, but he was using a comm link to report to the head of the Emperor’s Security at the place. He said the incident had posed a threat to the Emperor and had to be thoroughly investigated.”

“If they found nothing, there’s nothing they can do. What were your impressions?”

The guard hesitated. “I think he may believe you arranged it, Lord Nayash. However, the workers, superstitious as ever, are saying it was the Zsadhi.”

“They’re superstitious fools, as you said. Tell the foreman that if I hear any more of this Zsadhi nonsense, there will be repercussions. As for the authorities thinking it was me, even I wouldn’t do something quite so obvious, and they know that. Give them all the help they need if they come back, but keep me posted. Dismissed.”

The guard saluted and left.

Seems our lordling is known to be something of a rebel,
sent Kusac.
And we have the Zsadhi rumor starting now.

Let’s hope they don’t try to pin the blame on Nayash,
Rezac sent.
It could make life here difficult for us.

We’ll deal with it later,
came Kaid’s thought.
If they can’t find any evidence against him, or a motive, then they can’t really do anything about it.

Something to take into consideration, though,
sent Kusac.

The sun was finally beginning to sink in the sky, and welcome shadows were falling across the garden when the young M’zullian finally got out of the pool. Grabbing his towel, he headed indoors again, followed by his two guards.

He hasn’t plans to leave for the city tonight, has he?
asked Kaid.

No. He intends to stay home, and he’s calling his unit billeted in the city. He wants them replacing his father’s guards,
sent Rezac.

And as the new lord, he’s putting in an application for a wife as well as a promotion commensurate with his new rank,
added Kusac.

Wise. He’s surrounding himself with his own people,
said Kaid.
You’ll have to reassign a few, or at least replace them with some of ours.

I can’t spare more than two,
sent Kusac.
We need people in other locations than the capital.

Let’s get you well established first,
sent Kaid.
You should be able to win some of your people over to your side, and then we can see about placing Rezac.

Don’t I get a say in this?
asked Rezac plaintively.

No,
sent Kaid.

Yes,
said Kusac.

We’ll see,
temporized Kaid.

 

Night had fallen several hours before when finally a car drew up at the front of the house.

The new guards
, sent Rezac quietly, it being his turn on telepathic guard duty.

Kusac rolled over and mentally latched onto where Rezac was scanning. “Four of them, not personal friends, but trusted,” he said.

“The six inside are getting ready to leave,” Rezac said. “The replacements will report in, then go to their quarters above the garage. Two will go on patrol outside the building for the next six hours, then change over with the other two.”

“Let’s move this along,” muttered Kusac. ““We’ve waited long enough.”

Mentally he reached out for the young lord, finding him in the downstairs family room. Swiftly pushing past the natural mental barrier into his mind, he began to make Nayash feel drowsy. When the steward announced the Sergeant of the Guard, Nayash stood up, smothering a yawn, and greeted him.

Nayash gave him a password for the night, and the Sergeant left to escort the six guards off the premises before joining the other three in their quarters and allocating guard duties.

Nayash, now yawning deeply, made his way upstairs to his old room above the master suite in the west wing.

Within half an hour, the house had settled down for the night, and the two guards were doing their rounds. Kusac waited long enough to be able to time their appearance before moving out.

“I’ll take point with Cheelar. J’korrash and Rezac take the rear,” he said.

Quiet as shadows, they slipped across the tiles and into the main lanai. The easiest way into the house from the rear was through the outdoor kitchen.

They stopped by the door into the main building, making sure none of the servants was stirring, then opening the door silently, Kusac led them in.

On their right, the family room was a large open space with no walls or doors. Opposite it were the two entrances to the main kitchen. Darting across to a pair of square pillars, Kusac signaled the others to follow.

There was a small bar on their right, and next to it, a curved staircase leading to the floor above. Cheelar slipped forward to the next pillar, stopping briefly before going on to the one beyond it. Now that he had a clear view of the staircase, he gestured them to join him.

Hugging the wall, they took the stairs two at a time. Again, much of this floor was open plan. Ahead was an entertainment room, with wall-mounted screens and consoles. To their right was a narrow curved corridor with a view down to the living room below on one side and the foyer on the other. It led to the two bedrooms in the west wing. Nayash, fast asleep, was in the one on the right.

Rezac joined Kusac at the front of the group as they quietly made their way to the door. Signaling for Cheelar to accompany them into the room and for the rest to remain on guard outside, Kusac reached again for the M’zullian’s mind. This time, he knocked him out cold.

Once inside, Rezac dug out the rope he carried. He swiftly tied the youth up and taped his mouth shut. Cheelar grabbed a chair, bringing it over so they could tie him to it.

Kusac sat down on the bed while the other two positioned the chair opposite him. Taking a deep breath, he powered off his chameleon suit and ordered Rezac and Cheelar to do the same. Then, reaching forward to take the M’zullian’s head in his hands, he began matching the frequency of his mind to the young lord’s. Slowly he began gathering enough information to change into the other’s likeness.