CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

The Cabinet

Am I safe?

Adon walked slowly, staying behind the diaphanous hem of Lady Selemei’s gown. Step, step, step, step.

It was impossible to know what safe was anymore.

He had four Imbati bodyguards. And Lady Selemei, and Arbiter Lorman, and Speaker Fedron. There were no shinca in the spiral stairway to the second floor, or in the hallway to the cabinet meeting room. There was no Melín.

There were no sounds of shooting, but that was only Sirin’s luck.

He should have stayed home. Just said no to Arbiter Lorman and Nekantor and everyone else, and stayed in the drawing room with Tagaret and Della, and Mother, and Aloran. Imagine the size of the breath he could take, then, rather than standing and answering questions in front of the cabinet, with Nekantor watching. Imagine what it would be like to look at them, and smile, and say all the assassins were now someone else’s problem.

There were cabinet members standing in the hall when they arrived—all of them effectively strangers, though a few faces were familiar. All were dressed in the sober tones of amber, green, or jasper favored by older men. Speaker Fedron moved away to greet them. Adon stuck behind Lady Selemei, who walked with her cane straight to the cabinet room door. Her Ustin opened it for them, and stayed outside while they went in.

The cabinet meeting room was quite large, windowless, with a big table and cushioned brass chairs nearly as tall as he was. Heavy portraits of Eminences hung on the walls. The men in them wore collar fashions from different eras dating back over two hundred years. They all looked as if someone had sat them down in the throne and lectured them about the Grobal Trust and the responsibilities of their exalted station. Their expressions varied: some sour, some proud, some gloating, some scowling—but none of them were happy.

“Lady Selemei,” Adon said. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Arbiter?” Lady Selemei exclaimed suddenly. “Why are you here? Is everything all right?”

Adon leaned to one side of a chair that had been blocking his view and discovered Innis of the Fifth Family sitting in one of the chairs.

“Good afternoon, Lady Selemei,” said Innis, in his nasal voice. “I occupy this seat for the Fifth Family.”

Lady Selemei turned to Adon. “Please look out the door and call everyone in, as quickly as you can. It’s urgent.”

“All right.” Adon went back to the bronze door. Immediately outside it was a manservant he didn’t recognize. “Imbati, please call the cabinet members in, right away.”

“Yes, sir.”

In seconds, everyone from the hallway began hurrying in. Adon stepped to one side of the door, and squeezed his shoulders between two heavy wooden portrait frames so he could press himself to the stone. This didn’t seem to be about the Heir Selection. The Arbiter of a Family Council shouldn’t be sitting in a cabinet chair.

Speaker Fedron strode quickly past Adon to the head of the table. “Innis, what brings you?” he asked.

“I’m sorry to inform you that this morning, in his bed, my cousin Kaspri has joined the stars.”

Adon caught his breath. Whatever murmurs of talk had remained among the other cabinet members fell instantly into silence.

“Elinda keep him,” said Lady Selemei.

“I therefore occupy this seat for the Fifth Family,” said Innis.

“I’m very sorry for your loss, Innis,” said Speaker Fedron. “I’m troubled by several irregularities we’re coping with this afternoon, one of which is that the Eminence Nekantor has not hired another manservant who can call the meeting to order. I believe for your sake we shouldn’t wait to convene.”

Adon stood straighter. He knew how to fix this. The door to the room was still open, so he went and ducked his head out. “Dexelin? Can you come and call us to order?”

“If they’ll permit me, sir,” said Dexelin.

“I’ll ask,” Adon said. “Speaker Fedron? Can Dexelin do it?”

For a second, Speaker Fedron looked baffled by the question, but then he nodded. “Members, I’ll invite Adon’s Dexelin to convene the meeting, since he has previous experience. If you agree to this, put your right hand on the table in front of you.”

The vote was unanimous, and very quick—so quick it reminded Adon of the lack of news over the last few days. A strange unity among the Families. It could only have grown out of their understanding that Nekantor was behind all of this. Nekantor, who wasn’t here yet. Maybe they wanted to do something important before he arrived?

Did that mean he wasn’t supposed to be here yet? He returned to his position between the portrait frames and tried to disappear into the wall.

Dexelin spoke solemnly. “I call to order this meeting of the Pelismar Cabinet, and serve as a reminder of the Grobal Trust: giving to each according to need, the hand of the Grobal shall guide the eight cities of Varin.”

“So noted,” said Speaker Fedron. He leaned forward and flicked a switch below the level of the table. Screens embedded in the table at each seat flickered to life. “We’ll begin with the question of the seat formerly occupied by Kaspri of the Fifth Family.”

“Speaker, sir,” said Dexelin, “do you also wish me to announce the vote totals?”

“No, thank you,” said Fedron. “Members, please enter your votes into the ordinator and place your right hand on the table if you wish to certify the seat empty.” When no hands hit the table, Fedron smiled tightly. “The seat remains occupied by the Fifth Family. Welcome to the cabinet, Innis.”

“Thank you,” said Innis. “I’m sorry to bring bad news as my first contribution to this august assembly. My cousin Kaspri did die in his bed this morning, but not naturally. A Paper Shadow broke his bedroom window and shot him dead. I think we can all see what’s going on.”

The entire room fell breathless and silent.

Nekantor murdered a cabinet member. The truth washed over Adon with a wave of nausea, and he pressed both hands over his mouth. The moment he felt able to speak, he said, “I can’t do this. I’m going home.”

Before he could reach the door, it opened toward him. Nekantor was on the other side, with two guards of the Eminence’s Cohort behind him.

“Right on time, Adon. Well done,” said Nekantor.

“I’m leaving,” said Adon.

“You’re not,” Nekantor said. “Move; I’m coming in.” He walked forward, forcing Adon backward into the room.

“Nekantor!” exclaimed Speaker Fedron. “Do you have no shame?”

None. None at all. Adon shook his head. His whole body tensed with dread.

“I can’t imagine what you mean,” Nekantor said. He walked to his chair at the front of the room, and sat down. “I believe it’s time for us to begin the Round of Eight questioning.”

“You have some nerve, Nekantor,” said Innis.

“Arbiter Innis?” Nekantor frowned. “Why are you here?”

“I’ve joined the cabinet.”

“Well, then, that means we can start.” Nekantor lashed a look at Fedron. “Start.”

“Your Eminence,” said Fedron, “you know how this process is supposed to work.”

“I do,” Nekantor said. “Adon of the First Family will be questioned first. He’s here, and he’s ready.”

“I’m not,” Adon said sharply. “I won’t be questioned.”

“Process and rules,” Nekantor countered. “We’re moving forward.”

Innis gave a dramatic sigh. “So I guess that’s it. You’re planning to pretend that nothing happened, and that the Paper Shadows didn’t assassinate my cousin Kaspri this morning.”

“Process and rules,” Nekantor insisted. “Respect for our noble ancestors and for the Great Grobal Fyn who established the Grobal Trust. Have we all agreed to those rules? We have, haven’t we?” He looked around at the cabinet members. Their fear made the air feel heavy. “Every family uses the Paper Shadows in one way or another. I’m not that special, am I, Innis? You used them first.”

Innis said nothing.

Adon breathed shallowly. This was bad. How long was a single candidate’s question session supposed to last? Would people outside this room realize what was going on? He glanced at Dexelin, but when Dexelin opened the door, Nekantor’s orange-uniformed guards walked into the room. One of them stayed by the main door, and the other crossed to the Maze door, blocking it.

“Nekantor,” Adon whispered.

His brother was looking at him, with that gaze that felt like a clamp.

Adon straightened and tugged at the bottom edge of his coat. “Don’t do this, Nekantor. I’m not worth it. I can’t be the kind of Heir you want.”

“Of course you can. You’re your father’s son; you can learn how, and I’ll help you.”

“But I don’t want you to help me!”

The main door to the room opened. Both of Nekantor’s Cohort guards drew weapons; every member of the cabinet shrank back in their seats. Who was coming? Would the guards shoot anyone who walked through that door?

A woman in an orange uniform entered and saluted Nekantor. “Your Eminence,” she said.

“You’re out of order!” Nekantor snapped. He waved his hands angrily at the cabinet members. “This was supposed to be resolved. Process and rules!”

“I’m sorry, your Eminence,” said the Cohort woman. “I’m here to inform you that the two items you requested are under control, and we’ve located your cousin.”

“The pattern.” Nekantor gritted his teeth. “I can still control the pattern.” He raked his gaze over the terrified cabinet members. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Guards, keep them here.” He left his chair and walked along the wall toward Adon and the exit.

Adon stepped into his path. “Nekantor, I don’t know what you’re planning, but don’t do this. We should just follow the rules—and if that means I lose, I don’t care.”

Nekantor looked down at him. “I see.”

“What?”

“You’ve reminded me why I have to do this. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He gestured across the room. “Nobody leaves.”