Page 62 of Stranger's Choice
Chapter 18
Sebin was stillwith the court when Auraelie returned to his room after supper. It worried her. She regularly retired earlier than him, but tonight she had information he needed. She had to hope that he would not make the mistake of approaching Heolin before she spoke with him. She had to hope her warning wouldn’t come too late.
No. She didn’t have to hope. He knew the importance of discretion and misdirection. He wouldn’t make the mistake of seeking the sprite out in public. She had time to tell him of Lhashiki’s suspicions.
Auraelie brewed a cup of tea. She had to do something, so that she didn’t make an even bigger mistake and rush out to warn Sebin immediately. The tea occupied her for a few minutes, but it hardly served as a distraction. She sat at the table, her mug in front of her, and spotted thephanboard off to the side, half under a cushion.
Pulling out the board and stone markers, Auraelie set up a game. She played against herself, trying to think like Sebin when she moved the dark stones. She had lost half the light stones by the time Sebin entered the room.
She sprang to her feet and rushed around the table to him.
He caught her as she barreled into him, his arms wrapping tight around her waist. “I missed you, too, but why the enthusiastic greeting?”
“You didn’t talk to Heolin tonight, did you?”
“No. We don’t need to be in close contact. Until he gets the magical races organized, the best thing I can do is stay away from him.”
“Oh, good.”
Sebin pulled back slightly, peering closely at her face. “Auraelie, what’s going on?”
“Someone saw you the night you visited Heolin’s rooms. At least, that’s what I assume happened. Someone must have seen, and word only now reached Lhashiki. She is nervous about you and Heolin. She wasn’t before—she believed you had alienated him with the dance—but at supper tonight, she questioned me.”
“What did she ask?”
“She wanted to know my impression of the relationship between you two. I told her that after the night you invited Heolin to watch me dance I hadn’t seen you so much as speak to him. I tried to imply that the anger was all on Heolin’s side, and that you were possibly still interested in getting a trade deal out of him and unsure why he was avoiding you.”
“Did she ask you where I had gone that night?”
“I told her it was my fault.” Auraelie held up a finger, forestalling Sebin’s objection. “I said that I had overheard Heolin near the fountains discussing the sale of soil charms. I informed you, and you rushed out determined to get your hands on the charms, even if you couldn’t convince Heolin to discuss trade treaties with you.”
“Quick thinking. Did I get any charms?”
“No. Heolin refused to sell to you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“But that’s not all, Sebin.” Auraelie pulled him over to the cushions. He sat, tumbling her into his lap as he went. She straightened, but didn’t move off him. “Lhashiki wants me to contrive a way to scan Heolin’s future so that he either doesn’t notice or thinks it is an accident. She believed me—I’m certain she did—but she still wants me to scan him.”
“How does she expect you to do that if you are with me and Heolin is avoiding me?”
“She must think you’ll get close to him again. Or that I can brush past him while I’m fetching something for you.”
“Do you often have to scan people surreptitiously?”
“No, never. But Heolin is the ambassador for the magical races, and the Emperor already risked insult by having me scan him when you were visiting the sprites. He cannot send me openly again. Not until the yearly tithe.”
“I wonder if it is worth having Heolin notice your attempt and take offense. It might prove beneficial if the Emperor needs to make amends to the magical races.” He shook his head. “No, the risk isn’t worth it.”
Sebin reached out and idly slid one of the dark stones along a path on thephanboard. Auraelie considered the new placement. She never would have made such a move, even when trying to mimic Sebin’s strategies, but she could see how it would work. His opponent would focus on the immediate threat of that one stone, but in moving to counter it, a new path would open for Sebin. And to counter that offensive, other sacrifices would be made.
Then Auraelie saw a defense. She reached and moved a single stone, one that seemingly did nothing to help the light side but would ultimately make Sebin’s trap fail.
“Misdirection is only one part,” Auraelie said, staring at the board, but thinking about a revolution. “The key is to not make a target.”
“Exactly.” Sebin moved another stone, but he could no longer capture her pieces, despite the dominance of the dark stones on the board.
“Heolin can’t raise a fuss, because then he will be under the Emperor’s scrutiny. You need him to move about unnoticed.”
