Clawing Back from Chaos: Book 9 in the Cat Among Dragons Series (A Cat Among Dragons)

by Alma Boykin

  A D’shandi squeaked, “You’re a mammal!”

  “I’m also the Lord Defender of Drakon IV. You are?”

  “He’s going to be a private without privates if he doesn’t get back to work is what he is,” Sergeant Bleerr snarled. The pair of spectators disappeared in different directions.

  “I’m going to leave my kit here, Sergeant. Please see that the twitchy-taloned stay out of it.”

  The solid dark-green NCO gestured his agreement. Rada and Zabet left their personal gear—but not their weapons—in the office, and after confirming the location of the Prince-Governor’s reception rooms, headed that way.

  This time, servants met them before they’d gone ten meters, D’Shandi and Azdhagi both, pointing the proper direction. Rada and Zabet ignored them. Instead, Rada concentrated on their surroundings, noting the décor and which areas seemed defensible. Not much, although she got a hint that perhaps the building’s core might have solid bones. The rest looked as if it had been built for show instead of battle, unlike the Imperial Palace on Drakon IV. She did like the high ceilings, although high meant two meters, or at least enough that she didn’t have to bend over every time she went through a door, unlike most of the Throneworld’s buildings.

  «Are you going to scare the governor or act civilized?»

  «Armed people are civilized, as well as polite.» Rada stopped and replaced the protective concealment over her swordcane’s blade and fastened the tie-down on her blaster holster. She loosened the strap on the iron war fan of her name, thinking, I’d love to rap the prince’s nose for hiring such poor quality staff, but that might be taken the wrong way. She ran one hand over hair, found nothing amiss, and nodded at the nervous servant standing beside the door to the office. “Lord Ni Drako for Prince-Governor Tee-shai.”

  “Y-y-yes, my lord.” The native tapped twice on the door and waited.

  “His Excellency is in a meeting. Go away.”

  Rada and Zabet exchanged fang-rich smiles as the servant ducked. “Allow me.” Rada tapped on the door with the butt of her boot-knife’s hilt.

  “I said go away!”

  “I will be certain to pass your words on to His Imperial Majesty. Good day.” Rada moved two steps before the door slid open and an even more upset Azdhag charged out.

  “Ah, my lord, that is, please, His Excellency has been waiting for you.” The light brown reptile rocked from side to side, his excessive motion almost screaming his distress to Rada.

  “Thank you.” She gestured to Zabet, and the two females walked through a very tasteful waiting room and into the main office.

  Prince Governor Tee-shai, the King-Emperor’s first cousin on the paternal side, gave Rada the same look she gave members of the Imperial Finance Office: unhappy but resigned. Beside him, Captain N’kloli looked less pleased. To Rada’s mild surprise, N’kloli was a pale green-and-orange native, with metal studs on his neck frill, mimicking the steel tips on the neck spines of Azdhag males. He turned his head a little sideways to get a good look at her. “Welcome, Commander Rada Re-dakh Lord Ni Drako,” Tee-shai said, sounding bored.

  Rada bowed as was appropriate, and Zabet did likewise. “Thank you, Your Excellency.”

  “I take it His Imperial Majesty sent you to inspect the Imperials stationed here?”

  The prince’s direct manner struck Rada as a touch odd. You are far too blunt for an Imperial governor, and I have nothing to do with the Imperials directly. Hmmm. “Not exactly, Your Excellency. If I may venture a slight correction, I was sent to see what an Azdhag out-world is like. I have not been privileged to leave Drakon IV prior to today.”

  Tee-shai shifted his weight back a touch in a flash of surprise. “Indeed? Well, you are a mammal, and there are certain delicacies and considerations one must keep in mind.”

  “Indeed, Your Excellency.” Rada hoped that Zabet was not rolling her eyes at the governor’s disparaging comment.

  “What is a female mammal doing in the Empire, anyway? And where did the True-dragon get those gauntlets?” N’kloli sounded angry. “Only warriors are permitted to wear those.”

  Rada nodded to the captain, who ranked equal to her second-in-command on Drakon IV. “By Azdhag law and custom, I am a male with the rank of Lord Defender, Daimyo of Singing Pines and Burnt Mountain, former regent for King-Emperor Lo-dan. My concubine, Zabet dar Nagali of Ni Drako, is counted as one of the Palace Guard because of her actions in the Mercenaries’ War.”

  “Oh.” N’kloli’s frill darkened a touch, and he turned back to Tee-shai. The Prince-Governor’s tail tip had a definite kink in it, and Rada suspected that he wanted to knock N’kloli into the wall to teach him manners. The stocky, brown-and-tan Azdhag lifted his weak side forefoot and made the Imperials sign for information—later. Rada signed back with an affirmative as N’kloli said, “Will this inspection interrupt spring drills and maneuvers, Your Highness? Dolapp and the double moon will be in two sixts.”

  Tee-shai made a negation. “I believe Lord Reh-dakh’s work is independent, and he will not be involved with your seasonal training cycle.”

  N’kloli turned to look at Rada again. She had the iron war fan out and open. Will you accept the challenge, N’kloli, or are you oblivious?

  The native military commander turned his head to face Tee-shai. “Good. By your leave.”

  He bowed, pivoted on his forelegs, and left. Rada did not slap him on the tail with the fan as he passed. She did catch a glimpse of Zabet making a rude forefoot gesture, and winced inside, but N’kloli didn’t see it. Rada’s eyebrow rose. Interesting.

  Tee-shai took a deep breath, then let it out. “You will find that the Deshandi have rather different priorities than do civilized Azdhagi, Lord Reh-dakh.”

  “I had begun to suspect that that might be the case, Your Excellency.” Rada slipped into full formal Azdhag manners as easily as breathing. “Perhaps a brief recess might be permitted, Your Excellency? In my haste to greet you and make my business known, I failed to allow your staff time to prepare fully for my needs. My fault entirely.” She bowed a little.

  Tee-shai grabbed the offer with all fourteen talons. “Indeed, Lord Reh-dakh. While your speed is indeed commendable, haste has its own complications and deficiencies. Your quarters are now ready, and proper transportation will be arranged tomorrow. Tonight, a reception in the honor of him for whom you travel will be held in the smaller garden at dusk. Your concubine is welcome.”

  Rada turned her head enough to see Zabet bowing low. “Thank you, Your Excellency. You do us too great an honor.”

  “You are dismissed.”

  Rada bowed again, backed away two steps, and left, Zabet close behind. This time a Deshandi servant led them to airy chambers with far too many doors, windows, and possible hiding places for Rada’s taste. “Thank you. You are dismissed,” she informed the servant.

  His tail uncoiled a little, and his frill rose as if in protest, but he left. Rada inspected the two chambers while Zabet checked for listening devices and tested the furnishings. «No ears or eyes that I can find Pet, but I don’t like how open this is.»

  “Me either. I feel a bit like a fish in a transparent force-globe.” Someone could shoot at her from, hmm, she started counting, but stopped after eight different locations. At least the necessary had solid walls, although the plumbing was Azdhag standard. Rada shrugged. She’d adapt, as she always did. “I wonder why the servant seemed upset about leaving.”

  As Rada discovered that evening, the unhappy staff member believed that he had been ordered out so Rada would not have to pay him. As she and Zabet left for the reception, a different Deshandi, this one a female with four small metal studs on her small neck frill, stopped them in the hallway. “Lord Reh-dakh, a moment.”

  Since she was blocking the hallway, Rada and Zabet didn’t have much choice. “Yes?”

  “It appears that a communications failure has occurred.” She paused and they waited. When Rada didn’t speak, the female continued, “It is customar
y in the palace to provide service thanks on the day of service rather than on major holidays.”

  Zabet put the pieces together first. She broadcast, «Indeed. And it is customary to provide service gifts for all services, small as well as great?»

  “Exactly so.” The female bowed a millimeter or two and stepped aside, allowing Rada and Zabet to pass.

  «Shakedown.» Zabet minced along, talons up to keep from snagging the little rugs scattered along the corridor floor. «I have never seen rugs in any Azdhag building, unless they were on the wall.»

  “Now you know why. I feel an urge to play stone-hopper.” Or to snag them with the tip of her walking cane and stack them into a pile like a stone cairn. Each rug, roughly a meter by a meter, had a different pattern and color, and they irritated her. «Shakedown indeed. I believe we will leave early tomorrow. As irritating as the servants can be in the Imperial Palace, I suspect they are nothing compared to the staff here. Who are still below standard. Do you think the prince brought his own from the throneworld?»

  «Oh yeah. He’s one of those who would have someone lift his tea cup for him if he could get away with it.»

  Rada nodded in silent agreement. She wasn’t impressed with what she’d seen thus far—not the hole in the shielding around the palace, and not the personnel. The door to the garden opened and she ducked, as usual, and walked into an open space fringed with shimmer leaf trees and topiary. Rada almost hesitated as she took in the ornately trimmed plants, but kept moving. A true Azdhag nobleman would not show any reaction. A cluster of Azdhagi milled in an open area on her strong side, and Rada stopped to admire a delicate pink flower of some kind, then walked over to join the group.

  Seven male Azdhagi and four females had arranged themselves around a set of lovely octagonal tables, each with ornate displays of small plates of food. Rada recognized most of the dishes, and made mental notes of which to avoid because they had too many leafy greens in them. The alkaloids that the Azdhagi found flavorful gave her hallucinations and other unpleasant reactions. Rada didn’t recognize any individual, other than the Prince-Governor, but she caught Lineage badges for Peitak, Berkali, Shikali, and a minor house that came from a cadet branch of Shu. Two of the males carried bahn-leh, as did Rada, but the Prince-Governor was not one of them. That piqued her curiosity, but she pushed the observation aside for the moment. Not all holders of the honor blade carried one on a regular basis.

  “Ah, Lord Reh-dakh,” Tee-shai said.

  Rada bowed. “Your Excellency, honored lords. Truly you do honor to His Imperial Majesty with such a display of courtesy and generosity to a humble servant.”

  “All who serve the empire are worthy of honor, His Imperial Majesty’s Lord Defender even more so.”

  Rada straightened. “Please forgive my rough manners, for I am but a soldier, not trained in the arts and graces of peace.”

  One of the females made a sound that might have been a stifled laugh. Tee-shai gestured gracefully with his weak-side forefoot. “Here we are all servants and students of the arts and graces of peace. Be welcome.”

  Rada bowed again. And now the dance begins, she observed, as the others sorted themselves out without obviously doing so, arranging themselves by age of Lineage, closeness to the Lineage head, and local rank. Rada, as Head and war lord, probably out-ranked all but the Prince-Governor, despite her official court rank, but she preferred to keep that little dagger sheathed. She’d lowered her shields and read curiosity, boredom, someone who really wanted to take his junior mate and find a private spot as soon as possible, and raw anger bordering on hatred. Should she try and locate the source of that last? No, she decided. She’d find out soon enough, which was why she wore body armor as part of her court clothing. And it might not be aimed at her. Probably wasn’t, as she thought about it, watching the others to see where her place was. Ah, there beside Berkali. The thought brought up the memory of old Lord Berkali and the Mercenaries’ War. “Up Berkali-hai” had been his war cry, she recalled, nodding to the broad-chested male of the lineage as she took her place.

  Talk centered on the garden, on the food, and on the latest news and gossip, the last two topics blending seamlessly at court. “Is it true that a challenge fight is pending between Kirlin’s second male and Blee’s heir?” the male in unfamiliar robes asked, looking at Rada.

  She tried to recall. “Not that I have heard, my lord, but the youngsters, if they are wise, would not speak of such a thing where either His Imperial Majesty or I might learn of it.”

  “You? What would you have to do with anything, Ni Drako?” The stab of anger behind the words set Rada’s alarms off.

  “My lord Shilaki, any such challenge that interrupts training comes under my discipline, doubly so because Blee-the-Younger is assigned to the Palace Guard and thus under my command, as well as His Imperial Highness the crown prince’s.” Rada let no emotion other than calm respect into her voice or movements.

  He made a curt gesture of acknowledgment. “Point.” As soon as was polite, he made his departure. Rada and Zabet shared a look, but nothing more. Zabet listened closely to the female beside her, gesturing toward something on the table in front of them and touching her other forefoot to the tip of her muzzle. Rada wondered what that meant, then returned to the males’ talk.

  “A pity no one knows anything more,” Shu hissed, licking a bit of meat past off the tip of one talon. “My sire’s son claims the identity of the body is still unknown. Not enough was left to identify.”

  Hmm. His half brother? Shu-the-Younger is currently at court before going to Pokara to serve in the government. That makes sense. “So it was when I departed, my lord.”

  “Accident?” Tee-shai sounded concerned.

  Not exactly, unless a reversion to thousands of years of predatory behavior is an accident. Rada finished her mouthful before speaking. “No one was certain, Your Excellency. I was told that the condition of the body and the location raised concerns about an assault or blood-match, but His Imperial Majesty ordered the matter sealed until the deceased had been identified and the investigation complete.” On impulse she added, “For the good of the Pack.”

  Those words stilled conversation. After a very long and thoughtful silence, Tee-shai made a complicated forefoot gesture signifying the end of the discussion and a seal on the topic. “What news of the investigation into Lord Daesarae’s cousin’s claim?”

  Rada smiled, baring all her teeth. “It is said that the cousin is still running, with Daesarae’s second and third mates not far behind, both carrying pole arms and using words not fit for the ears of gently-raised females.”

  The males made the grunting hisses of Azdhag guffaws. “I take it Daesarae posed no objection?”

  “Your Excellency, rumor avers that he pointed the females in the proper direction, then returned to his derzhin after bidding them clear trails and good hunting.” That generated more laughter, and Rada gestured her agreement before eating another of the delicious little buns full of spiced meat paste. The cousin had been a fool and a half to think he could cheat the females, and even more so to think that his relative would take the word of a barely noble male with a reputation for bad judgment over that of his mates, neither of whom had been selected for looks alone.

  As was traditional, between courses the group broke apart to tour the garden, admiring the flowers and the combinations of colors and textures. Rada had her doubts about some of the topiary, especially one in the back corner that reminded her a little too much of someone she knew who, if he’d been a plant, would have been a slime-leaf stinkroot. But she complimented the gardeners’ skill and the designer’s taste and eye for patterns and forms. The reception went as they usually did, and ended after two hours, allowing time for those desiring a true meal to find one. Rada and Zabet returned to their quarters and discovered an absence of staff.

  “I take it we are being snubbed.” Rada disarmed and hung her weapons where she could get to them easily if she were in the main room. Th
en she very carefully slid her two hair daggers, and her hold-out blaster, between the layers of padding on the sleeping platform, hiding her movements as she did.

  «Quite likely. They’re fools. Do you want a military orderly?»

  Rada stopped and considered her partner’s words as Zabet folded her delicate wrap and scarf, triple checked her own weapons, and used the necessary. «No. It’s not an emergency, and they are not under my command. I know how much the Defenders love it when the Minister of War or an Imperial officer pokes his muzzle into our chain of command.»

  And, truth be told, the lack of servants was welcome. Rada settled down for the night with a half-smothered sigh, allowing her muscles to relax. Even after the recent events on Ter-tri, and changes in command—along with all the disruptions that came with them even in the best of times—unless a dire emergency arose, everyone left her alone when she wanted to be alone. Not hovering-just-out-of-sight, not lurking around the corner, but completely alone, without treating her request as a personal insult or as a sign of serious illness. Rada had limited patience for hovering servants, and her staff at Singing Pines knew to give her far more room than they would a normal Azdhag nobleman. The palace servants had to be retrained more often. And here? The lack of proper discipline, the poor defenses, and the demand for tips had driven her tolerance toward the lowest end of the scale.

  And what had the prince-governor needed to tell her? She didn’t want to approach and ask him outright. Could it have to do with his daughter? Did he know she’d been involved in the mating battle’s outcome? He probably knows she called for a healer, but nothing else. And I suspect it was for something mild, or unrelated to the events. With that hopeful thought Rada fell asleep.

  «Get. Out. Now.» Rada rolled off the sleeping platform, knife in one hand and blaster in the other, and was in the doorway of the sleeping area before her eye finished opening. Zabet had one of the Azdhag servants by the back of the neck and seemed to be half-dragging, half-shoving the female toward the door.