Authors: Adrian Tchaikovsky
He allowed them the pause, then took up again before they could start discussing with their neighbours.
‘Perhaps you are simply glad that the old ship-handler is no longer nagging us all about his lost profits?’ An undercurrent of mirth, and Stenwold frowned at them thunderously, for all he had engineered it himself. ‘Master Failwright has disappeared. He has not been seen for near three tendays now. I believe he is dead. I believe he was murdered.’
That quietened them, and Stenwold took a deep breath. Now that he was under way he did not so much as glance at Teornis of the Aldanrael.
‘Should I not take this to the militia, you ask? Is this a matter on which to try the patience of the Collegiate Assembly? Well, Masters and Magnates, I have undertaken my own investigation into the issues that Master Failwright would so often raise before us. Why kill such a man, unless he had uncovered a truth amidst all his complaints? You will recall his grievance, of course: he claimed that the shipping of Collegium was under attack, that there was some force or pattern behind the loss and pillage of ships, something more than mere chance and independent brigandage could account for.’
They were shuffling a little, shifting on their stone seats, wondering where he was going with this. Only a handful of merchants still actively involved with the sea-trade were listening attentively.
‘I took the liberty of conducting an experiment, as a good College Master should,’ Stenwold told them all. ‘I had, stashed aboard a trader bound for Everis, a hidden cargo of swords, just to see what might befall.’ He had them again, with that revelation. ‘As it happened, there was a pirate vessel out there that took an interest in my cargo. A vessel going by the name of the
Very Blade
overhauled our ship and tried to board her. Our crew and our marines threw them back and took their ship. It lies in the harbour even now.’
There was a cheer at that, which surprised him. Perhaps they thought that was all: old Maker playing War Master on the waves for his own amusement, striking a few little blows for Collegium against the lawless. He raised a hand to hush them.
‘There was evidence aboard the vessel to suggest that Master Failwright was correct in his beliefs,’ he told them. ‘There was a hidden hand behind the actions of this pirate ship – and who knows how many others?’
He had his silence, at last. It was a rare thing in the Amphiophos, that stillness.
‘What documents were recovered suggests an involvement from the Spiderlands, and I am sad to say that the family Aldanrael is named.’
It was like dropping a stone on to clear water: the moment’s graceful fall, and then chaos. Fully half the Assemblers there were trying to say something: to each other, to him, to the chamber as a whole. Many were horrified, protesting that he could not possibly be right, for the Aldanrael had proved themselves firm friends of Collegium.
I can only agree. I cannot see why they would do it, but here we are, nonetheless.
Others, especially the shipping men, were calling down shame on the heads of all Spider-kinden, demanding justice and reparation.
Stenwold’s eyes sought out the Imperial ambassador: Aagen was expressionless, but behind him there was a curious look on Honory Bellowern’s honest face – a man given an unlooked-for gift of incalculable value.
Jodry stepped in just then, selecting someone at random from the crowd simply to shut the others up. Stenwold saw a solid, greying woman he could not put a name to rising to her feet.
‘This is preposterous!’ she snapped. ‘The Spiderlands? What gain is in this for them? Since the siege, we’ve been getting along famously with them, so why would they start robbing us?’ There was a fair amount of support for her, and yet a lot of muttering, too.
Because they’re Spiders and you can’t trust them
, seemed to be the meat of it.
Jodry singled out another, but his finger drifted too close to Helmess Broiler, and his old adversary stole the moment, standing and holding his arms up for quiet. He had enough supporters still that he got it, or at least a semblance of it. ‘My fellows!’ he called out, and Stenwold braced himself for more opposition. What Helmess said instead, though, was, ‘We should not dismiss this just because we laughed at Failwright.’ This was sufficiently surprising that the rest of the Assembly started listening. Helmess looked left and right, his gaze stern. Stenwold had to admit that the man had a fine debating manner, crammed with authority.
‘We will see Maker’s evidence, of course. Master Maker and I are old friends in this chamber. We have crossed swords often and, although the admission must be wrung from me with pliers, he is a man who always has the city’s interest at heart, whether his suspicions are true or false.’ He smiled slightly, just for Stenwold’s benefit. ‘Surely it is time that we turned to the accused, Master Speaker. What do the Spiders say?’
What is he after?
Finding himself apparently on the same side as Helmess Broiler made Stenwold feel very uncomfortable indeed, and Jodry was obviously thinking the same thing. Nevertheless the Speaker nodded and waved towards Teornis. ‘What say the Aldranrael?’
The Spider Aristos stood up smoothly, utterly untroubled. ‘These are grave words, Master Speaker. By all means, let us examine Master Maker’s papers, for I cannot think he would raise such a storm over nothing. Perhaps one of my family’s rivals seeks to drive a wedge between us. Our mutually profitable friendship has drawn envy in many quarters, I am sure. Perhaps it is some enemy of yours that seeks to plant the seed of conflict. Perhaps my own family has kept some plan from me.’ He spread his hands, seeming the soul of reason. ‘I place myself at the Assembly’s disposal, so that we may divine the truth in all of this.’ Teornis now looked Stenwold directly in the eye. ‘I’m sure that we would all prefer to explore every possibility before we commit ourselves to something unwise.’
‘I have had word from Everis,’ Stenwold informed his co-conspirators. They were all in his study again: Arianna, Jodry, Danaen, Laszlo and Tomasso. Cardless had just poured the wine and absented himself.
‘Not encouraging word, I take it,’ Tomasso put in.
‘Well, I know at least that the
Migrating Home
was able to dock, unload and leave unmolested, which I suspect is part of how this Spider “good form” business works. However, my eyes in Everis say that a fleet is being assembled: warships, supply ships, troop carriers. A fleet in its infancy, as yet, but there are a lot of new sails along the Silk Road coast, and Everis is where they’re all bound.’
‘An armada, they’ll be calling it,’ Tomasso supplied.
Stenwold nodded. ‘That they do. There’s precedent, then, for this?’
‘Oh, it’s a rare honour,’ the bearded Fly replied. ‘A whole load of Spiders have to be facing in the same direction at the same time to get an armada together, and none of them putting knives in the backs of the others, either. You’ve fired up the Aldanrael, Stenwold, and sounds like they’re putting most of what they’ve got into this one. Normally it takes a rebellious satrapy to kick up this kind of response. Of course, we know what hasn’t helped.’
‘The Arista on the
Blade
,’ Stenwold agreed.
‘Someone’s favourite daughter, no doubt,’ Tomasso concluded glumly.
‘She deserved her death,’ Danaen said contemptuously. ‘She deserved a worse death. An arrow was too clean. Do not tell me now that we should have spared her.’
‘Laszlo has explained to me the circumstances,’ Stenwold said, ‘and you did what you had to. Still . . . she was a fool to try and face you down. If she had been wiser, she would have lived, I’m sure.’
Danaen’s expression was not so sure of that, but Stenwold did his best to overlook it.
Save me from over-zealous allies.
‘Well, if it comes to that,’ he said, ‘we’ll have to see how Collegium artifice matches up to Spiderlands cunning. The Vekken did not find it so easy to take us, either by land or sea.’
‘The Vekken, however, did a lot of damage – and so did the Empire after them,’ Jodry said miserably. ‘We cannot go on fighting wars. We cannot afford the cost in lives or goods. Stenwold, have you thought about finding allies in some other Spider house?’
‘Which?’ Stenwold asked him.
‘Well, I have no idea, but the Aldanrael must have enemies.’
‘Spider politics, Jodry. As you say, we have no idea. They change their faces daily in that part of the world. Each morning they get up and learn a new list of who their friends are, and who their enemies. Arianna, am I right?’
‘You would not lack for people willing to profit from you,’ she conceded, ‘but you would never know their hearts. Anyone you dealt with could easily be an agent of the Aldanrael. Do not enter those waters. You have neither compass nor chart.’
‘As an example of this, I received a message from the enemy, last night,’ Stenwold announced. ‘It was left on my pillow.’ He showed them the small slip of parchment. ‘It says no more than this: “You have heard your spies. Perhaps you would now wish to listen to us. State your time and place, if you would not have the ships sail.” I suspect I shall hear no more from my agent in Everis. He has done what the Spiders wished and told me of the threat to Collegium that they are assembling.’
‘But Teornis wants to talk,’ Jodry prompted.
‘Supposedly.’ Stenwold took a deep breath.
‘You cannot talk with Spiders,’ Danaen spat scathingly. ‘Every word is a lie. Every promise is made to be broken. The only peace to be had with Spiders is after you’ve killed them.’
Jodry coughed. ‘Yes, well, for my part I say we have to meet with him. He won’t want a fight, so we can surely find some way through this mess that doesn’t see a hundred ships blockading our harbour and landing soldiers all the way down the coast. The Spiderlands is
vast
, Stenwold. We have no idea what they might send. They have plenty of artificers amongst their subjects, too. Don’t think it will just be sailing ships and swords.’
Danaen was scowling at Jodry, and looking daggers at Arianna as well. The two Flies sat back, waiting to be of some use. Stenwold put a hand to his forehead. ‘I will meet with him,’ he stated.
The Mantis made a hissing sound. ‘If you so much as hear them speak, they will corrupt you, – or kill you. There is
no
dealing with them, save with a blade.’
‘That is not our way,’ Stenwold snapped, with enough authority to beat her down. ‘This situation is slipping out of control. Spider-kinden who have lived in Collegium all their lives are fearing to show their faces in the streets. Honory Bellowern, of all the cursed people, sent me a message of support from
the Empire
, in our time of need, and if this cannot be resolved – if Spider sails reach our harbour – then no doubt the Eighth Army will march into Myna so as to bring that support so much the closer. We have to act, therefore. I will meet with Teornis.’
‘Stenwold Maker, listen to me,’ the Mantis declared fiercely. ‘I will kill Teornis of the Aldanrael.’
Stenwold stared at her. ‘I don’t . . .’
‘I will take a score of my people and I will go to where he is, and kill him and his servants and guards and all who lodge with him,’ Danaen stated flatly. ‘That is the only way to negotiate with Spiders.’
‘And what will that accomplish?’ Stenwold demanded. ‘We’re not at war with just Teornis, we’re at war with his whole cursed family. All that would achieve is ensure that we would never again be able to negotiate any kind of peace.’
Danaen folded her arms sullenly. ‘Where will you meet him then? How will you deal with him? He will twist your mind with his Art. He will have his agents hiding, ready to poison you or slay you.’
‘Some neutral party, perhaps, to mediate . . . ?’ Jodry started.
‘Who?’ the Mantis snapped at him. ‘Who, indeed, that they have not bought? Who, that you can fully trust? You can trust only my kind, to be rid of all the influence of his kinden, and we say
kill
.’
‘And who could we trust with the knowledge of what would be said at such a meeting. No third parties, Jodry. If we do talk to Teornis then we must talk fully and frankly.’
‘Well, then,’ the Speaker for the Assembly looked grim, ‘the Mantis is right, Sten. How could you be sure it wasn’t a trap?’
‘Arianna says he won’t just have me killed out of hand, since it’s not their way,’ Stenwold told him.
‘With respect, Master Maker,’ Tomasso put in, ‘their way is to win.’ He had sat in silence for a long time while the others talked, with Laszlo fidgeting at his side. Now his voice drew their attention. ‘Spiders play Spider games with each other, and the top Aristoi will tell you how they keep to their little rules. But, Master Maker, those rules are only for those at the very top, only for the people that move the pieces around.’
Stenwold thought of Teornis’s earlier note, welcoming him to the Dance.
Or was that just to lull me into a false sense of security? Do I really believe that a Spider Aristos would consider me an equal?
‘And besides,’ Laszlo put in, ‘doesn’t mean they don’t off each other
sometimes
.’
Stenwold opened his mouth, then closed it again, the words gone. After a pause he said, ‘There
must
be a way. I want to believe that Teornis just wants a way to back out gracefully, without making himself look a fool before his family. But I see what you say.’ He sighed. ‘There must be a way,’ he said again.