AbyssalRoadTrip
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Abyssal Road Trip - 451 - Pay the price
🕑 Added 2024-09-26 21:25:03 +0000 UTCAmdirlain’s PoV - Nepal Mountains
When Amdirlain and Jinfeng returned to the inn, Sarah spilled the news of the Grandmaster’s plan to include Amdirlain in the tournament.
“Oh, really?” purred Amdirlain. “This should be fun.”
“You’re going to accept?” asked Jinfeng.
Amdirlain smirked. “No, it’ll be fun to shoot them down in flames. They can challenge me, but I don’t have to accept. Now that I’m not in disguise, I don’t have to worry about the order’s reputation, only my own. What they think of me doesn’t bother me one bit. Or are you worried about being marked with the same brush by association?”
“Perhaps a little, but such concerns should be beneath me,” said Jinfeng.
“Should be?”
“They inconvenienced me for a summer, so you frustrating their goals is fine with me,” clarified Jinfeng. “It feels slightly vindictive, but perhaps it will teach them not to obstruct others.”
When they were out on the lake the following day, a tanned man approached them, and Amdirlain teleported him to the sect’s compound.
“What was that about?” gasped Jifeng.
“He was looking to issue a challenge,” replied Amdirlain. “If he can’t even stand in the same space, why should I listen to it?”
A slight flare of amusement in her gaze was the only crack in Jinfeng’s composure. “Sifu, you are outrageous.”
“I know,” laughed Amdirlain.
“When you said you planned to shoot them down in flames, I wasn’t expecting you to take that approach.”
Amdirlain squared off across from Jinfeng with a mischievous smile and motioned her on. “Adapt.”
Over the following week, Amdirlain played with the would-be challengers and explored Lady Dor Ji's influence in the town, discovering who owed her what. The more Amdirlain learned of the extent of debt hanging over people's heads, the more determined she grew to end the lady's influence.
Towards the end of the week, the town became crowded with the arrival of more sect members and other visitors, but the keep was still nowhere to be seen. The group kept to their training, healing, and crafting routines, gathering together each evening to compare notes of the day’s events when they hadn’t transmitted them through the light mental links Amdirlain maintained.
On the tenth day they’d been in town, a figure blurred up the cliff face and stopped near them; he was ranked among the senior masters and the tension that coiled in his thoughts kept Amdirlain from immediately teleporting him away.
“Lady Am, I challenge you,” snapped the man.
Amdirlain stepped back from crossing blades with Jinfeng. “On what grounds?”
“Your wild forays across the lake and the cliffs obstruct other students’ activities,” stated the man. “With your erratic relocations, they don’t know where to practise to keep clear of you and Master Lu Jinfeng. You are obstructing their training.”
She tilted her head to one side and regarded him curiously, tracing through deeper thoughts she found the core reasons for his stress.
That’s a fair point. However, now he’s stated his reasons, I can hear they’re related to the schemes bubbling in the background of his public mind.
“No one advised us we were causing issues,” said Amdirlain. “We’ll restrict our training to the cliff behind us and the waters at its base.”
“You’ve been avoiding all those you sought to tell you,” protested the man, but Amdirlain caught the intention fueling his objections, and her patience ended. “Answer my challenge.”
“You’re so transparent,” Amdirlain smiled coldly and teleported him back to town.
A soft snicker slipped from Jinfeng. “This time you let him issue the challenge.”
“There was a tension in his thoughts, and he is a senior Master,” observed Amdirlain. “I thought I’d hear him out in case it was a genuine issue, but it was just an excuse.”
The tournament was only two days away when a blur of light from the east resolved into a man floating in the air near their sparing spot on the cliff top. He stood relaxed, though his feet rested on a shining Jai whose blade was only two fingers wide. His crimson and white robes draped over a leanly muscled form, while his tanned and wrinkled face conveyed decades of hard living. True Sight showed Amdirlain the spatial protections that would make teleporting him away impossible for many wizards.
He didn’t interrupt or do anything to draw attention to himself other than floating near them. When Amdirlain finally disengaged from Jinfeng’s attacks and looked his way, the Grandmaster inclined his shaved head.
“Master Lu Jinfeng, might I trouble you for an introduction?”
Jinfeng sheathed her blade with a flourish and bowed with a fist-palm salute before her chest, not to the Grandmaster, but to Amdirlain.
“Grandmaster Indra Ka requests to be introduced to you, Sifu,” stated Jinfeng.
The slightest hitch in the Grandmaster’s breathing caught Amdirlain’s ear.
What surprised him? That Jinfeng sought permission, or her addressing me as Sifu? Did he think she was still without a mentor and hoped to lure her away?
“Very well.” Amdirlain kept her tone sedate, trying to play a reserved role.
Jinfeng turned and bowed to the Grandmaster before gesturing to Amdirlain with an elaborate flourish.
“Grandmaster Indra Ka, it’s my honour to introduce you to Lady Am. Lady Am, this is Grandmaster Indra Ka, the founder of the White Tiger’s Claw and their sole Immortal,” said Jinfeng.
‘Are you trying to burn him?’ Amdirlain asked across the mental link.
Jinfeng’s composure didn’t shift. ‘He deserves worse.’
He’s Tibetan, with different naming standards, so neither is his family name and using parts of his name is too casual. Calling him Indra would be like someone introduced to me by Julia, referring to me as Ju.
Amdirlain inclined her head to him, and he returned the gesture to the exact degree.
“I’m glad we met before your pupil participated in our tournament,” said Indra Ka.
Do I call his bullshit or go with the flow?
“It would have been nicer if you’d attempted to meet with me first before you tried manipulating me with duels,” said Amdirlain. “What is it you want?”
Surprise flared in Indra Ka’s dark gaze as Amdirlain cut straight to the chase. Yet he pressed on rather than attempting a denial.
“We’d heard tales that you know everything that happens about you. I but sought to test such claims.”
Amdirlain’s only response was a raised eyebrow.
“I know so little about you. Might I ask how you bear the title Lady?” asked Indra Ka.
Is he seeking to determine who has precedence?
“I’m sure that’s not why you took time out of your schedule. The simple title is a compromise instead of those others wanted me to carry,” said Amdirlain.
“Such as?”
Goddess.
Amdirlain's wintery smile matched her voice. “You’ve been scheming to ensure I’m also in your tournament. You’re nearly out of time before commencement, so you’ve decided to speak to me yourself. We won’t get anywhere if you want to mince words and dance around the subject. This is the last time I’ll ask before I turn deaf to every word from your lips. What can I help you with today?”
Internally, Grandmaster Indra Ka bristled, but it didn’t affect his calm tone. “Would you take part in the tournament?”
“I’m willing to cooperate with some of your goals if you’re willing to cooperate with something I wish to do,” said Amdirlain.
“What would that be?”
“Are you aware of all the monetary debts Lady Dor Ji has hanging over the heads of many commoners in this town and others?”
“I do not involve myself with the going on of any townsfolk that doesn’t impact the sect,” replied Indra Ka.
“Lady Dor Ji is setting up to cause an economic disaster with her debt pressure on the farmers and townsfolk. I want to clear that debt and set up a scheme to prevent its reoccurrence. Your sect can help by providing clerks to ensure the scheme remains honest. I’ll provide funds for the scheme and pay the administrators’ time.”
“And in return?”
“I’ll fight at the end of your tournament,” said Amdirlain. “Against you, but not a duel. Let’s call it an exhibition match, an exchange of pointers, or whatever term you wish to use. Either party can call an end to it to meditate on insights gained.”
“One match for what could be centuries of overseeing administration work?”
“If you don’t like how that sounds, how about a bet to increase the challenge?”
Indra Ka’s gaze shone briefly. “The terms?”
“If you can end the match with a surrender from me, I’ll provide enough wealth to match last year's running expenses for your sky keep. If you get me to surrender within a day, I’ll make it a hundredfold.”
“How long do you expect the duel, I mean the exchange of pointers, to last?”
You said exactly what you meant to say.
“Good question. The last time I fought with Master Cyrus without a time limit, the exchange of pointers went on for days,” said Amdirlain. “He’s far more proficient, but I heal faster. Let’s say the time limit for the match is ten days without rest, or if I send you to explain the situation to Judge Po.”
The implicit death threat drew a smile from Indra Ka. His gaze blazed at the challenge, but he kept his tone composed.
“You speak of Master Cyrus of the Monastery of the Western Reaches?”
Do you want to pretend you don’t know about my connection with him? Or is there another Master Cyrus?
“That’s correct.”
Indra Ka considered her speculatively. “Then I look forward to our exchange. Is the other woman travelling with you your wife, Lady Am?”
“Yes.”
It seems tales have spread from the Outpost.
“It’s been said she is a Dragon from outside the middle kingdoms,” Indra Ka motioned westwards.
With a sly smile, Amdirlain flicked her gaze upwards. “Is that a problem?”
“My apologies, but she can’t enter the keep or even get within half a kilometre. It is quite possible the foundation’s enchantments would not stand for her,” said Indra Ka. “They would respond violently. To be safe, I would suggest she not approach closer than the town’s waterfront when it arrives.”
I’d wager Sarah will test the protections.
“I appreciate the warning. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”
Indra Ka’s composed expression turned into a grandfatherly smile. “Would you like to sit with me to watch your pupil compete?”
Amdirlain mouth tightened. “Since I know you’re luring others here by offering the opportunity to speak with me, I’d prefer to sit by myself. I don’t want their attempts at conversation distracting me from watching Jinfeng’s form. I’m also reluctant to reward unacceptable behaviour further, since if you’d approached me directly, we could have had this discussion without the games.”
“How one’s opponent responds to different strategies tells you much,” said Indra Ka.
“Do you consider everyone an opponent?”
“Aren’t you looking to attack Lady Dor Ji’s influence? She’s a woman you only met once,” said Indra Ka, his gaze brightening with interest. “It would seem that with minimal contact, you decided she was an opponent.”
He’s checking to see if I or Sarah played the part of the servant when we arrived.
“Dor Ji was rude to a serving girl and sought to exert force in a situation that required only civil conversation,” said Amdirlain. “Also, she plans to act against Jinfeng and the servant if she returns, whereas we had no plans to act against your sect.”
“And now?”
“Now, you won’t get a tiny fraction of what my cooperation could provide.” Amdirlain gave him a dazzling smile. Her force of personality blazed in her gaze, briefly crushing him with only a portion of her Charisma, compounded through her abilities.
Indra Ka staggered and almost fell from his blade.
“What was that?!” sputtered Indra Ka, his composure shattered.
“A smile. Good day, Grandmaster Indra Ka. I will remember the games you like to play. Let me know if you want me to play as well,” said Amdirlain. She teleported him to the sect compound despite the spatial protections around him. However, his blade remained floating in the air, supported by Far Hand.
Jinfeng gasped in disbelief. “Sifu!”
“Would you be so kind as to return his blade to him?” asked Amdirlain, and quickly clarified herself when Jinfeng went to gather the blade. “After we’re done with training today.”
“He might well take offence.”
Amdirlain shrugged. “I’m a touch miffed with him myself. Have I done anything too over the top yet?”
“No lightning storms or shattered mountains, so you’ve been relatively low-key for a major Ki Practitioner,” said Jinfeng. “Still, you’re not handling the situation with proper decorum.”
“Phew, that’s a relief,” Amdirlain grinned. “Let me know if I need to blow something up. After all, I’m trying to blend in, and that detail might stick out.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jinfeng replied deadpan. “Should I speak to more of the storekeepers about helping them clear their debt?”
“Yeah, we’ll move ahead with that even if I have to enlist the clerks of the western reaches to run it,” said Amdirlain. “We can manage any fallout from her misbehaviour with jobs through them if need be.”
“She offended you that much?”
Amdirlain grinned like the Cheshire cat. “There is a saying where I’m from: fuck around and find out. I will be polite, and unless she digs herself deeper, I plan to return her initial investment. If I wasn’t being polite, I’d make her pay for every person she’s caused emotional suffering with this power grab through the years. She should count herself lucky.”
Jinfeng’s brows lifted. “You have very different moral standards, Sifu.”
“If she’d let people repay their debts cleanly, even with interest, I wouldn’t have an issue with her. The legal repayment schedule that keeps them in debt is so fucked up,” said Amdirlain. “Let’s get back to practice.”
As they resumed, the blade streaked towards town.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
The sky keep arrived before dusk the following day. It positioned itself over the cliff tops directly across the lake from the town and blotted their usual training spot in shadow. Though the lake was six kilometres wide in other places, those cliffs were only a kilometre outside town, giving every north-facing window a clear view of the massive structure floating above them. At eight kilometres across, it was larger than the town. Thick stone walls crawling with arcane and Ki wards perched on a polished stone disc shot through with jewelled veins. Every ten metres along the parapets, the business end of a siege-sized crossbow pointed outwards on an elevated platform. One that looked engineered to pivot through various angles to fire on foes above and below the keep.
With Kadaklan still at the temple, they moved out onto the balcony to watch it settling into position. Amdirlain could see the concentrated energies of spatial enchantments controlling its positioning within those veins, but they were forces invisible to most. More enchantments crawled over the weaponry and the ammunition racks near each.
The mass of rock suspended in mid-air sent a mix of emotions across the faces of the townsfolk in the street below; some celebrated its arrival, cheering and pointing, but others stared up, eyes widening as primal fears sent shivers up their spines. The latter group turned away from the fortress and hurried off.
‘Do you feel like the imperial theme song should play? The star destroyer just arrived above a remote town,’ Sarah projected to Amdirlain.
Amdirlain’s gaze twinkled with glee.
Puzzled by Amdirlain’s sudden amusement, Jinfeng motioned to the keep. “Have you seen something like that before?”
“Just Sarah having fun,” explained Amdirlain.
Sarah blew a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “I’ve seen the creation of entire sky cities, so a floating rock that size isn’t a big deal. Though I’ll admit, it’s impressive that it’s still airborne without infused runes. The platform itself has those veins through it but looks artificial. Maybe a stone Shen grew it for them.”
“Having to keep clear isn’t an issue?” asked Amdirlain.
“It only becomes an issue if some idiot puts you in danger,” said Sarah. “Though I’m sure I can sneak onboard, I’ll behave to avoid causing chaos.”
“Well, the Grandmaster’s raw numbers are around Master Cyrus’ level, so I should be right with our match,” offered Amdirlain.
Sarah’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “You know, Master Cyrus always holds techniques in reserve. You offering to fund that floating pile of rock for a century will motivate the Grandmaster to go all out.”
“Good, because I restrict myself in those fights as well,” Amdirlain replied, turning her attention away from the floating keep to Sarah. “I might get back to retraining Protean. Care to help?”
Sarah snickered in reply, causing Amdirlain to blush and grumble. “You’ve got a dirty mind.”
“And?”
“I meant pick random forms,” huffed Amdirlain, and her blush grew deeper at the cascade of images that came across their mental link. “Oi, buster, I’ll get you.”
“I’m staying out of this conversation,” Jinfeng retreated inside.
Amdirlain fingertips caressed the hollow of Sarah’s throat before she vanished from the balcony. The wind along the street wasn’t the sole cause of Sarah’s garments shifting; beneath them, a thin membrane enveloped her body.
Sarah’s smile widened, and she headed for their room.
♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫
The morning of the tournament’s opening, granite barges shuttled back and forth between the sky keep and the docks. The four sat and watched from the balcony, watching the barges bustle back and forth.
A knock on the suite’s front door drew Jinfeng’s attention. The messenger at the door was a pre-adolescence boy in plain grey robes.
Did they send someone harmless-looking so I wouldn’t teleport him away, or is this meant to convey my lack of importance?
“Master Jinfeng?” the messenger asked in a youthful soprano. “The Grandmaster extends his invitation to you and your Sifu to attend the morning fights but advises the first day is for the sect’s cadets and junior-most tier. You can expect no Ki techniques beyond the most basic to be involved in the afternoon session.”
“Sifu, would you like to attend today?”
“Why not? Do we take the barges, or can we go up alone?” Amdirlain called back.
“I have a runestone pass for each of you, or I’m to run ahead and get a barge set aside,” replied the messenger.
Amdirlain flowed into the main room with unnatural grace. The fluid motions, elven appearance and slightest hint of Charisma that buzzed about her caused his eyes to bulge. “We’ll take the passes, thank you.”
My performance gives him a tale to spread in the dormitories.
With a stammered acknowledgement, he passed Jinfeng three black obsidian plates the size of business cards.
“Is there anywhere in particular we should land?”
“If you head to where the barges dock with the keep, a senior will meet you,” the boy advised. He bowed deeply before he hurried away.
Amdirlain kissed Sarah a proper farewell before she returned to the balcony and stepped into the open air, with Jinfeng and Kadaklan following behind.
It was as simple as the messenger said. As they approached the keep, a female Master in crimson and white robes flew out from among the armaments to meet them. The Tibetan woman had a low ponytail that securely captured most of her hair, while a few strands of straight black hair framed her rounded cheekbones. She’d been the third challenger who Amdirlain had teleported away.
After saluting them fist to palm, she motioned towards the inner keep. “Lady Am and Master Lu Jinfeng, it is an honour to guide you. We’ve set a section aside for your use during the tournament. Master Kadaklan, do you wish to stay with them until someone needs your healing or meet the other healers?”
“I’ll sit with them until someone needs my help,” replied Kadaklan.
“Should I expect more attempted challengers visiting the box?” asked Amdirlain. “Or did the others learn their lessons from the teleportation experience?”
The lady flushed. “We’ve been told to cease, Lady Am.”
“That’s good to know. If you’d please lead the way.” Amdirlain’s acidic tone could have etched steel.
‘Will you ask her name?’ Jinfeng questioned over the mental link.
‘No. If she had wanted me to know, she should have introduced herself. She tried to issue a challenge without talking to me, so I’m not interested in talking to her now. It’s not an issue to me, but it could be to someone else in the future, so I don’t want her thinking it's all no harm, no foul.’
Kadaklan flew alongside Amdirlain, included in her explanation to Jinfeng. ‘Getting onto Am’s shit list is easy, but getting off it requires one to work.’
‘She told me they’d been instructed to cease. She didn’t apologise for her attempted participation.’ Amdirlain observed. ‘I’ll let someone off if they al least give an apology they mean.’
‘An apology is a tremendous effort for some people.’ Kadaklan responded.
Don’t I know it! I’ve still not apologised to the Lómë for my tantrum and power flex. Whenever I consider it, I feel a shifting rage towards them I hadn’t noticed before. Ori felt betrayed by them and the Anar for billions of years, and her pain aggravated my frustrations. Now, it’s like a dam threatening to choke the words in my throat or burst free, and I don’t want to vent a torrent of that rage by raising the subject.
“They blindly followed orders because to do otherwise is to point out where they are wrong, Sifu,” murmured Jinfeng.
The master stiffened and pivoted mid-air to lead them over the outer walls. Between them and the inner keep, the fortifications were split into four sections. One had terraced seating with a capacity for thousands, along the top row were balcony seating. Two rows of five chairs were in each divided section, and a dark blue and gold curtain draped across the rear exit. The only upper section currently occupied was directly opposite; Grandmaster Indra Ka and two senior masters occupied the front row.
As soon as their guide left, Amdirlain settled into the middle seat and studied the open parade ground with two hundred circles laid out for the first tier’s fights.
This place is more extensive than I had estimated from Jinfeng’s image.
While they waited, students in grey brought a trolley laden with a tea set and positioned it against the back wall, quietly hurrying away once the trolley was stable. As the drape flapped with the passage of the last of them, Grandmaster Indra Ka nodded slowly to Amdirlain.
Over the hour, the stands filled, and a few more boxes gained occupants. Though the upper two tiers remained predominantly empty, around nine thousand people were seated throughout the stands.
A large brass gong sounded, and a group of youths in their early teenage years came out from a tunnel between the stands. Spot checking the eldest, Amdirlain couldn’t find anyone with a Class. As soon as pairs of students occupied all the circles, then a Master seated beside the Grandmaster raised a hand.
The gong rang again and, before the sound faded, one student tumbled towards a circle’s edge, spraying teeth from a jaw shattered by a brutal uppercut.
None of the other students looked his way, intent on their own opponents. Each was an actual full contact match with nothing held back, though they competed with skill alone to score five hits on their opponent before a victor was determined. As the first round completed with some more students worse for wear, Amdirlain focused on activating the psionic healing techniques as rapidly as she could, dropping them across most of the four hundred cadets. A student with a broken wrist cried out in surprise as it healed; the bone retreated into flesh and then the colour returned to his face, the blood staining his hand and robes the only evidence of the break.
The senior students supervising the competition ushered him off to one side, but soon had him and another student who’d been badly limping at their next match after the healers cleared them. They were not the last ones to heal spontaneously as the fights continued. A girl with a broken nose and another with a fractured mandible; the latter let an elbow slip through among a rapid exchange of blows, and there were more wounded besides. Though all these students lacked Ki abilities, some fought brutally, intent only on the win. Yet those who fought with no concern for their fellow students’ pain were targeted in return.
They pruned the group after every five bouts, and everyone with no wins returned to the seats. The rest went again for another five bouts until four hundred was worn down to fifty. The oldest youths among those eliminated looked downhearted, but everyone kept their composure and accepted elimination with outward grace. Three more groups competed throughout the morning, reducing sixteen hundred students to two hundred permitted to progress.
The thousands of techniques Amdirlain had used on students and the variation of their wounds pushed her Psychometabolism along better than practising with constructs. A final notification came as she maintained restoration fields to restore students in their seats.
[Psychometabolism [S] (12->13)]
“A civilised being minds their behaviour at all times, especially in hardship,” said Jinfeng from her spot beside Amdirlain.
“Some fought like they wanted to kill,” noted Amdirlain. “Hardly proportional behaviour.”
Jinfeng sighed. “Some might see it as succeeding or their dream dying. Then one must consider whether it’s proportional to the competition or their desire to progress.”
“Or their lack of regard for anything but their own desires,” said Amdirlain. “Did you have to face such a challenge?”
“My Dao is not theirs,” said Jinfeng. “Nor does the Monastery of the Western Reaches pin rank on tournament prizes. Rank there is a steady progression, and gaining it doesn’t remove it from another. The White Tiger’s Claw cherishes the combative mindset.”
It’s hard to walk in another person’s shoes. If they were from some of the poor villages we walked through, and it was the choice of injuring another person or risking returning home, how then do you judge them? Are those who fail here gathered up and given chances elsewhere?
“Do you know what day you’ll enter the tournament?”
“With the junior masters, which might be a week from now,” Jinfeng replied. “It depends on how quickly they get through the junior and senior students.”
They quietened as the Master called the four winning groups out, and they each received crimson robes.
With the first tier complete, Amdirlain spotted food being passed along rows in the stands and some masters retiring from the lower boxes.
“Might I join you briefly, Lady Am?” Indra Ka called through the curtained entrance.
“It is your keep, Grandmaster Indra Ka,” replied Amdirlain.
Indra Ka slipped inside and took the empty seat on the left-hand side of the box. “I didn’t expect you to be here for the morning matches, Lady Am.”
“Young people trying their best are as worthy of attention as anyone else.” Amdirlain smiled.
“Were you involved in the lack of injuries?”
Amdirlain’s face became an expressionless mask. “There were injuries, but they healed quickly.”
“On behalf of the sect’s youth, you have my appreciation,” said Indra Ka. “Might I ask how you’re healing them from up here?”
“I have abilities beyond the Ki techniques and Mana that your people look for,” said Amdirlain.
“Are those the abilities that make metals and magical items?” asked Indra Ka.
What’s he playing at by admitting that’s of interest to him?
“The ability I’m using to heal the students is unrelated to those feats,” said Amdirlain.
“Yet you can do such easily?”
“Easier than some, not as easily as others,” replied Amdirlain. “It’s a pity you wanted to play games so much.”
Gilorn would leave me for dead.
“Will such remain off the table?”
“Who knows what the future might bring, but I don’t leap to reward behaviour that I find annoying,” replied Amdirlain. “Once you found out I was in the town, your first steps were to set your shadowy friend to play games with me and negotiate with others.”
Her knowledge caused a flare of surprise, but his composure didn’t flicker.
“And you were not playing games yourself?” Indra Ka replied.
“Your presence at the lord’s rooms seemed conveniently timed, so we checked and found you were playing games. If you hadn’t been, we’d be having a different conversation. Your masters have a reputation for scheming to ensure opportunities for duels. It seems they get that from yourself.”
Indra Ka frowned, and his gaze grew cold. “You are a guest.”
“Yet I’m not here for your entertainment. I can leave now if you’d prefer.”
“It seems we have different outlooks on what is acceptable from a guest, Lady Am,” Indra Ka said.
Amdirlain lifted an eyebrow. “Or from a host, Grandmaster Indra Ka.”
Rising from the chair, he bowed and left without waiting for Amdirlain to respond.
He’s playing layers of games to see what I’ll respond to next.
Kadaklan turned to watch the drape rock back and forth in his wake. ‘He didn’t seem happy.’
‘He’s still playing games and fishing for information he’ll sell to other orders. The next region we pass through, we can expect social invitations,’ returned Amdirlain. ‘He pretended to take affront to see if I’d buckle under social pressures.’
Kadaklan shifted slightly at a sound in the corridor outside. ‘Are you sure?’
Amid their silent exchange, a servant called for permission to enter with food.
‘He’s already taken payment from the masters of other orders, who will be here to see my exchange with him. Offering to leave had him considering the face he’d lose by refunding it.’
“Does anyone care for some food?” asked Kadaklan.
“I’ll just meditate until the afternoon session starts,” replied Amdirlain, leaving Kadaklan to deal with the servants.
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