Borisin grunted, then snorted as Queen Nin-Xoco’s feet touched the ground after her dismount. He took several steps away from her even as she still held the reins.

Nin-Xoco looked at the horse for several seconds before turning to Rudiger. “I’ve been wondering. Is it normal for horses to walk away after dismounting or does he just not like me?”

Tell her it’s because I don’t like her, Borisin said. I dare you.

Rudiger resisted glaring at Borisin and kept his eyes on Nin-Xoco. Oh behave. Out loud, he said, “Hard to say, Holiness. Every horse has its own personality and can react differently to the same circumstances. Buluc here is pretty stand-offish, and stubborn. It might just be his way, or he might be taking awhile to get comfortable with you.”

It’s definitely my way, Borisin said, but I’m not getting comfortable with her.

Oh, come one, Rudiger said. She’s not that bad.

“It’s been five weeks.” Nin-Xoco started untying her hair. “I hoped he’d be used to me by now.”

Sure, not that bad, but still bad, Borisin said.

You say that about everyone, Rudiger said. Then to Nin-Xoco, “Give him time.”

Time, hah!

She let her hair fall over her shoulders and down her back. “He seems comfortable with you in that time.”

“He’s spent a lot more time with me in that time. You’re only here a an hour or two a few days each week.” She had come out to see “Buluc” every day the first week, and had requested to start riding almost immediately, but the frequency of her visits had decreased in the following weeks. She still came three to four times each week, though.

Nin-Xoco sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I’m being impatient.” She approached Borisin.

Stay put, Rudiger told the horse.

You’re no fun.

Nin-Xoco stroked Borisin’s snout, gazing across the field at the river and the falls. “I do wish you’d like me.”

Not a chance.

Rudiger did his best not to groan, as he didn’t want Nin-Xoco to think he was annoyed at her.

You should be annoyed at her. She’s forcing me to be a damn training horse.

I’ve already told you, Rudiger said. The other horses here haven’t been trained for riding. Otherwise, I would have started her with one of them.

If she ever gets her hair caught in my saddle again, I’m going to gallop off and drag her on the ground behind me.

That was one time! And it was my fault for not telling her to tie her hair up first. He’d nearly been skewered by Ses-Zeltzin for it, too.

Doesn’t matter. I’ll do it.

Just drop it, would you?

“Are you all right, Rudiger?” Nin-Xoco asked. “You look...strained. I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?”

“No, of course not, Holiness.” Now look what you’ve made me do! “I was just distracted for a moment. I was...reminded of Zandrue for a moment, and it got me thinking. That’s all.” He hoped that sounded convincing.

She smiled. “Do I remind you of your sister?”

“Maybe a little,” he said, looking away from her. He hated this lying. Mentioning Zandrue had just been the first excuse that came to mind. “Honestly, I’m not sure what caused me to think of her.”

“You must miss her.”

“Yeah.” At least that wasn’t a lie.

“I could invite her to the Palace so you could see each other again.” Nin-Xoco led Borisin a few steps back over to him. She looked at the horse and smiled. “He followed me!”

Don’t get used to it, Borisin grumbled.

“See, told you he’d get used to you eventually,” Rudiger said.

No, I just wasn’t thinking.

No, you just don’t hate her as much as you claim.

“Perhaps,” Nin-Xoco said, stroking Borisin’s snout again. “But as I was saying, my offer...”

“That’s very generous of you, Holiness,” Rudiger said, “but I wouldn’t want to interrupt her studies. She’s very dedicated and Fra-Mecatl is a strict teacher.” And she probably wasn’t even there, and inviting her would ruin the whole ruse.

Nin-Xoco nodded. “As you wish. You are very dedicated to her. I don’t have any brothers, but if I did, I could only hope they were as dedicated to me as you are to her.”

“I’m sure they would be, Holiness,” Rudiger said.

“Holiness!” Ses-Zeltzin called. “It is almost time for the Council to meet.”

A scowl crossed Nin-Xoco’s face, then vanished. She straightened up and turned to look at Ses-Zeltzin. “I will come when I am ready, Zeltzin. The Council will wait.”

Ses-Zeltzin was standing several yards away. Half a dozen other Queen’s Guards were spaced farther out in a circle around the Queen. “As you wish, Holiness,” Ses-Zeltzin said.

Nin-Xoco turned back to Rudiger and sighed.

“Is it wise to keep them waiting, Holiness?” he asked.

She tilted her head and shrugged. “What is and isn’t wise in politics is an ever-changing thing, and it can be hard to decide what’s wise in any particular situation. At the moment, this seems the wisest course of action.”

“If you say so, Holiness.” He wasn’t sure he followed what she was saying.

“Walk with me back towards the Palace.” She began leading Borisin in that direction. Borisin followed without objection.

I’m going to the stables, Borisin said. They just happen to be in the same direction.

Rudiger kept beside her, and the Queen’s Guards shifted their positions to maintain their wide circle as she moved. Nin-Xoco linked arms with Rudiger as they walked.

Rudiger looked about, trying to appear as though he was taking in the scenery, but really looking for Ses-Zeltzin’s reaction. The head of the Queen’s Guards was scowling.

At the slow pace Nin-Xoco set, it took close to a quarter hour to cross the field back to the palace. The Queen spent the time asking Rudiger about his and Zandrue’s childhood. He had to spin a tale that he hoped he’d remember later if he needed to.

“I do enjoy our times together,” Nin-Xoco said as they neared the Palace and the stables. She leaned up against him, rested her head against his upper arm. “Do you suppose next time we could ride all the way down to the river, just by the falls?”

“Of course, Holiness.” This was the part where he always got uncomfortable—when she started getting more physical with him. It wasn’t just that he wasn’t interested in her in that way. There was something off about it, too. Something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It was inconsistent.

She only does it when there are lots of other people to see it, Borisin said.

That was it! She was friendly and casual with him during their sessions, but not so touchy. But during her sessions, there were only her bodyguards to see. But now they were in sight of servants and Palace guards, maybe even priests and nobles.

She hugged his arm. “I so look forward to it.”

Now you understand why I don’t like her. She’s using you.

Except you do like her, Rudiger said. Don’t try to deny it again.

Okay, so she’s savvy, and I kind of admire that. But I don’t like what she’s doing with you.

You could have told me.

I would have, except I only just figured it out myself.

Nin-Xoco let go of him and handed him Borisin’s reins. “Thank you, Rudiger. I will see you again in a day or two.” She motioned to Ses-Zeltzin. “I will head to the Council now.”

Her guards moved in closer to her as she approached one of the back doors of the Palace. Ses-Zeltzin stopped by Rudiger. “You are treading a thin line.”

“Shouldn’t you be guarding the Queen?” he said. Nin-Xoco had already entered the building.

“I am guarding her.” The warrior stomped away and into the Palace.

Now that one I really don’t like, Borisin said. Just give the word and I’ll bite her next time.

Really don’t think that’d be a good idea, buddy. Remember her threat to feed you to that jaguar?

I told you, I’m looking forward to that. I will savour the look on her face when I trounce that oversized cat.

Rudiger shook his head and turned towards the stables a short distance away. A familiar figure stood by the doors. How long had she been watching?

“You shouldn’t encourage her,” Ses-Izel said as he reached the doors.

“Your sister?”

“You know who I mean.”

“Yes, I know.” He opened the stable doors and led Borisin in. “And I keep telling you, I’m not encouraging her.”

“Really?” she said, following him in.

“Yes, really.”

“No, shut up, Rudiger, I wasn’t talking to you. That’s interesting. Maybe she’s smarter than I thought. I wonder what she’s up to.”

Rudiger sighed and closed the doors. He still hadn’t gotten used to her talking to Borisin.

She sat down on the pile of hay near the doors. “And what’s that mean for me?”

Rudiger squeezed past Borisin to retrieve some brushes and a hoof pick from the supply shelves. The old mare in the stall next to Borisin’s peered out.

The stables were small with stalls that were also small—too small for Borisin. In the days following their arrival at the Palace, Fra-Atl had ordered an extension built, one with a larger stall capable of fitting Borisin. It had gone up in just a couple of days and was a very hasty job. The rain leaked in and the walls wobbled whenever the wind picked up. And the stall still barely fit Borisin.

“I’m gonna die in this place,” Ses-Izel said.

Rudiger was pretty sure she wasn’t talking to Borisin anymore, as he had heard this before. He had learnt that the best response was to say nothing and just let her vent. He started to brush Borisin.

“I had a meeting with the Queen earlier. First time in a week. She went on about the New Year sacrifices. What am I supposed to do? If I appear at the sacrifices with the Queen, my life’s work is ruined. No one will ever look to me again. If I refuse, gods know how she’ll react. She has a reputation for being petty. She’ll probably execute me and my life’s work will still be ruined. I suppose I’ll die a martyr that way though. Maybe I should try to kill her. Just before the sacrifices start, I launch myself at her. Zeltzin or one of her guards kills me, and I die a hero to the cause. It will probably cement the whole Eleuia thing, but I can live with that. Well, not really. I’ll be dead, so I won’t have to. What do you think?”

There was silence for a moment as Rudiger continued to brush Borisin.

“Well?”

“Huh?” She was in an unusual mood if she wanted his input. Usually, if she asked a question, she just continued on without his answer. “Oh. I don’t think she’s as petty as her reputation says she is. She comes across much more level-headed and friendly when I’m with her.”

“Yes, but she’s also apparently stringing you along.”

“That’s a point. No idea what her goals are.”

“Welcome to politics. Still eager to intrude into it? I told you you don’t belong here.”

“I’ve never been eager. I’ve been thrust into this without much say in the matter.”

“Uh huh.” She sighed. “Look, can we get straight to sparring today? I need to release a lot of pent-up anger and I’ll do that best by beating the crap out of you.”

He smirked. “Sorry. If I stop grooming partway through, I’ll never hear the end of it.”

Damn right.

“Oh come on, Borisin, just this once?” she asked the horse.

There was a pause.

“He said no.”

“Told you,” Rudiger said and went back to brushing.

While he continued with brushing and cleaning Borisin, she went back to complaining about things in the palace, and her worries over the state of her business in her absence. Eventually, she got round to blaming him for everything, as she usually did.

When he was done and Borisin was in his stall, she tossed him one of the poles they had been using as practice spears. She had suggested a week back that they should spar regularly to keep in practice and relieve tensions. Rudiger liked the idea at first. He had had little opportunity for actual practice since coming to Ninifin, and that was even more so in the Palace.

They had sparred with practice swords the first day, but then, Ses-Izel had insisted he learn the spear—or at the very least, learn to fight against spears. She had started by using one of the practice spears against him using a practice sword.

“There, you’re dead,” she said as she poked the pole against his chest before he could knock it aside. She was fast. He had to give her that. “With a spear, I have a lot more reach. You have to get close to me, but I don’t have to get close to you.”

“But I can just cut your spear in half when you thrust at me,” he said, knocking the pole aside with the practice sword. “Trust me. Slay would cut through it without any effort.”

“Sure, you could do that. In a small space like this, it might work. But in the open, Ninifin warriors fight in groups. While you cut one spear in half, the others run you through with theirs.”

“But you carry a sword with you.”

She nodded. “I do, because swords have their uses. They’re easier to carry around for one thing, so they’re easier to reach in a pinch. And in a confined space, they can be more useful. But if I have to fight Ninifin warriors out in the open, I’m going for a spear if I can. And trust me, we’re probably going to have fight at some point, when they finally decide to kill us.”

“So what you’re saying is, if we have to fight, we should retreat to here or another small space and fight them one at a time with swords.”

She had not been impressed by that comment.

So, for the last few days, they’d been sparring with practice spears. And she’d been beating him every time. He was learning, though, and it was taking her longer to beat him—if not by much. This time, he’d barely gotten a grip on his weapon when she jabbed him in the stomach.

“You’ve got to be faster, Rudiger.”

He lunged at her, but she took several steps back out of his reach. He lunged again, and she moved to the side. His pole hit the wall and he nearly jabbed himself with the other end. Then she thrust her pole into his side.

“Dead again,” she said.

He backed away from her, taking a quick look behind to make sure he didn’t collide with the large haystack at the back of the stables. He raised his spear. He had longer reach than she did just by virtue of being bigger. He had to be able to make that work for him. When she moved closer, he struck before she was close enough to strike herself, but she darted back again.

“That’s better,” she said.

Then she moved round to his left, her spear raised. Rudiger lunged at her, but she switched directions and came in from his right instead. He tried to back away from her, but found himself pressed against the hay stack. Her spear struck him in the chest.

“Third death. It’s good you’re using the space and your reach, but be careful not to run out of space.”

She came at him again, but this time he was ready. He moved his spear to block and...she hit him in the stomach again. He could have sworn she was coming in high, but she came in low instead. He was usually better at predicting his opponents’ movements than this.

“Four deaths!” She backed away again, a wide grin on her face. She was enjoying this too much.

She had him pinned against the haystack, so Rudiger decided his only option was to push past her. He levelled his spear and rushed forward. She dived aside, colliding with the wall and rattling the entirety of the stables. He took the opportunity to stab at her, but she dropped to the floor and thrust up with her spear. It hit him in the chest with enough force to wind him and make him stumble into the door of one of the stalls. The old mare inside squealed and the entire stables rattled.

“Not bad,” she said, pulling herself to her feet. “Not good enough yet, but not bad.”

He nodded, breathing heavily. The room was spinning just a little.

She offered a hand to help him balance himself. “You okay?”

He groaned.

“Don’t fret over it. You’re doing really well. A couple of weeks tops and you’ll be beating me most times. You need to work on your defence though. Every time you attack, you leave yourself vulnerable. That’s why I keep beating you. You need to keep an eye on these areas here, here, here, and here.” She prodded him in each location as she spoke. When she prodded him in the chest where she had just hit him, he flinched. He was going to have some nasty bruising there.

“Sorry,” she said. “I might have overdone that last blow, but you came at me really fast.”

“It’s all right. I’ll live.”

“I didn’t crack a rib or anything, did I?”

He felt along his chest. It was painful, but nothing felt broken, and now that he had his breath back, he wasn’t having any trouble breathing. “I’ve had worse.”

“You’re sure?”

He nodded.

“Okay, just no playing heroics, all right? If you’re hurt, just say so. This is a sparring match, not a real combat. I’m not literally trying to kill you.”

“I’ll be fine. Honest!”

“Okay, I believe you.”

She reminded him of Zandrue.

He wasn’t sure where that thought had come from. He would not have considered them anything alike. Ses-Izel certainly looked nothing like Zandrue, and as for personality, they...well, they did both have tempers. And they both liked to be in charge. Okay, maybe they were a lot alike.

Ses-Izel was standing quite close to him at the moment. The sweat on her arms made her tattoos glisten in the flickering light. Her tunic was drenched and clung against her, drawing attention to the expansion and contraction of her chest as she breathed.

She looked up at him and stared into his eyes for a few seconds. Then she broke eye contact and took a step back. “Don’t get any ideas.”

He looked away. “Sorry, I...”

“Oh, it’s all right. I might have been doing a bit of it myself.”

They stood there in silence for a while, Rudiger unsure what to say or do. This was something he hadn’t been expecting.

Or had he?

“One of us should say something,” she said.

“I didn’t think you liked me,” Rudiger said.

“I don’t. Not really. Or rather, I didn’t. There are still things about you I can’t stand, but I don’t know. Maybe it’s the fact you’re the only person here I can trust won’t kill me while I sleep. Or maybe it’s just that it’s been...a long time since I was last with someone, and you’re just convenient. Gods, I hate this place.”

“Nice to know I rate so highly.” Rudiger shook his head and wandered over to Borisin’s stall.

“Sorry. I can be a bit blunt.”

“Really. Never noticed.”

Borisin stared out at him. Don’t bring me into this.

Does she remind you of Zandrue?

No. For a start, Izel is human.

Not that again.

I told you not to bring me into this.

Ses-Izel walked over beside him. “Look, I’m sorry. I’m tense, stressed out. I’m doing and saying things I shouldn’t.”

“It’s all right. I’m the one who started the staring.”

She shrugged. “Do you want this?”

“Don’t know. Hadn’t really thought about it. And there’s Zandrue.”

“Fair enough.”

Except Zandrue wasn’t there. Zandrue might never be coming back.

“Do you want this?” he asked her.

Zandrue might be back already for all he knew.

“At the moment, yes. That might change tomorrow, but for now...” She swung to look at Borisin. “You stay out of this! What?” She looked back at Rudiger. “He says you brought him into it.”

“No I didn’t! All I did was ask him if...” He looked away.

“If I remind him of Zandrue, he says. So I’m just a substitute Zandrue then?”

“I didn’t intend anything here. I just...I’m not thinking of you like...”

She laughed. That wasn’t something he heard from her very often. It sounded nice.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “I’m not looking for anything serious here. I’m not in love with you and I don’t expect you to be in love with me, okay?” She stepped closer to him, almost touching him. “So if I ask you again, what will you say? Do you want this?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Just think?”

“Okay, yes I want this.”

He bent his head down to try to kiss her. At his height, Rudiger was used to bending over to kiss women, but Ses-Izel was shorter than any other woman he’d kissed. His back was pressed against the gate to Borisin’s stall and she was too close to him, so he couldn’t bend at the back and his neck wouldn’t bend far enough.

She laughed again. “You Foliths grow too tall.”

She put her arms around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her legs around him. He stumbled and nearly fell over the gate, but managed to regain his balance, and put his arms around her buttocks to support her. Her face was now level with his, and they kissed.

It was pleasant. Different from Zandrue. Her lips were coarser, but she was gentler than Zandrue tended to be.

“Where should we go?” he said when their lips parted. “I can’t carry you forever.”

“I’d be intrigued to see how long you can, though,” she said and laughed. “However, the hay pile over there seems a good choice.”

Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. You are not doing that here! Borisin’s snout pushed him in the back, and he stumbled forward, but kept hold of her.

“You really want here?” Rudiger said. “In front of the horses? Someone could walk in.”

“You really think we’ll find a more private place?”

She had a point. His living quarters were a shared communal space with all the other palace servants, and hers were similar but for guests. Privacy was a very different concept to Ninifins.

He carried her over to the hay stack as they kissed again. Then he lowered her onto it.

“Stay out of this, Borisin,” she said. “This has nothing to do with you.”

Nothing to do with me? I’m right here. It has everything to do with me. I don’t want to watch this.

“Then don’t watch it,” Rudiger said. “Turn around the other way. Like Ses-Izel said, this is between me and her.”

She pulled him down towards her. “Izel. Just Izel.”

* * * * *

“How’s this, Rudiger?” Eztli asked.

Rudiger inspected the young boy’s work, walking around the mare and checking her hooves. “Looks good.”

“Does this mean I can leave early?” the boy asked.

Rudiger nodded. “Put her back in her stall and you can go.”

With a wide smile, the boy took the reins and led the mare to her stall, then dashed away.

Rudiger double-checked that the stall was closed securely. The mare stared at him with sleepy eyes. She was getting on in years and probably shouldn’t be pulling wagons any more. The same went for most of the other horses here. He should probably think about acquiring some new, younger horses to replace the older ones. The problem was, he’d need to secure funds for that. The budget he’d been given covered feed and care, and barely that.

When he’d first got here five weeks ago, he hadn’t expected to take over the stables entirely, just be there to take care of Borisin and probably help out in the rest of the stables. The old man who had previously been in charge had had different ideas.

“Yes, I heard about you,” the old man said after Rudiger introduced himself. “I hear you know horses.”

“Some,” Rudiger said.

“Excellent.” The old man indicated the young boy and girl standing to either side of him. “This is Eztli and Itotia. They’re your staff. They’ll show you the ropes. Best of luck to you, Rudiger.”

As the old man walked away, Rudiger called after him, “If I could just ask a couple questions...”

“Ask Eztli or Itotia. I’m retired now.” And then he was out the doors.

The old man had never even told Rudiger his name.

In the weeks that followed, Rudiger had come to understand why the old man had been in such a rush to leave. Ninifins weren’t really into horses. They used them to pull wagons and other heavy things, but otherwise mostly ignored them. That applied to the Palace stables as well—perhaps even more so. The priests and nobles travelled to and from the Palace by horse-pulled wagon, but most of the time, the other side of their journey was their villas just outside the City, meaning they didn’t use the Palace stables for their own horses. They just sent the horses back to their villas and summoned them later when they were needed. Only those travelling from other cities like Nin-Dzibil ever used the stables, and in the five weeks Rudiger had been here, that had happened once. The Palace’s horses were used only to pick up Palace supplies, which happened a couple times a weeks, but otherwise, the stables were ignored.

They were so ignored that it had taken Rudiger a few days to learn who he was supposed to report to and how to acquire supplies, which the stables had been rather low on at the time. Eztli and Itotia were good workers, but they hadn’t known the answers to most of his questions. They had just done what the old man had told them to do. The old man had handled all the administrative stuff.

Rudiger walked over to Borisin’s stall. The horse was facing away from the door.

“Still not talking to me?”

Hmph.

Ever since Rudiger had started having sex with Izel, Borisin had refused to talk to him beyond grumbles and one threat regarding the next time the mares were in heat. The refusal to talk even went as far as not complaining when Nin-Xoco had come to ride him earlier today.

“Come on, buddy, it’s been two days. You gotta talk to me eventually.”

Hmph.

Rudiger didn’t entirely blame him. People having sex in the servants’ quarters happened from time to time, and even though Rudiger didn’t watch, he could hear. It was difficult to sleep when that was going on. He didn’t understand how it didn’t bother others. So he understood how it could bother Borisin. Even knowing Borisin was there hearing and potentially watching bothered him a little, and he was a bit surprised he could even manage to have sex in those conditions.

But it had happened several times now.

He sighed and shook his head. “Okay then. I’m going to go find Fra-Atl. I need to talk to her about something. I’ll be back in a little while.”

He gave Borisin a brief moment to reply, and when the horse remained silent, he left the stables.

One advantage to having to figure everything out himself was it had given him an excuse to move about and talk to other people, to learn about not just his own job, but about the Palace in general. He wasn’t allowed inside the main Palace building, but he could otherwise move about reasonably freely.

“Kisin!” Rudiger called to one of the servants limping out a side door of the Palace as he passed by. “Need a hand?”

Kisin was carrying a stack of baskets that obscured his vision. “Rudiger, you’re a life saver.”

Rudiger took all but the bottom basket, each filled with blankets and furs. “Quite the load.”

“Fra-Ichtaca is back, and in my wing,” Kisin said. Free of the excess weight, he straightened up and proceeded forward, his limp less prominent.

“I understand,” Rudiger said, following beside Kisin.

“Oh, you barely know the half of it.”

Rudiger had heard that the Voice of Frana expected all textiles and furs in her wing to be replaced with fresh, clean ones on her arrival—even if they had been replaced a few hours before.

“I don’t suppose you know if Fra-Atl is in the Palace?” Rudiger asked.

“I haven’t seen her,” Kisin said. “But Fra-Ichtaca is staying in my wing, so she won’t be.”

Rudiger chuckled. Fra-Atl and Fra-Ichtaca were well known for not getting along.

“What do you need Fra-Atl for? More money?”

“Pretty much,” Rudiger said. “The horses in the stable are getting too old to do the work expected of them. We need younger ones.”

“You could always ask Fra-Ichtaca,” Kisin said.

“Yeah, like she’d speak to me.”

Kisin laughed, but abruptly stopped. “They say if you speak the Dark Lady’s name, she appears.”

Up ahead, Fra-Ichtaca had come around the northeast corner of the Palace. An escort of four Queen’s Guards walked with her.

Rudiger and Kisin stepped to the side and bowed their heads. “Blessings upon her Reverence,” they intoned as she passed. One of the Queen’s Guards eyed them as she went by, but otherwise Fra-Ichtaca and the guards ignored the two servants. A short distance farther along, they turned to one of the side buildings. Fra-Ichtaca went inside, while the guards remained outside.

“Why does Fra-Ichtaca get Queen’s Guards?” Rudiger asked as he and Kisin continued on their way. “The other priests usually just have Palace Guards.”

Kisin shrugged. “She always gets Queen’s Guards. Probably because the Queen favours her, though there is talk that it’s actually Ses-Zeltzin who favours her, not the Queen at all.”

“Ah, politics,” Rudiger said.

Kisin laughed. “Probably. Best idea, my friend, is to ignore it. Don’t let it bother you.”

They reached the laundry building and headed inside, where they emptied the baskets into the pile of material waiting to be washed.

“Thanks again,” Kisin said. “I’ll keep an eye out for Fra-Atl, and let you know if I see her.”

“Thanks,” Rudiger said.

They returned outside and Kisin crossed over to the nearest Palace door and went inside. Rudiger continued round to the front, hoping to find someone else he could talk to.

A yellow-robed priest with an eye tattoo on her forehead rounded the northeast corner. Ses-Xipil. This was the first time he’d seen her since his arrival. Two Palace guards escorted her.

Rudiger stepped to the side and bowed his head. “Blessings upon her Reverence.”

She stopped and turned to look at him. “You. Horse tender.” Her escorts turned their attention towards him as well.

“Yes, Reverence?”

“Rudiger, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Reverence.”

She walked up to him and looked up at him. “Have you heard word of you sister? I am curious about her progress.”

Rudiger shook his head. “No, Reverence. I am sure she is very busy with her studies and has little time for correspondence.”

“Indeed. Fra-Mecatl is keeping her well out of sight, it seems.”

“Fra-Mecatl is a strict teacher, Reverence.”

Ses-Xipil lowered her head. “So they say. Thank you, Rudiger. I will let you go tend your horses now. Blessings upon you.”

“And upon you, Reverence.”

Ses-Xipil paid him no further attention and continued on her way. When she reached the building Fra-Ichtaca had gone into earlier, the Queen’s Guards there bowed to her, and she went inside. Her two guards remained outside with the Queen’s Guards.

A meeting between the two Voices? That sort of thing was probably normal, but in a building used by servants? Rudiger had never been in that particular one and wasn’t sure what it was for, but all the buildings along the north side of the Palace were for things like cooking, laundry, and storage. Not where he’d expect the Voices to congregate.

He needed to move on. If he stood here staring, the guards would likely notice. Still, he wanted to know what was going on in that building. What would Zandrue do? Gods, he wished she were here.

Of course, the stables were in that direction. He had every reason to be going that way. He just needed to walk straight past them, maybe get a glance at something.

He steeled himself and set forward.

He was about halfway there when a Palace door close to the group of guards opened. The guards snapped to attention as Ses-Zeltzin walked out. Just who he’d hoped not to see.

Turning around would look suspicious, so he kept going.

“Where are you going?” Ses-Zeltzin said as he got close to them, moving to block his way.

“To the stables,” Rudiger replied, slowing to a stop.

“Why aren’t you there already?”

“I was looking for Fra-Atl. The horses are getting very old and need to be replaced.”

“We just got a new horse. Buluc I think it’s called.”

“Buluc’s a warhorse, not a draught horse,” Rudiger said.

Ses-Zeltzin laughed and looked back at the other guards. “Like a horse is good for war.” The others laughed with her. She turned back to Rudiger. “Fra-Atl isn’t here right now.”

“I gathered that,” Rudiger said. “That’s why I’m heading back to the stables.”

“Then get going.” She nodded in the direction of the stables.

Rudiger gave a slight bow, walked around her and the guards, and continued towards the stables. They laughed as he went. He resisted the urge to look back. That might look suspicious. Either that or it would look like he was fearful of them, and he didn’t want Ses-Zeltzin thinking something like that.

After he was around the northwest corner, he paused. For all Rudiger knew, whatever was going on in that building was probably just simple Palace or religious business, or maybe just a friendly conversation in a quieter location. From Izel’s descriptions, the Palace was a busy and noisy place.

But Fra-Ichtaca was the person whose activities the Resistance was most interested in. Just the knowledge that she was having meetings with Ses-Xipil wouldn’t be new to them. Ses-Xipil was known to be one of Fra-Ichtaca’s supporters. If he could find out what they were discussing... If he could get close to the building, listen at a window or something...

Unfortunately, that entire row of buildings was against the edge of the cliff, so there was no sneaking up at the back. Not that he was built for sneaking, anyway.

He approached the corner of the Palace and peaked around. He could probably give a convincing excuse for going back that way again. As long as Ses-Zeltzin was gone. She’d question anything he did.

All the guards were gone.

Had the Voices’ meeting ended already? That was fast. Maybe they hadn’t had much to say.

Rudiger walked around the corner and headed for the building. He passed a couple of servants coming the other way. “See all those guards out here a few moments ago? Any idea what that was about?”

They shrugged and shook their heads.

Rudiger approached the side building the Voices had entered. It was made of stone like all the others. There was very little space between it and its neighbours, and as best Rudiger could tell, there were no windows. There was only the single door at the front. It might be one of the kitchens. The Palace had several and he knew they were along this stretch. It would have a hole in the roof if so, but he wasn’t about to climb up to check. That would draw attention.

Hell, he might be drawing attention now.

He looked down both directions of the path. The two servants he had passed were just turning around the northwest corner of the Palace. There was no one else in sight.

Anyone could walk around either corner at any moment and see what he was up to, but what the hell? Risks were necessary, he reminded himself, and pressed his ear against the door.

“...trust her. You shouldn’t either.”

So their meeting wasn’t over. Had the guards had been sent away so they didn’t draw attention?

“I told you, I have good reason to trust her, and you should trust me.”

The voices were muffled, but comprehensible. Unfortunately, Rudiger couldn’t tell whose was whose.

“Your mysterious organization. Yes, so you’ve said, but I require more. So no, she will not be let anywhere near the boy.”

“Very well, but I would like to see the boy myself.”

Boy?

“That can be arranged. In a day or two.”

“Tonight.”

“A day or two.”

Rudiger took another quick look around. The coast was still clear, so he pressed his ear back against the door again, but the next statement was loud enough that he didn’t really need to.

“Watch your tone with me!”

“I should have free access to him. I cannot prepare for the ceremony properly without it.”

“You will be given your access when I decide.”

“That decision shouldn’t be yours.”

“The Dusk Supreme put him in my care.”

“The Dusk Supreme. You don’t get to deny his authority one moment and then invoke it when it suits you.”

“Don’t provoke me, Ses-Xipil. I don’t care what standing your mysterious organisation has. Cross me and I won’t hesitate to expose you to the Queen and Council.”

“Neither will I.”

“Reverences, please. This is not the time to fight with each other.” A third person. And Rudiger recognised the voice.

Ses-Zeltzin.

Shit. She was involved in this too?

“You’re right,” Ses-Xipil said. “My apologies. I spoke above my station.”

“Apology accepted. I will arrange for you to see the boy in a day or two. I’ll be in touch.”

That was probably the signal to get out of here. Rudiger straightened up and walked away from the building. A couple Palace guards came around the northeast corner at that moment, so he’d chosen the right time. He headed for the stables.

The boy they’d been talking about had to be Corvinian. So these last few months were finally starting to pay off.

Where was Fra-Ichtaca keeping him? Probably not the Palace. Her villa maybe? Or somewhere in the City? Maybe one of the temples? Still a lot to figure out, but it was a step in the right direction.

“Hey buddy,” he said when he arrived at the stables. “You’ll never guess what I just learned.”

Borisin peered out of his stall, but didn’t otherwise respond.

Rudiger gave him a moment, then said. “Oh well, if you don’t want to know, that’s okay. But it’s big. Maybe big enough to make all this worth it.”

Careful. Company’s coming.

Rudiger clamped his mouth shut as the stable doors opened. At least you’re talking to me.

Ses-Zeltzin entered. “You were out of your stables again, horse tender.”

Damn. She must have seen him walking away.

“I wasn’t aware I was confined here,” Rudiger replied.

“What were you up to this time?”

“Making further enquiries. Since Fra-Atl might not be back for a while, I wanted to find someone else who could authorise the purchase.” Was he getting good at this lying? Maybe. He hoped so.

Ses-Zeltzin smirked and approached Borisin’s stall. The horse backed away from her. “I’ll be surprised if you convince anyone else to give you the money, but you’re welcome to try. It could be amusing. Why does he back away from me?”

“He doesn’t like people very much. Stallions can be like that.”

“Yet he lets the Queen ride him.”

“I’m good at what I do. He knows I’m in charge and he does what I say.”

“Then make him come closer to me. I want to take a closer look.”

Rudiger shrugged and went over to the stall. Ses-Zeltzin moved aside as he opened the gate. “Buluc, approach.”

Borisin stepped forward. Can I bite her?

No.

Ses-Zeltzin looked Borisin in the eye, then moved slowly alongside him. She ran her hand along his neck and then back. “Such a strange texture.”

“Be careful if you move behind him. Horses can kick suddenly if they’re spooked.”

Can I do it if she goes behind me?

No.

You’re no fun.

Ses-Zeltzin stopped just before Borisin’s hind legs and turned to face Rudiger. “I don’t like how much time the Queen spends with you.”

“I have no say over the Queen’s actions,” Rudiger said.

“No, you don’t, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” She ran her other hand along Borisin’s side and approached him. “I hear my sister spends a lot of time here. Are you aware Izel is my sister?”

“She did mention that, yes.”

“Really? Surprising. We don’t get along very well. Did she mention that, too?”

“No, not really,” he lied. “Izel doesn’t talk about you much.” That part was true.

She looked up at him with an odd smile. “Izel, is it? You’re that close?”

Rudiger grimaced. “Oh well, we’re...friends.” Warmth passed through his cheeks.

“Are you fucking my little sister?”

“What? No, we—”

“You are, aren’t you? That explains why she’s at the stables so often.” She laughed and slapped Rudiger’s arm. “She always had terrible taste in men, but I suppose I’m happy for her.”

“Uh, thanks,” Rudiger said.

Her smile changed to a scowl. “But I still don’t trust you.”

“Ah,” Rudiger said.

“I’ll be watching you, horse tender. Step out of line and the Queen will learn of your treason.”

“Treason?”

Ses-Zeltzin smirked. “It doesn’t matter what you’re up to. I’ll make it sound bad enough that she’ll order your death. Got it?”

Rudiger nodded. “Yeah, I got it.”

She grinned and slapped his arm again. “In the meantime, have fun with my sister. You might not get much more opportunity.” She laughed and left the stables.

Okay, I changed my mind. I don’t want to bite her anymore. I just want to kill her.

That would get us killed even faster, Rudiger said.

Might be worth it.

She’s a Darker.

Even more worth it.

No. There’s a chance she knows where Corvinian is. If she doesn’t, I know who does.

What would Izel think of her sister being a Darker? What would Fra-Mecatl think of Fra-Ichtaca being a Darker? He needed to get a message to the Resistance.