you,” I said. “Believe me or not
as you will, but do not eat of that dish.”
Korim made an impatient sound. “The matter is easily
settled. Kamal! As your master, I command you. You will eat this
entire dish in front of these witnesses, now. If you consume it
with no ill effects, I shall apologize before my guests and reward
you with a purse of gold and your freedom. If not…”
“It,” said Kamal, his voice hoarse, “it would not be
proper. I…I cannot…”
“Guards!” snapped Korim, and a half-dozen watchmen
headed for the table. “Take Kamal and force feed him that food,
now. Honesty shall be decided…”
“You fat fool!” said Dinaka, rising to her feet with
a scream. “You will not touch him!”
Korim gaped at her.
“Dinaka,” hissed Kamal. “Be silent, or…”
“He is ten times the man you are, you quivering
slug,” said Dinaka, “and after he slays you, I shall put your
wealth and power to better use than you could ever imagine.” She
yanked a dagger from her belt and lunged at Korim.
Everything happened at once then.
The watchmen shouted and ran forward, while the
guests screamed. Kamal cursed and yanked a dagger from his slave’s
robe. Dinaka shrieked, her face twisted with hate, and raised her
dagger high to land a blow. I seized the poisoned dish from the
table and flung it into Dinaka’s face. She stumbled back with a
scream of fury, only for Kamal to shove her aside as he raced
around the table.
Caina screamed in terror as Kamal went past her,
raising her arms to cringe away from him, and Kamal took no notice
of her. Yet she spun as he went past, her leg collapsing beneath
her, and her right elbow drove into his back. Kamal went down with
a stunned gasp, and Caina scrambled away from him. The Kindred
rolled to his side, only for three of Korim’s watchmen to tackle
him.
Two others seized Dinaka and dragged her back.
“My lord, look!” said one of the watchmen, pointing
at her face. Angry red welts marked where the rice had struck her
skin, as if she had been splashed in acid, and more from where the
sauce had poured down her neck.
The venom. Korim flinched as he realized what he had
almost eaten.
“Take her away,” he growled. “Take them to the Crows’
Tower!”
The watchmen dragged away Kamal and Dinaka, and the
courtyard dissolved into chaos.
I eased through the crowd, forgotten in the chaos,
and rejoined Caina as she got to her feet, wobbling a bit on those
ridiculous sandals.
“Nice costume,” I said.
She smiled briefly. “You think so? Most of those old
merchants did.” She looked at the chaos. “I suppose we gave Korim
the best birthday present of all.”
“What’s that?” I said.
“His life.”
***
Chapter 6: Shadows
The next day Korim summoned me to his mansion, and I
went.
“I should have seen it years ago,” he said, his voice
heavy.
We sat in his opulent audience hall, Korim slumped in
his formal chair of office. The sturdy wooden chair creaked beneath
his bulk. His loyal scribe waited at his right hand, and a troop of
watchmen guarded him.
“I am sorry, my lord,” I said. “It…must be a grievous
blow.”
“How did you know?” he said. “I never even
suspected.”
I told Korim about the nails in the cake and the
discovery of the letter with his seal, omitting Caina’s part in
events.
“You have done me a great service,” said Korim. He
sighed. “I cannot blame Dinaka, not really. I wed her to secure
commercial advantages with her father. I had no wish to be cruel to
her, so I let her do whatever she wished. Clearly this was a
mistake.” He sighed again. “I will not bring charges against her. I
shall simply divorce her quietly, and send her back to her father
in Istarish Cyrica with her dowry.”
“That is…most generous of you,” I said.
Korim gave an indifferent shrug. “I am already a
laughingstock. What is one more jest?” He scowled. “The Kindred
assassin, though. His life is forfeit.”
“I bow
Kate Kelly, Peggy Ramundo