HM02 House of Moons Read Online Free

old face sagged in surprise.
    Rald’s fingers tightened. “Withdraw!”
    Leric turned to the Head of the Council, old Tal, and nodded stiffly, as if the motion pained him.
    Tal scowled. “Let it be so, then. By default, the High Mastership of Shael’donn goes to Riklin Dynd Senn.” He glared around the restless, whispering crowd for a moment. “Council is dismissed.”
    Rald and his cousin started slowly toward the huge outer doors, just two old men who had been beaten somehow without knowing why, then stopped as Monmart burst into the room.
    “Attack!” Monmart gasped, then looked wildly around the chamber. “Lenhe’ayn has been attacked—by chierra!”

WITH THE REST of the crowded Council chamber, Diren turned to stare at Monmart as he stood, outlined by the open doorway, his face flushed, his eyes dark and tense. Chill air from the outer passage threaded through the room.
    Tal rapped on the oak table for order. “Take your seats!” The crowd of astonished Kashi, however, surged toward Monmart, buzzing with questions.
    Rising, Tal banged his fist on the Council table. A fluted glass jumped and tipped over, spilling water on his notes. He cursed and hastily blotted the sheets against his shirt. “Dammit, take your seats!” The noise faded to a murmur as the onlookers drifted back to the gallery. Then Tal settled into his own throne-like chair. “Now, Monmart, you say Lenhe’ayn has been attacked?”
    Monmart met the old Lord’s eyes. “Yes, my Lord. On my way to the courtyard portal, I was contacted by Lady Myriel, who said chierra forces attacked earlier this afternoon, burning the unharvested fields, stealing what stock they could and slaughtering the rest, and—” He spread his hands helplessly, “—murdering her son.”
    A hush fell over the crowded room, deeper than the mere absence of words. Diren tapped his fingers against his chin, a study in sober reflection, while he savored their radiated shock, their inability to take it all in; the normally servile chierra had organized themselves to attack a Kashi House and had killed a Kashi heir. Such a thing had not happened within living memory. They found it unthinkable. He might have felt the same, if he hadn’t been there himself.
    Tal cleared his throat. “Are the attackers still there?”
    Monmart shook his head. “No, my Lord.”
    “And what of the chierra servants—did they mutiny and join the attacking force?”
    “According to Lady Lenhe,” Monmart answered, “a number of the field hands actually gave their lives fighting for Lenhe’ayn.”
    Diren cocked his head. “How is that the Lady contacted you and no one else?” He smiled lazily, watching Haemas Tal’s high-cheekboned face out of the corner of his eye. Her fingers were knotted in her lap, her skin as transparent as fine porcelain. “It had escaped me that the two of you were so—closely associated.”
    Monmart’s golden-brown eyes jumped slightly.
    He had definitely hit a nerve with that one, Diren told himself.
    “We were acquainted, having met some years ago.” Monmart turned away. “And so many people were sequestered here in the Council chamber, which is of course shielded. She is distraught and could locate no one else she knew.”
    Diren raised a questioning eyebrow and leaked just the faintest tendril of disbelief through his shields.
    “Well, we must investigate at once.” Tal sat back in his seat, then impatiently righted the upset glass. “This is a nasty business, chierra attacking Kashi. We can’t let it go unanswered.”
    “Isn’t Lenhe’ayn close to Monmart’ayn?” Diren asked innocently. “Perhaps Master Monmart should assess the damage, then make a report to the Council. I’m sure Lady Lenhe would appreciate his help in this difficult time.” He watched Haemas Tal’s face lose what little color it had.
    “Yes, yes.” Tal waved his hand at Monmart, dismissing him like some chierra footman. “That would most likely be best. Go down and