'Itrac and I would give such a match every consideration,' Kheda said cautiously.

Ritsem Caid sighed as he watched the Daish galley draw near. 'We are both blessed that our first-born sons were so well fitted to be our heirs.'

'Sirket is warlord of Daish and acknowledges no kinship with me now that I am of Chazen,' Kheda said distantly.

The two men walked on in silence broken only by the stirring of rowing boats setting out with stealthy oars to fetch the day's necessities from outer islands around the lagoon.

Ritsem Caid looked sideways at Kheda as they crossed another bridge. 'There must have been whispers from some who'd rather have seen a son born to be the next warlord of Chazen in his own right.'

'Chazen Saril's final year as warlord was a disaster,' Kheda said bluntly. 'And my accession hardly took place under ideal circumstances. Most see such omens arguing that it's a good thing little Olkai will be able to choose a husband sanctioned by favourable portents for the domain.'

As long as there's still a domain for her to inherit and we haven't all been eaten by a dragon.

'You've done well enough by Chazen,' Caid said robustly.

'There are still those with doubts.' Kheda abruptly changed the subject. 'What do you read into Redigal Coron's loss of his zamorin counsellors?'

'I never trusted any one of that nest of lizards.' Ritsem Caid shook his head and his slave Ganil let slip a wordless grunt of agreement. 'Though I'm surprised at Redigal Coron's equanimity over their deaths.'

'He seems confident the domain will not suffer for lack of their counsel.' Kheda chose his next words carefully. 'I wonder if Daish Sirket foresaw any hint of the disaster.'

Will you tell me if he tells you anything, Caid? Because I don't imagine he'll want to speak to me any more than he absolutely has to.

The Daish galley approached with the creak and rush of oars rolling over the calm waters. Voices floated from the stern platform as the helmsman in his high seat called out to the rowing master as he deftly used his twin steering oars to guide the broad-bellied vessel.

'The Rainbow Moth.'' Ritsem Caid studied the pennant at the top of the central mast as the ship wheeled around to present its wide stern to the anchorage. 'Rainbow for new light cast on old certainty,' the warlord mused idly. 'Moth for change and new beginnings.'

All I see is Janne's favourite ship commanded by her most loyal shipmaster. What does jf Janne know about Ulla Safar's new obsession or Redigal Coron's unexpected ruthlessness? How can I expect her to tell me?

Ritsem Caid halted as they reached the landing stage. 'Redigal Coron can look to that new body slave for wise counsel instead of those zamorin.''

'Let us hope so,' Kheda agreed.

Janne is the only other person who knows that one of those drownedzamorin was born my brother. Will she find a way to use that against me?

Ganil spoke up behind the two warlords. 'Prai joined us on the practice ground yesterday evening, my lords. He knows how to handle a blade.'

'I'm glad of that.' Kheda watched the Chazen islanders securing the vast galley. Brown-skinned and black-haired, the Daish crew with longer, straighter daggers at their belts were otherwise indistinguishable from those of Chazen with their crescent blades.

'Is Daish offering any slaves for your consideration as you look for a new personal guard?' Ritsem Caid was studying the armoured men lining the ship's rails.

'I don't know if Itrac has requested their help.' Kheda forced an amiable half-smile as a young man and an older woman descended the stern steps with their personal slaves a few paces behind.

/ don't imagine Itrac would offer Janne the chance to plant a spy in our household. Will that snub have put Janne Daish on her guard or on the attack?

Clearing his throat, Kheda walked forward to greet his former wife and erstwhile heir. 'My lord of Daish, my lady. You are both most welcome.'

'My felicitations on your new daughters' birth.' Daish Sirket's response was stilted and emotion shadowed his eyes, as green as Kheda's. He was plainly his father's son, with the same high forehead and oval face, cheekbones and nose more sharply defined than was usual in the southern reaches. Janne's blood showed in Sirket's fuller lips and darker skin, in his jet-black hair and close-trimmed beard. He wore a red silk tunic a shade darker than his mother's gown, embroidered with soaring brindled eagles. Rubies glittered in the woven gold of his intricate collar and diamonds caught fire at his wrists and fingers in the sunlight.

Rubies for courage and strength and diamonds to clear a warlord's mind of emotions that would cloud his purpose. I swear you 're taller, my son, and you 're certainly broader across the shoulders.

Kheda smiled over the tightness in his throat. 'Thank you.'

'It's good to see you, Sirket.' Ritsem Caid stepped forward to offer his hands to the young warlord. 'Taisia and I have brought Zorat with us and he's eager to see you again.'

Daish Sirket addressed himself to Ritsem Caid with ill-concealed relief. 'I'll be glad to offer whatever advice I can to Zorat. I trust it will be many years before he

has to take up care of the Ritsem domain,' he added hastily.

'Let's hope so,' Caid agreed with amusement. 'Redigal Litai is here as well.'

Kheda inclined his head to Janne Daish. 'I take it the other ladies of Daish chose to stay close to home for the new year?'

What do you know about the recent changes in Redigal's fortunes, my lady? I see you're wearing ropes of the finest pink and grey pearls that the Daish reefs can boast. Is that to remind us of your shrewdness as guardian of Daish's trade? Or are you hoping that they will soothe your emotions? I'm not about to place any such reliance on talismans.

'To support Mesil as he reads the stars in his lord and brother's absence.' Janne calmly smoothed her ruby silk dress over her hips. It was simply cut and loosely flowing as befitted her status as the warlord's mother, and a long over-mantle of dull crimson embroidered with white basket flowers further concealed her shapely figure.

We taught Mesil to be loyal to Sirket since his birth. I thought the omens spared me my father's choices. I thought I would be there to see them grow to manhood and guide them through any quarrels that would threaten the peace of the domain. So much for predictions.

'Ri and Trya send their regards.' Ritsem Caid tried to lighten the awkward silence. 'And you must take their best wishes to Rekha and Sain.'

'Gladly.' Janne spared Caid a brief smile. 'Excuse me, my lords, but it's very early and I'm not as young as I was. I would like to rest a little before paying my respects to Itrac Chazen. Lend me your arm, Sirket.' Her expression impenetrable, Janne walked away, not so much leaning on Sirket's arm as leading him.

Beyau and Ridu took that as their signal to come forward, lulling instinctively into step. A few words

sufficed to impose their separate authority on the armoured men and cotton-clad servants now spilling onto the landing stage from the galley.

Janne and Sirket's respective slaves bowed low to the two warlords before following their mistress and master. Like Ganil, they wore simple silks and twin-scabbarded swords thrust through double-looped sashes, as well as two and three daggers apiece on their brass-studded belts. Birut, Janne's attendant, looked impassively at Kheda, a fearsome-looking warrior with the more curly hair and stockier build of a hill man, though with more height than most. The other slave was equally well muscled, his broad face made distinctive by a flattened broken nose. He bowed and turned away, not giving Kheda any hope of catching his eye.

Will I ever be able to make things right with you, Telouet?