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“I am the Primary. There is stress involved.” He seemed to be informing people of this a lot lately.
    “You’re not coming here to visit with me, that’s for certain. I’m surprised you haven’t paid for pick-up and delivery.”
    “An unnecessary expense for something my assistant or I can handle.” Interacting with citizens like the laundress allowed him the opportunity to gauge his constituency. He spoke to at least one voter on a weekly basis.
    “Skythia doesn’t worry about thrift. So what’ll it be, Elder?”
    Always there were hidden fees. “I can offer—”
    “Ten transportation globes, Realm-wide. And information.”
    “Information?” Globes he’d expected. But information?
    “That’s my new rate for next-day delivery.” Banging and clattering echoed up the chute. She opened the wooden door and stuck her head in the hole. “What in the gnome-stick are you doing down there?”
    “Tripped!” a voice echoed up the shaft.
    “We’re training another sorter,” she told Embor. “Laundry’s big business with the influx of human clothes, and hardly anyone can do it. But now let’s talk about you.”
    “Your sibs don’t ask ten globes for a job they’re already well-paid to do.” Many Court services were privatized, the suppliers allotted a base amount from the treasury.
    “My sibs couldn’t magic a water stain out of a dishrag.” She slammed her book closed and placed another on top of it. “Do you want clean clothes or not?”
    He crossed his arms. “What’s your clan name?”
    “Serendipity.” She smiled. “We’re small, but we’re loud.”
    He could see the resemblance to Talista, if not Anisette. “Seeking information about Court activities could be considered treasonous.”
    She laughed. “That’s not the kind of information I want.”
    Was it so important to chat with a constituent this week? He didn’t have time for this. There was an Elder Court session in three days, and he had to prepare new arguments, consult with his cabinet, attend some negotiations with Greenland, sit advisory in the Younger Court on judicial matters, consider an appointment with his physician about his sleep issues, meet with Jake Story about their clandestine project, coordinate with the Commission for Truth about the AOC, insinuate himself into Princess Anisette’s good graces and banish Warran of Clan Torval. For something.
    “I fail to see why you can’t be satisfied with your salary. My salary is enough for me.” Serving at Court was a public office and paid accordingly. He bartered transportation globes he created himself for any extras he required.
    “I like gossip, and I have expensive tastes,” she said. “What can I say?”
    “I have no gossip.” Gossip required one engage in casual conversation, another thing he had no time for.
    She flipped through the black book he recognized as a copy of The Thousand Kisses . “Here we go. Who are you seeing?”
    “Seeing?”
    “Kissing. Bedding. Testing. I want your ritual numbers.”
    “That’s privileged information.” More like nonexistent. He hadn’t used The Thousand Kisses even before he’d known his bondmate’s identity.
    “I wash your drawers, Elder. I’m as privileged as they come.”
    He was beginning to see the appeal of the human device known as a washing machine. Too bad the Realm had no electricity. “Fifteen globes and no information.”
    “Eight globes, three ritual numbers.”
    “How much do you extort from others?” If laundry had become this dear, it would be next to impossible for a Court trainee like Anisette to cover the costs. The Serendipities weren’t wealthy.
    Except for the laundress, who appeared to be amassing a tidy fortune.
    “It depends on how much I want to know about your love life.” The laundress eyed him like she was picturing him without clothing, but it didn’t feel sexual. “You’re a tough case. Nobody knows much about you. My guess is your rituals are one hundreds. I can tell a