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ere was lavender near the southern wall。 Behind her rats scrambled in the dank alley。
On a small patio near the house a stone table had been laid with meats and cheeses and wine。 There were tall white candles burning。
A man slouched in a chair by that table； hands laced behind his head； long legs extended； his features obscured by shadow。 Blaise was looking at him。 He had not spoken or moved since she'd arrived at her place of concealment on the wall。 His back was to her。 He seemed carved of stone himself。 Lisseut's heart was beating rapidly。
〃I will confess that I wondered；〃 said the man by the table lazily； speaking Portezzan with elegant； aristocratic precision。 〃I wondered if you were in a clever vein tonight and would e。 But see； I did give you the benefit of the doubt…there is food and wine for two； Blaise。 I'm glad you're here。 It has been a long time。 Do e and dine with me。 It is a Carnival night in Arbonne； after all。〃
He stood then； leaning across the table into the light as he reached for the wine。 By the shining of the two moons and the candles and the glowing； graceful lanterns swinging from tripods among the trees； Lisseut saw that he was slender and bright…haired and young and smiling； that his loose silk tunic was night…black with wide； full sleeves； and his leggings were black and white； like Arsenault the Swordsman in the puppet shows she remembered from childhood…and like the arrows she saw lying in plain sight in their quiver by the table。
〃You still use syvaren； I see；〃 said Blaise of Gorhaut calmly。 He didn't move any nearer to the table。 He spoke Portezzan as well。
The fair…haired man made a face as he poured from a long…necked decanter。 〃An ugly thing； isn't it？〃 he said with distaste。 〃And amazingly expensive these days； you have no idea。 But useful； useful at times。 Be fair； Blaise； it was a very long shot in a breeze and uncertain light。 I didn't plan anything in advance； obviously； it was sheerest good fortune I happened to be in the tavern when that river challenge was made。 And then I had to count on Duke Bertran being skillful enough to make it as far as the rope。 Which I did； and which he was； Corannos shelter his soul。 e now； you might have congratulated me by now on hitting him from so far。 The right shoulder； I take it？〃 He turned； smiling； a glass of wine in each hand； one extended towards the other man。
Blaise hesitated； and Lisseut； all her senses alert； knew with certainty that he was wrestling with whether to tell the assassin of his error。
〃It was a long shot；〃 was all he said。 〃I don't like poison though； you know that。 They don't use it in Arbonne。 Had you not done so they might have thought the killing was by one of Urté de Miraval's men。 It wasn't； I take it？〃
The question was ignored。 〃Had I not done so there wouldn't have been a killing。 Only a duke with a wounded shoulder and a quadrupled guard； and I'd be out a rather spectacular fee。〃
〃How spectacular？〃
〃You don't want to know。 You'll be jealous。 e； Blaise； take your wine； I feel silly standing with my hand out like an almsman。 Are you angry with me？〃
Slowly； Blaise of Gorhaut walked forward over the grass and took the offered goblet。 The Portezzan laughed and returned to his seat。 Blaise remained standing beside the table。
〃In the tavern；〃 he said slowly； 〃you would have seen that I was with the duke； one of his men。〃
〃Of course I did； and I must say it surprised me。 I'd heard a rumour at the Aulensburg tourney…you were missed in Gotzland； by the way； you were talked about…that you were in Arbonne this spring； but I doubted it； I really didn't know you liked singing so much。〃
〃I don't； believe me。 But it isn't important。 I'm employed by the duke of Talair； and you saw as much in the tavern。 Didn't that mean anything to you？〃
〃A few things； yes； but you won't like them and you won't want to hear them from me。 You are angry with me； obviously。 Really； Blaise； what was I supposed to do； abandon a contract and payment because you happened to be on the scene trading insults with an Arimondan catamite？ I gather you killed his brother。〃
〃How much money were you paid？〃 Blaise asked again； ignoring that last。 〃Tell me。〃
The fair； handsome head was in shadow again。 There was a silence。 〃Two hundred and fifty thousand；〃 the Portezzan said quietly。
Lisseut suppressed a gasp。 She saw Blaise stiffen in disbelief。
〃No one has that much money for an assassination；〃 he said harshly。
The other man laughed； cheerfully。 〃Someone does； someone did。 Deposited in advance with our Gotzland branch； in trust for me on conditions。 When word es of the musical duke of Talair's so sad demise the conditions are removed。 Gotzland；〃 he said musingly； 〃is a usefully discreet place sometimes； though I suppose it does help to have a family bank。〃
The man still seemed amused； eerily so； as if there was some private jest he was savouring at Blaise's expense。 Lisseut was still reeling inwardly； unable to even prehend the size of the sum he had named。
〃Payment in Portezzan coinage？〃
Laughter again； on the edge of hilarity now； the sound startling in the quiet formality of the garden。 A slow sip of wine。 〃Ah； well now； you are fishing for information； my dear。 You were never good at that； were you Blaise？ You don't like poison； you don't like deceptions。 You aren't at all happy with me。 I've clearly gone to the bad since we parted。 You haven't even asked for news of Lucianna。〃
〃Who paid you； Rudel？〃
The question was blunt； hard as a hammer。 Blaise's wine glass was set down on the table； untouched； Lisseut saw that it shook a little。 The other man…who had a name now…would have seen that too。
〃Don't be stupid and tiresome；〃 the Portezzan said。 〃When have you ever revealed who hired you？ When has anyone you respected done so？ You of all men know I've never done this for the money in any case。〃 A sudden； sweeping gesture enpassed the house and the garden。 〃I was born to this and all it represents in the six countries； and I'll die with it unless I'm more stupid than I plan to be； because my father happens to like me。〃 He paused。 〃Drink your wine； Blaise； and sit down like a civilized person so we can talk about where we're going next。〃
〃We aren't very civilized in Gorhaut；〃 said Blaise。 〃Remember？〃 There was a new note in his voice。
The man in the chair cleared his throat but did not speak。 Blaise did not move from where he stood。
〃I see it now； though；〃 he said softly。 Lisseut could barely hear him。 〃You've had too much wine too quickly； haven't you？ You didn't mean to say all of that did you； Rudel？〃 He spoke Portezzan extremely well； much better than Lisseut did herself。
〃How do you know？ Perhaps I did；〃 the other man replied； an edge to his tone now。 〃Lucianna always said that good wine at night made her…〃
Blaise shook his head。 〃No。 No； we aren't talking about Lucianna； Rudel。〃 He drew a breath and； surprisingly； reclaimed his own goblet and drank。 He set it down again； carefully。 〃You told me too much。 I understand now why you find all of this so diverting。 You were paid in Gorhaut coinage。 You were hired for that insane amount of money to assassinate the duke of Talair in the name of Ademar； king of Gorhaut。 But on the orders and doubtless the instigation of Galbert； High Elder of Corannos in Gorhaut。〃
In shadow the other man slowly nodded his head。 〃Your father；〃 he said。
〃My father。〃
Lisseut watched as Blaise turned away from the table and the lights on the patio and walked back towards the fountain。 He stood gazing down at the rippling waters of the artificial pool。 It was difficult to see his face。
〃I didn't know you were with Talair when I accepted the contract； Blaise。 Obviously。〃 The Portezzan's voice was more urgent now； the amusement gone。 〃They wanted him killed for some songs he wrote。〃
〃I know。 I heard one of them。〃 Blaise didn't look up from the pool。 〃There's a message in this。 My father likes sending messages。 No one is safe； he's saying。 No one should think about crossing him。〃 He turned with a harsh gesture。 〃You're meant to tell the fee； you know。 If you don't； believe me