'Do you approve, my lord?' She smiled, her lips carefully outlined and glossed with coral softness. Subtle silver cosmetics brightened her eyes and highlighted her fine cheekbones.

'I do,' Kheda assured her. He sat down beside the twin babies who lay kicking their legs contentedly on a thick rug of stout white cotton prudently spread to protect the rich carpet from mishap. Each little girl wore a simple shift made from the same silk as Itrac's gown, along with a sturdy clout about her little bottom.

'Is it time to pretend we're happy to see Ulla Safar and whichever vicious shrews he's seen fit to bring?' Itrac twirled a twist of polished coral on a cord as baby Olkai watched with bright curiosity. The baby reached out, her wrist now adorned with a solid silver bangle. Little Sekni's wrists were bare as she chewed on one plump fist, fascinated by the silken hangings flickering

in the breeze that filtered through the high louvred windows.

'Not yet.' Kheda waved back the elder of Touai's daughters who'd promptly stepped forward from her post by the far door.

'I had a courier dove from the western reefs this morning,' Itrac announced with ill-concealed glee. 'This year's pearl harvest promises to be as rich as last year's.'

'That's good news.' Kheda searched Itrac's face for undue weariness concealed by Jevin's skilful cosmetics brush. 'But this isn't a visit for trade. I don't want you tiring yourself out.'

Not that any two warlords' wives can ever get together without at least making some exchange of promises. But you don't look too weary. Touai's daughters are certainly proving their worth as mistresses of the nursery.

Itrac smiled serenely. 'I shall plead fatigue if anyone hopes lack of sleep has blunted my wits and tries to inveigle me into a disadvantageous deal.'

'By which time they will have given away their bargaining position?' Kheda grinned.

Was I wrong to think Chazen Saril only married you for your youth and beauty? Had he seen the seed of this acumen that's come to full flower?

Itrac's smile hardened. 'My main concern is determining the state of the Daish pearl harvest before I make covenants with any other domain.'

'You think their reefs will be barren for a second year?' Kheda's stomach felt hollow.

Which would be a truly disastrous omen for Sirket's rule.

'If they are, I see no reason to help them conceal it this lime. Last year, we needed so many things to rebuild the domain—' Itrac shrugged, an unconsciously voluptuous movement. 'I won't let Janne Daish force my acquiescence as she passes off Chazen pearls as Daish's again.'

How will you manage that, when my former wife has twenty years and more experience in the tortuous negotiations between domains?

Kheda traced a thoughtful finger along sea grass swirling around a steel and sapphire blade fish. 'You'll need passage for Chazen ships through Redigal sea lanes secured before you risk having Daish waters closed to us.'

'I will be inviting Moni Redigal to extend her visit here.' Itrac twirled the coral and smiled at Olkai as the baby cooed.

'I don't want you asking too much of yourself—' Kheda began.

'We won't allow her to tire herself out, my lord.' Jevin spoke up from his place by the door.

Kheda looked at the nursemaids and saw all three were united in determined agreement.

'Satisfied?' Itrac queried dryly. She nodded at the green silkstone box Kheda had put on the table. 'What's that?'

'Gifts for our daughters from the island of Gisaire.' He showed Itrac the pendants.

'They're lovely.' Itrac smiled with delight before snapping her fingers on sudden recollection. 'Jevin, where's that offering from Sechel?'

'Here, my lady.' The slave retrieved an unassuming roll of cloth tucked away behind an alabaster vase holding dried afital grasses.

Kheda was startled to see a wholly different material wrapped within the cotton. 'Is that cloth of pearl?'

'A length for each of your daughters, my lord.' The slave proudly displayed the shimmering fabric wrought of countless small pearls, each one pierced and invisibly woven together with fine links of silver wire.

'So the Chazen folk that Janne Daish's people sheltered as they fled north from the invaders brought valuable craft

secrets back with them.' Kheda smiled down at Sekni so that Itrac wouldn't see a qualm on his face.

What will it mean for your future, little one, if fanne Daish becomes Chazen's outright enemy? Because I find I am bound more surely to your future with every passing day, and to your sister's. While your mother seems to need me less and less now she has you two to fill her days and her heart.

The baby stared back, dark eyes solemn. Then her gaze fixed on the carved pendant dangling from Kheda's lingers and she charmed him with her pink, toothless smile.

'I suppose I will owe her some recompense—' The warning cadence of a signal horn beyond the lagoon interrupted Itrac.

Kheda got to his feet with relief mixed with apprehension. 'That must be the Ulla ships.'

'Put that somewhere out of sight.' Itrac gestured to Jevin to roll up the priceless gift in its concealing cotton and beckoned to the nursemaids. 'Take Olkai and Sekni hack to their own apartment. It's too hot to take them into the sun.'

'You're coming with me?' Kheda was a little surprised.

'I am.' There was no sign of any weariness in Itrac as she handed her babies to their doting nurses. 'We'll begin as we mean to go on and that means not giving Ulla Safar or his wives any reason to think we're not wholly prepared to meet them.' She kissed each tiny girl and stood patiently while Jevin repaired some invisible smudge to her lips with a deft finger. 'I wonder what gift they will be offering our daughters.'

Kheda offered Itrac his arm. 'That will certainly be a significant sign.'

Never mind the empty symbolism of the gift; I'll want to read the intent behind it. I still don't know why Ulla Safar

tried to have me killed. Custom forbids such open questions, especially when he took such pains to be sure he could deny all knowledge of the assault. I can't complain. That same custom is what keeps the other warlords in these reaches from asking me outright why I fled that chaotic night and left everyone thinking I was dead. But they want to know. Risala's web of informers hears their questions whispered on all the trading beaches.

The warlord and lady walked out onto the raked path. The confusion of boats in the lagoon had cleared to leave a broad-beamed galley picking a careful path between the outcrops of coral. The square-rigged ochre sails on the three masts were furled in heavy swags and the vessel was in the hands of the oarsmen toiling unseen on her middle deck. The lithe Chazen triremes that had escorted the galley wheeled around in a flurry of foam and headed back out to deeper water.

'The Yellow Serpent should return from the eastern sea lanes tomorrow.' Itrac glanced over her shoulder to Jevin, following a pace behind. 'Bring me the shipmaster's messages as soon as they're anchored.'

'Yes, my lady.' The slave bowed obediently.

My lady Itrac Chazen follows the tides of opinion these days as skilfully as her sister-wife Olkai ever did.

A chill struck Kheda as he saw that a single-masted boat with a triangular sail had slipped between the two triremes. As the lesser vessel dutifully dipped the pennant signifying its right to travel these waters, he saw a golden-haired figure at the distant tiller. A cold grip tightened around his heart.

What is Velindre doing sailing theReteul.? Where's Risala?

'Which galley is that?' Itrac was concentrating on the Ulla domain's ship making its way towards an anchorage cut into the reef.

'The Velvet Fowl.' Kheda dragged his wits back to more

immediate concerns and frowned. 'I'd have expected them (o bring more than one ship.'