The Harem Master (23 page)

"Not nearly as whatever you were about to say," Sabah retorted. Kitt muttered something in Rittu, too low for Demir to understand.

"Thank you." Demir pulled on form-fitting, dark brown pants, a sleeveless shirt of the same color, and wrapped a dark blue sash around the waist, tucking the ends into the small of his back. Picking up his sleeves, the same dark blue as the sash, he pulled them on and buttoned them into place at his shoulders. Next he picked up a padded vest of brown and blue stripes that fastened with hidden hooks. Sitting down on the bed, he pulled on knee high boots, stamping his feet to settle them.

Standing, he picked up a wide swath of fine, dark blue wool and wrapped it around his shoulders so that he could pull it up to form a hood when he needed. He looked at Haluk, who had also changed, though his outfit was entirely black and there was a proper hood attached to the stiff jacket he wore. "Ready?"

"Yes, Harem Master."

"Outside the palace, you should simply use my name, or a generic honorific if that is more comfortable for you." Haluk nodded. Demir turned to Kitt, frowning when he saw that Kitt was also dressed for venturing out. "I thought it was just Lord Haluk and I visiting the brothels."

"It is," Kitt replied. "I want to do some investigating on my own; that conversation you overheard troubles me. Sabah will cover for us should someone come." He grinned at Sabah, who rolled his eyes. "Shall we, my friends?" Kitt asked. Sabah opened the door to the secret passage, and Kitt slipped inside first, lighting the waiting lantern before he beckoned to Demir and Haluk.

When they were inside, he leaned out, rested a hand against Sabah's cheek, and leaned in to kiss him briefly. "Be careful, beautiful. Do not have too much fun while we're gone."

"Stay out of trouble," Sabah replied. "Keep the body count to a minimum."

"Of course." Kitt smiled and stepped back so Haluk could give Sabah a parting kiss as well, and then they followed Demir deeper into the passage.

It took them several minutes to thread their way through the maze of passages to the one that ran through the king's chambers. The secret passages had only two ways in and out of the palace, and they could only be reached by the passages that led from the king's chambers. One exit, the one they needed, put them on the side of the palace facing the city. The other exit led to the far side of the palace, far from the city.

Demir stepped out and breathed in the jasmine-scented night air, a hint of smoke wafting from fires built to keep back the chill. Below, at the bottom of the low hill, the city of Tavala was lit with the soft, muted glow of colorful evening lanterns that marked late night tea and wine shops, the notorious night market that sold items too private and risky to be sold where children might come upon them, and the brothels and dance houses. Plenty more was not lit by lanterns, could be found only by those who knew where to look.

"Feels like home," Kitt said, and Demir did not need light to see his reckless grin.

"Nefarious doings in the dark?" Haluk drawled. "You have peculiar notions of home."

Kitt chuckled. "We are what we are, and I am a night viper. So where exactly are you going, should I need to find you?"

"We will be visiting three houses," Demir replied. "The two that I know he frequented, and a third that he might have without informing me. Those second two are the House of Dreams and the House of Harmony. But the first stop will be the House of the Moon Orchid. It has long ties with the royal harem, as it was the sister of the first harem master who founded the house. Moon Orchid caters to every whim and desire; there are four hundred prostitutes employed there, and another hundred or so associated with it who do contracted work. When Lord Arda first came to me, I took him there. He was, so far as I knew, happy after that. Moon Orchid is selective and exclusive, and visits must be scheduled." He smiled briefly. "Many in the palace have regular appointments."

"I hope you're able to learn something," Kitt said. He cupped Haluk's face, dragging him down into a hard, quick kiss. Drawing back, he blew a kiss at Demir. "Happy hunting. I will see you here at the fourth bell, unless I seek you out sooner."

He darted off, leaving Demir and Haluk on the hill, gone from sight almost immediately. "I find it hard to believe, if I may say, that he was in a prison camp for a prolonged period."

"He chose to stay," Haluk said quietly. "He's never admitted it, but we're not fools. Kitt could have left whenever he wanted, could have even snuck Ihsan out with him, once Ihsan was healed enough to travel. But Ihsan was determined to save everyone, as he usually is, and Kitt remained with him. Nobody was more surprised than Kitt when he agreed to become one of Ihsan's concubines. But I've never seen him happier." He smiled briefly. "I remember Moon Orchid. Before I was assigned to protect Ihsan, I trained with the man assigned to guard Lady Tya, and she visited Moon Orchid at least once a week, often twice."

Demir nodded. "Lady Tya is a favorite patron, yes."

Haluk chuckled as he finally started walking, leading the way down the hill, moving confidently despite the dark. "It must be interesting, knowing the sexual proclivities of nearly everyone in the palace."

"It is an honor to be trusted with information that could, apparently, get men killed," Demir said quietly. "I wish we had been able to save him."

"He almost killed you," Haluk said. "Whatever his reasons, no matter how justified his actions seemed, he had no right to hurt people who did him no wrong. His actions were as bad as the crime inflicted upon him."

Demir shrugged. "Perhaps, but how different would his actions have been if he had felt he had even a single ally to turn to?"

"You are too kind, but you always have been. You're as bad as Ihsan."

Demir frowned. "What do you mean?"

Haluk laughed but did not reply as they reached the city and passed by the city guards at the gate. During the day, the pavilion beyond would be teeming with people speaking more languages and dialects than could be counted. Beyond the pavilion was a row of cafés, restaurants, and inns. Beyond that was the heart of Tavala and Tavamara: the Market of One Thousand Desires, though Tavamarans simply called it 'the market' and the rest of the world called it 'the great bazaar' or the 'great market of Tavamara'.

One thousand was actually a vast understatement, though when it had first opened it had, of course, been more like wishful thinking. It was the market that had slowly but surely turned Tavamara from a quiet, almost destitute nation into the second most powerful country in the world. Even their worst enemies sought to trade at the famous market, and the wealth of Tavamara was made in trade.

The night market brought in no small measure of that wealth, offering sexual devices and products of every sort. It was also where a great deal of gambling and fighting took place, though much of it was not strictly legal. So long as taxes were paid, and nobody was enslaved or harmed without consent, the crown tended to leave well enough alone. The open stalls all had a green-glass lantern hanging out front. Vendors spoke with their customers in soft, discreet tones; many people wore masks or other coverings to obscure their features.

Demir had been enthralled his first visit, annoyed that his mother would not let him explore alone. But much of the market was dangerous, and despite the measures the crown did take, people still occasionally went missing, shoved onto ships never to be seen or heard from again.

They cut through the market to reach the rows of buildings that were filled with high-end brothels, expensive inns and restaurants, and the kinds of shops that did a brisk business catering to the clientele that frequented those streets. Demir stopped in front of an enormous, white stone building that seemed to glow in the moonlight and was fronted by a purple door painted with gleaming silver and gold orchids. There were not many places allowed to use orchids, the flower of the royal harems. That the Moon Orchid did spoke of its long association with the crown, and Demir knew of many who were bitterly disappointed they were not granted membership.

He knocked on the front door and smiled at the young woman who opened it. "Fair evening, miss."

"Fair evening, my lord," she replied, bowing low as she moved aside so they could enter. "Mistress is waiting for you in the violet dining room."

Demir kissed her cheek as she rose, fingers resting briefly on her arm. "You look as though you are doing well, I am happy to say."

"Yes, my lord." She smiled shyly. "My gratitude is eternal."

"That is not necessary. Peace on your evening." He motioned for Haluk to follow him, leading the way to the back of the house where many rooms had been allocated as dining room and parlors. All the pleasure rooms were upstairs, minus a few specialized ones in the downstairs areas of the west and east wings. Rooms Demir had not visited for some time, save to make certain those he'd brought to them were comfortable and happy.

He rapped quietly on the door to the violet dining room, opening it when he heard Lady Shamir's gruff voice bid them enter. She rose as he closed the door behind them, as beautiful at seventy as she had been at fifty when they'd first met and she'd overseen his training at Moon Orchid. "Demir, it's been too long."

"I am sorry, Lady," he replied and kissed both her cheeks. "It is difficult for me to leave the palace these days. You look well."

"As do you, thankfully. And you've brought a bodyguard along this time? My word."

Demir smiled and beckoned Haluk forward. "I brought a friend. This is Lord Haluk. My lord, this is Lady Shamir, Mistress of the House of the Moon Orchid."

She looked Haluk up and down, mouth quirking. "You’re a soldier, or I'm a priestess."

Haluk laughed and bowed. "I am indeed a soldier, my lady. It's an honor to meet you."

"It is always a pleasure to meet one of the precious few Demir calls friend. Sit, please. What is this matter of grave concern that brings you to see me?" She sat down and poured a measure of blood-red wine into a pink porcelain wine dish, motioning for them to help themselves to it or the pale blue wine also on the tray in the middle of the small table.

Demir poured for himself and Haluk, taking a sip of the dry, blue wine before finally saying, "A man was murdered recently because he tried to lash out against his blackmailer. We believe it was what he did here that was used to blackmail him."

Shamir's mouth tightened, pale green eyes losing all their warmth. "If that is true, then whoever shared the information may very well be joining the list of the dead. Who was killed?"

"Lord Arda."

"That is unfortunate. He was a good man, for a noble and councilor," Shamir replied. "Given his position, I always made certain that only my people serviced him. He never mingled with other like-minded guests. He paid handsomely and gladly for it. All involved are some of my most trusted. I find it hard to believe they would sell the information, but I have been betrayed before."

"There is no chance another guest might have seen him and somehow deduced what he did here?"

"That shouldn't have happened, but mistakes are made," Shamir conceded reluctantly. "I will certainly find out how that information was shared and make certain it does not happen again. Cold comfort for a dead man."

"But it may save another," Demir said. "I am sorry to have brought this trouble to your fine home."

Shamir shook her head. "I am sorry you had to bring such a terrible matter to me. If you will excuse me, I will go and begin the investigation now. I will send someone with food." She rose and left through a small door at the back of the room, closing it with a soft click behind her.

"Do you think this is where the secret was most likely discovered? Not at the third house where he might have gone without telling you?"

"This is the place he most frequented," Demir replied. "The others he visited in the company of friends, indulged less difficult desires. This is the place where he got what he needed, where someone would have seen what they used to blackmail him."

"You sound alarmingly familiar with all of this."

Demir nodded, took another sip of wine, and refilled his dish. "I am used to the intrigues and machinations of court. All of this…" he lifted his other hand and waved it about, "is not uncommon. Usually it is much more minor, but Lord Arda is not the first to be blackmailed over his sexual proclivities—not even the first I have encountered. Normally it ends in some embarrassment, perhaps a strained marriage or divorce, but not murder."

"How many secrets do you know?" Haluk asked. "It sounds as though you could blackmail every last person in the palace."

"I prefer being trusted to being feared." Demir took another sip of wine, then set the dish down, traced the edge of it with one finger. "I think sometimes that is the true reason the Steward professes an interest in me. If he had me legally bound and under his control, he thinks he would be able to take my secrets from me."

Haluk's mouth turned down, fingers curling into a fist on the table, relaxing only with visible effort. "Bulut has always watched you, from what I remember, though I never knew he did more than watch. Many watch you, my lord." He looked up, catching Demir's eyes, then dropped his gaze again.

Something in Demir's chest tightened. He had thought before that he had seen something when Haluk looked at him but had assumed he was mistaken. He must be mistaken—why would Haluk feel anything at all for him?

"It used to anger me that people would stare so openly, so disrespectfully, but I admit I have not always been much better." Haluk's mouth curved in a faint smile. "Though no one is less subtle in their admiration of you than Kitt."

A storm was more subtle than Kitt, but only because Kitt chose to be unsubtle. "I admire his directness, and I know enough of Rittu to know that he means no insult. Rittu has the same respect and regard for concubines as Tavamara, so I take no offense from his words and actions."

"All the same, it is not much of a lie to say he requires training on that point," Haluk said wryly.