In the House of Five Dragons
13. The Jade Throne
“Breathe a word of our secrets and it will be with your last breath.”
— a House of Five Dragons axiom
“Rikard Mazrem? Are you sure?” Narissa asked.
The Crest sat forward on the throne, his lips pressed into a thin, tight white line like the string of a crossbow.
“Are you questioning me?” he asked in a deadly quiet voice.
“No,” Narissa answered quickly. “I’m simply… surprised. We’ve known Captain Mazrem to be dead for a long time.”
“He’s not dead. Did you hear about the procession to the Everstones this afternoon?”
“Certainly,” Narissa said. “But there have been men claiming to be Rikard Mazrem before.”
“None that VEIL has ever taken the time to confirm.”
That was true, as far as Narissa knew… And her knowledge was considerable. Besides her position as an Eye of the House, Narissa served as the senior priestess in the temple of Surma. Four hundred fosters worked — and gossiped — under her watchful eye.
“I want him,” the Crest said.
“Want him?”
“Hae. What good is control over Gaius Mazrem when his father has returned? Rikard Mazrem’s popularity will eclipse his son’s. Rikard is the more important target now.”
Narissa circled the room slowly, as necessitated by the slanted floor and the deep, inky darkness that the Crest preferred. She was full of nervous energy. How the younger fosters would gape to see their temple matron pace like this.
It was the Crest. Something about him made Narissa feel as though snakes squirmed in her stomach. She wished some of the other Eyes were about, but it was late and most were tending to their own business or else on their way to the evening’s unscheduled Lyceum session. There were Talons, of course, lurking in the dark, with weapons never far from their gloved hands. But thinking of the Crest’s guard did nothing to settle Narissa.
“You heard something else,” said the Crest. “You rarely pace, my lovely priestess. Tell me.”
“I don’t want to waste your time.”
“You hear a great deal, Narissa. It’s for your ears that I elevated you to my Eye.” He laughed thinly at his own little joke. “I would regret having to force your tongue. Speak.”
Narissa swallowed hard. Her mouth was suddenly very dry.
“It was the Moon Court general,” she said. “Nikas Hern. He has commissioned a foster. Captain Mazrem’s injured, they say. General Hern wants a foster to make sure he recovers.”
“How useful.”
The Crest’s smile glinted in the dark tower room like a sharp crescent moon.
“There’s more,” Narissa said. “General Hern’s letter also warned the temple to select a foster very carefully. He says that Captain Mazrem’s been deeply affected by his time away and to send someone… gentle.”
The Crest sat forward on the Jade Throne, emerging from the cushions like a viper lifting its head from bloated coils. “Interesting. Did Hern explain any further?”
“No,” Narissa said. “That was all.”
“Who’s supposed to arrange a foster for Captain Mazrem?”
“Orria’s been tasked with the choice, though I outrank her. Do you want me to handle it?”
More soft laughter from the Crest. “Ah, you understand me very well. Hae, I do.”
“I’ll place one of our fosters with Captain Mazrem, then.”
“No, I think not,” said the Crest. The humor suddenly vanished from his voice, replaced by icy intensity. “We’re playing for Rikard Mazrem himself. This is a delicate matter. I want Thainna Vahn.”
“Thainna? But she’s just a common thief. She doesn’t know the first thing about fosterage or building influence.”
“Are you challenging my choice?”
Narissa swallowed her objections. “No. Of course not. But don’t you think that–?”
“Good. Arrange it,” he interrupted, and then paused thoughtfully. “I trust that Thainna can handle Captain Mazrem, but she can be terribly unfocused. She’s been working on her own little side project for the last four years, after all. I’ll need to convince her that this is far more important.”
“I will make those arrangements with the fostral staff, as well,” Narissa said.
“Good. We can’t have Thainna worrying about her brother at a time like this, can we?”
“No, my Crest.”
“Send Thainna a bloodmark before dawn tomorrow. She’ll need to start work early.”
“Hae. It will be done,” Narissa promised.
