Page 188 of Insolence
Maida’s empty plate sits on the cupboard by the door.
“And what does your little friend Lydia have to do with this apparent conspiracy involving Tiss?”
Bibi croaks from her perch. “Good bird,” she says softly.
“Yes, Bibi, you’ve been very patient.” Finished, I wipe my mouth and stand. “Have at it.”
She flaps to the table to gorge herself gleefully on my scraps.
I grab the sheet of paper from the settee and drop down next to Maida. Promptly ignore her peeved sigh when I sit on some of her yarn. She’s still wearing the ribbon Bibi brought me around her wrist.
It seems like a month has passed since last night.
“Wish I knew. This boss of hers is a man called the Viper. In Aronya Dar, he runs the black market. Lydia was his lieutenant. Now, I have no idea howhebecame apprised of the fact that Tissisn’t Bard Fiach’s child, but in Aronya Dar, that’s the equivalent of saying black is white and up is down.”
I rub my neck. Somethingbigis at play here. None of this sits right with me.
“And how are you and Lydia acquainted?” My friend’s fingers dip and loop blue yarn around a thick needle with a blunt, rounded end.
“I, ah… Well, I’m not exactly proud of what I’m about to say. You see, my ma is a wonderful artist who specializes in manuscript illumination. She always made most of her own pigments by hand and taught me all she knows. Our little shop in Aronya Dar became well-reputed for the quality of books my pop printed, along with Ma’s illuminations. Her rich pigments—her ultramarine in particular—were what put us on the map in book lovers’ circles.”
“Ah,” Maida says, eyes lighting up. “Which is made by grinding lapis lazuli into a powder.”
“And Clan Jedrek slapped sky-high taxes on it to limit access,” I confirm. My friend is well aware that lapis is the official stone of Aronya Dar. Flaunted proudly by the noble members of Clan Jedrek. “On top of it being shipped in from abroad. And trust me, the import fees rack up too.”
Bibi squawks wetly around her food.
“So your mother sourced it through the black market to get around the extra cost.” Maida glances at me.
“She was able to afford higher quality stones that way,” I shrug. “She sourced a few other hard-to-find or cost-prohibitive materials through that avenue as well. But my association with Lydia was to do with the lapis.”
“I see.”
“And no. Before you ask, I have absolutely noideawhere Bard Fiach’s true daughter is. Or where Tiss came from.” I leanback, resting my head against the wall. “But I plan to find out what else Lydia knows. As soon as I can.”
“I wonder if we might satisfy two needs with one deed with this endeavor.”
“Way ahead of you,” I chuckle. “I might have suggested she assist with our caper.”
My friend inclines her head. “Glory to Eisha. I was beginning to wonder if you were serious about this thing.”
“It only makes sense,” I shrug. “She has access to the betrothed’s side of the equation. She can gather intel. Not to mention the elevator is in Deirdre’s den down there.” Unable to sit still, I get up to pace around the room. “We’re going to have to figure out some way to get to it.”
“We’ll need a way to communicate. Safely.”
“For that I was thinking Sadrie.”
“Oh?”
“Why not? She assists with the laundry. Which means she’s theoretically got access to keys for the whole temple complex.” Stopping at the table, I stroke Bibi’s back feathers. She pauses her feasting long enough to fluff out her shaggy beard. “Along with run-of-the-mill keys to every cupboard and closet in this place are two Very Important Keys. They open the doors to the betrothed’s underground quarters. She should be able to procure them when needed.”
Eyebrows arched, Maida leans forward, smoothing a hand over the blanket she’s working on. “That sounds like progress.”
A knock at the door cuts our conversation short for the second time today. Bibi squawks, hopping onto a chair back.
Maida rises, grumbling about how nobody can scheme in peace anymore. Her demeanor shifts when the door opens. “Cordelia? Whatever is the matter, dear?”
The acolyte steps into the room, her aura a storm of concern and confusion.
