by Jaye McKenna
And if he was, could his professional judgment be trusted?
Letting Dani die would certainly remove the competition.
Rio cursed under his breath. Every choice before him led to darkness of one kind or another.
Chapter Eight
Dani stared out the carriage window at the passing countryside and wished the Jherek estate lay farther out. It took less than an hour to reach the city by carriage, which wasn’t nearly enough time for Dani to prepare himself for whatever awaited him this evening.
He’d taken the anzaria and the stimulant after dinner, and they were working as well as they had the last time. He wouldn’t get a wink of sleep tonight, but at least his secret was safe.
Until he ran out of anzaria.
What he was going to do then, he wasn’t sure. He’d hoped Mother would have found a way to get him to Altan by the time it became a problem, but that had proved to be a vain hope. He’d have to figure something else out, and soon. The bottle was half gone already, and Pen had no idea where Mother had gotten the stuff, or where he might get more.
Larrad sat opposite him, still reading over paperwork. Just the sight of his stern, cold countenance, sent Dani back to the last time they’d gone into the city together. Had it only been ten days ago? It felt like much longer. So much had changed between himself and Rio in that time.
His own reaction to discovering Coryn was in love with Rio had made him realize he, too, had feelings for Rio that went deeper than attraction. Feelings that had no place in the world he and Rio occupied.
At least Coryn was free to act on his feelings if he chose to, though from what Dani had observed last night, it was unlikely he would. Rio’s response when Dani had broached the subject confirmed that, as far as Rio was concerned, there was nothing more than friendship between the two of them.
A lump rose in Dani’s throat. There wouldn’t even be friendship between himself and Rio for much longer. Now that Rio knew how Coryn felt, would things change between them once Larrad’s investigation was complete and Dani was out of their lives?
Dani decided he didn’t want to know.
The sun was setting as the carriage passed through the city gates, and Dani sat up a little straighter and peered out the window. The lamplighters had already finished their rounds, and most of the windows glowed with warm, inviting light. They reached the marketplace, and when the driver turned the carriage north toward the theater district, Dani breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Larrad hadn’t mentioned their destination, and Dani hadn’t quite dared ask, but as long as they were heading toward the better part of the city, it couldn’t be too awful. Perhaps they were going to the Briarwood. Haiden had often gone there, where the men had indulged in drinks and sometimes a card game over which they would discuss business. That would be tolerable. Dani could ignore the conversation and let his mind drift off to more pleasant things, like yesterday’s encounter with Rio.
The carriage clattered past all the places Dani was familiar with, and finally turned down a narrow, less well-lit lane. It stopped in front of a squat building of dark stone guarded by two men wearing uniforms Dani didn’t recognize. Not palace guards or city guards. They must be private guards for one of the noble houses, though which one, he couldn’t have said.
They climbed the stone steps, and one of the guards opened the doors for them. Dani followed his father through a foyer and into a large common room dotted with gaming tables and comfortable armchairs. Several of these were occupied by groups of three or four well-dressed men. Wait staff circulated, serving drinks. Dani relaxed a little; it was just a gentleman’s club, and though the exterior of the building was ugly, the warm, cozy ambiance reminded him of the Briarwood.
Instead of settling in the common room, Larrad strode through it toward a door in the back, which led to a long hallway. Dani followed him in silence, Coryn trailing behind. The room they ended up in was a smaller version of the common room. It contained half a dozen comfortable chairs, all of which faced a small, raised stage, complete with black velvet curtains tied back with wide ribbons of dark red satin.
Had they been invited to a private performance of some sort? A show would be ideal; there would be no talk, no chance for Dani to embarrass his father.
Two men awaited them, both dressed in fine clothing. One was slender and fair, the other, huge, with a bushy black beard, wild, black hair, and skin the same red-brown as Rio’s.
Larrad, Dani, and the smaller of the two men settled into armchairs, and Coryn stood at Dani’s side. When they were sitting, the dark, bearded man signaled someone who must be watching from behind one of the curtains.
A few moments later, a group of young women moved out onto the stage. At first, Dani thought they were performers, but as they shuffled along, he realized they were prisoners. Shackles were locked around their ankles, and the clothing they wore was ragged, though it looked fairly clean. Their hair hung in long, dripping ropes, as if someone had tossed a bucket of water over them recently.
Beside him, his father stirred. “The two blondes on the left. For the Amber House, I think. And the dark one with the black hair — send her to Raisa. The rest can go to the block, but let’s set the minimum bid at three hundred, hmm?” The fair man sitting beside Larrad scratched notes in a little black book, then signaled the bearded man, who nodded to someone backstage. The women shuffled offstage.
Dani blinked. They spoke as if they were planning a horse auction. “Father, what—?”
Larrad shot him a glare. “Quiet, boy. You’re here to observe. We’ll discuss the particulars tomorrow.”
“But—”
“Enough.”
Coryn put a hand on Dani’s shoulder and squeezed gently. When Dani glanced up at him, the bodyguard’s face was white as chalk. His pale eyes were fixed on the stage, and a look of horror flashed across his face so fast, Dani wasn’t certain he’d seen it. Dani followed his gaze to a group of three boys who couldn’t be more than twelve or thirteen shuffling onto the stage.
“The two on the left won’t do for much besides labor,” Larrad said. “Auction them with the men. The one on the right, though… he’s pretty enough for the back room at the Crossed Swords.”
Coryn’s hand tightened on his shoulder, and Dani’s heart stuttered. He’d been frequenting the Crossed Swords ever since he’d come of age, but he’d never heard of a back room, and the Crossed Swords certainly didn’t deal in children… did they? The knot of anxiety nestled in his belly began to writhe and twist, and Dani flushed hot and then cold.
His father was dealing in slaves.
Buying and selling children to the pleasure houses.
Haiden might have been a willing accomplice to this, but Dani couldn’t be. The very thought of it made him ill.
He started to get up, but at that moment, the boy who’d been singled out for the Crossed Swords looked right at him, dark eyes imploring. For an instant, a scream of pure terror pierced through both Dani’s shield and the anzaria. Help me!
Dani sat down hard, bringing his hands to his head. As quickly as it had come, the scream cut off, and Dani wondered if he’d imagined it.
He started to get to his feet again, but Coryn pushed him back down. When he shot the man a fierce glare, Coryn shook his head emphatically. Dani ignored him, wrenching his shoulder out of Coryn’s grip and leaping to his feet.
“I won’t be part of this.” His voice was shaking, but he barely heard himself over the roaring in his ears.
Larrad broke off his conversation with his associate and turned to study his son with hard, emotionless eyes. “Then you had best return to the carriage,” he said flatly. “Coryn, make sure he stays there.”
“Ai, sir.” Coryn grabbed hold of Dani’s arm.
Dani pulled away from him. “I want them set free,” he demanded, gesturing to the boys still standing on the stage.
“Indeed.” Larrad’s voice remained neutral. “We’ll discuss that later on.” His eyes
flicked to Coryn. “To the carriage.”
Coryn’s hand closed around his arm like a band of steel, and Dani could do nothing as he was pulled along. Mind whirling, Dani let himself be led through the common room and into the street. He was so dizzy, Coryn had to help him into the carriage. Once inside, he sank down on the seat and covered his face with his hands.
“He’s going to kill me,” he choked out.
“No, he’s not.” Coryn sounded grim, and Dani jerked his head up, surprised he’d remained in the carriage. “I won’t let him.”
“Like you didn’t let him last time?”
Coryn flushed. “That was before,” he murmured.
“Those children…” Dani bit his lip as his eyes filled. “What will happen to them?”
“They’ll be sold,” Coryn said, a bitter edge to his voice. “Some of them will die, and the ones who don’t will wish they could.”
“I didn’t know… I’ve never seen… isn’t slavery illegal?”
“Making something illegal doesn’t make it go away.”
Dani clenched his fist and looked up at Coryn. He opened his mouth to announce his intention to stop Larrad, but choked back the words as he recalled who had hired Coryn — and Rio — in the first place. “Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“My… my father hired you. Did you know he was… dealing in slaves?”
Coryn stared down at the carriage floor. “We knew he was into some… shady things. We weren’t given the specifics.”
“You didn’t ask?”
“Not my job to ask,” Coryn mumbled. “I go where I’m sent, do what I’m ordered.”
Dani pressed his lips together, lest he say anything that might get back to his father. Coryn and Rio might be there to protect him, but Dani wasn’t the one they answered to.
Larrad didn’t keep them waiting long. Only a few minutes after Dani’s exit, the carriage door opened and he peered in. He didn’t look angry, but there was no warmth in his eyes. Dani shivered and looked away.
“Obviously, I’ve misjudged you,” Larrad said quietly. “It appears I shall have to look elsewhere for my successor.”
Dani stared at him in disbelief.
“I’ll have the driver take you home now and return for me later. I’ll be some time yet, and there’s no point in you hanging about out here, especially as we’ve yet to determine who was responsible for your brother’s murder. We’ll discuss your future over breakfast. Good night, Danakho.”
Without waiting for Dani’s reply, Larrad shut the carriage door and spoke to the driver. A few moments later, the carriage was on its way.
Dani glanced at Coryn, who looked even more worried than he had before. Probably concerned about his job, which would be coming to an end soon; once Dani was no longer Larrad’s successor, there would be no reason to protect him.
It was over.
Dani slumped back against the seat, limbs going weak with relief, and breathed a silent prayer of thanks to Fiora, goddess of mercy.
* * *
Dani’s relief was short-lived.
By the time they arrived at the Jherek estate, the initial shock had worn off enough for him to start thinking about what he’d seen and what it meant. He wanted to be relieved, but the hopeless expressions of the slaves had been burned into his memory. He was still shocked at the way Larrad and his associate had spoken of them, as if they were horses or cattle.
Especially the children. Those wide, frightened eyes had hooked into his heart and wouldn’t stop tugging. Worse, the dark-haired boy’s mental screams still echoed in his mind. More than anything, he wanted to save them, but he had no idea how.
As he paced the main room of his suite, he met Coryn’s eyes briefly, and thought back to the moment of unguarded horror flashing across Coryn’s face at the sight of the boys being herded onto the stage. Was Coryn harboring similar thoughts?
“I wish I could help those children,” Dani said.
Coryn was silent for a long time, ice-blue eyes troubled. Finally, he said softly, “Ai.”
“I wish I could help all of them. It’s wrong. No one should have the right to enslave another person.”
“No,” Coryn whispered, lowering his eyes. “They shouldn’t.”
Dani continued to pace. He wanted desperately to lose himself to the oblivion of sleep, to forget, at least for a short time, what he’d seen tonight. Thanks to the stimulant Coryn had given him, sleep wasn’t going to happen until tomorrow. Tonight, he’d be wide awake with only his own thoughts and a bodyguard who most likely hated him.
He stopped short as he realized Haiden must have known about this. How could he not have? The night Belnith had been so cruelly beaten, Larrad had said Haiden usually took care of things like that.
Dani couldn’t reconcile the twin he’d known and loved with the kind of man who would beat a confession out of a frightened, helpless warehouse employee. Haiden had always been so kind and gentle with Dani, going out of his way to protect him—
Protect him.
Had Haiden gone along with whatever Larrad wanted to protect Dani? The thought of it made Dani’s stomach twist and cramp. It was just the sort of thing Haiden would do.
With a strangled whimper, Dani made his way to Haiden’s room and sank down on his twin’s bed. “Oh, Haiden,” he whispered into the darkness. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t I feel it? You must have been so scared and so sick… how could I have missed that?”
Of course there was no answer.
The stars outside Haiden’s window shone down coldly, and Dani had never felt more alone. Not even Larrad’s statement about looking elsewhere for a successor brought him comfort. Not with the memories of those children — that scream — haunting him.
He remained in Haiden’s room until Pen came to get him ready for breakfast, with only his dark thoughts and Coryn’s silent shadow for company.
After dressing, he studied his reflection. As long as one didn’t look too closely, he looked perfectly turned out for breakfast with his father. He wore breeches and a morning jacket of pale blue, and a cream shirt with ruffles. Everything was pressed perfectly, and not a single hair was out of place.
Nothing but his shadowed, red-rimmed eyes to hint at the darkness roiling inside him.
“Master Dani, you should really be going,” Pen called from the bedroom.
Dani sighed and left the dressing room, smoothing his shirt and breeches. “Right. Time to stand up for myself for once.” He glanced at Coryn, who stood by the bedroom door. “And stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves.”
Coryn shot him an alarmed look. “Don’t challenge him, Dani,” he said in a low voice. “Be satisfied he’s resigned himself to choosing a new successor. He won’t thank you for interfering in his affairs.”
In all the weeks Coryn had been here, that short speech was more words than he’d ever spoken at once. And he’d called him Dani.
Maybe Coryn didn’t hate him after all?
“Believe me, I know,” Dani said. He tried to keep his voice steady, but it wavered, giving away his nerves. Despite what Larrad had said about finding a new successor, Dani didn’t trust him. Could a man who would sell children into slavery be trusted by anyone?
Coryn followed him in silence, but just before Dani entered the dining room, he murmured, “Be careful.”
Dani met his eyes briefly. “I will.” He pushed the door open and entered the lion’s den without a backward glance.
Larrad was already seated at the table, but he wasn’t studying any papers. He was waiting. For Dani. His cold, dark eyes followed his son’s progress across the room, but he didn’t speak until Dani took his seat opposite him.
“I suppose you’ll be wanting to join your mother in Altan, will you?” Larrad said gruffly.
“I… respectfully, sir, I thought you were dead set against that.”
“Ai, when I still believed you capable of taking Haiden’s place, I was.” Larrad lean
ed back in his chair and regarded him with veiled eyes.
Dani hesitated for the briefest moment, then blurted out, “How did you get Haiden to… to do those things you wanted me to do?” Larrad’s eyes narrowed, but Dani forged on. He had to know. “Did you… did you beat him?”
“Beat him?” Larrad laughed. “Fiora’s tits, no. Haiden was easy to manipulate. All I had to do was threaten you.”
Coldness wormed through Dani’s gut. Haiden had never said a word. Not one word. How long had it been going on? Dani squeezed his eyes shut.
“At least Haiden was clever. You, though… you’re worse than useless. You’ve no head for figures, you refuse to apply yourself to your lessons, and you can’t sit through the simplest of transactions without offending half my associates with your emotional outbursts. No, I’ve come to the inconvenient conclusion that you’re too high-strung for this business. I’ve no further use for you. You might as well join your mother. I’ll make the travel arrangements for you. Hopefully, you can depart within the next week or so, because I’d rather not be bothered with you for any longer than that.”
Dani’s chest squeezed so tightly he could hardly breathe. “What… what will you do?” he asked faintly. “About a successor, I mean?”
Larrad leaned forward and glared at him. “That, my boy, is no longer any of your concern.”
“Fair enough. Father, I wondered if I might—” Dani stopped dead as his father’s eyes narrowed and he recalled Coryn’s warning, and the misgivings growing in his own heart. He’d been about to ask about the welfare of the slaves, but now thought the better of it. “I wonder if I… might be permitted off the grounds,” he finished weakly.
“You’d better be, if you’re to prepare for a journey over the mountains,” Larrad said, turning his attention to the covered serving dishes.
“And my bodyguards?”
“Will be kept on until your departure. Your mother would never forgive me if anything were to happen to you.”
“No, of course not,” Dani murmured. “I’ll take them with me if I should need to venture into town. Of course I will. What about, ah, my lessons with Mistress Orlina?”
