Scion of Cyador Read Online Free Page B
Author: Jr. Modesitt L. E.
days... and dun for one. So... on this shipment, the trader could pocket nearly eighteen golds, just by changing one word on the lading bill. And he can claim, if he gets caught, that it was a mistake. If the Hamorian seal's intact, and a magus can see that, then all he'll get is a three-gold fine, maybe ten-. But most won't catch something like this."
"But the finished cotton... that's more like ten a bolt, and they're easier to carry," Lorn says, recalling his early trading adventures with Ryalth.
"Why would anyone import the bales all the way from Hamor? They're bulky."
Eileyt nods. "Good. That's another reason to suspect this. Anyone can look at a bolt of finished cotton and see the difference between Hamorian white and Kyphran dun, but raw cotton-that's another story. Might even be something hidden in the bales, as well."
Lorn shakes his head, but he has asked Ryalth and her people to show him what they can about forbidden trading practices, even though it is unlikely he will be directly involved, except when called in by the Emperor's tariff enumerators, if he ever is. The more he learns, the more small references tell him how intertwined everything is-such as Bluoyal's involvement in the consorting between Syreal and Veljan that, because of Lorn's killing of Veljan's older brother Shevelt, has led to a greater possible influence by the Magi'i in the affairs of one of the leading merchanter houses. That underscores why he would like to know enough to be able to ask his own questions should such arise. His experience with patrol tactics and the Accursed Forest was enough of an example of not knowing enough, to confirm his decision to learn what he can in the few days he has in Cyad. He is also coming to realize that it is far better-and less costly to all involved-to act before others act... rather than when it is obvious to all that one must act.
So he might as well learn what he can, since Ryalth cannot give up work, especially since spring is far busier for Ryalor House than Lorn ever would have imagined.
He looks back through the bills of lading again, looking for odd spacing, improbable goods, anything.
On the next to last, he finds something-or thinks he does.
"A hundred stone of zinc tools?" he asks. "Is this a cover for iron blades? It's a metal and almost the same number of letters."
"That's more dangerous, because iron-bladed weapons carry high tariffs, and selling them in Cyad or failing to declare them for shipment elsewhere can send a trader to prison," Eileyt says. "But some traders like to buy Hamorian blades and sell them elsewhere in Candar." The enumerator hands Lorn another set of lading bills.
It is nearly midday when Lorn walks into Ryalth's inner study. She looks up from a ledger.
"You have a nice study here," he observes.
"Merchanters call them 'offices,' dearest... remember?" She smiles. "But if you want traders to think you know less than you do, just call them 'studies.' "
"Thank you. That might be wiser. I can see why you're the trader, and I'm not." He shakes his head again.
"We work better together," she says.
"Do you have to work all day?"
"Zerlynk is coming in midafternoon. He had made an offer on cordage. I picked up some raw hemp from a Sligan trader last year, and got some peasants near Desahlya to turn it into rope. It's not top-line, and I'll not try to sell it as such, but we should make some silvers on it. After he goes, I can leave."
Lorn nods. "You're busy. I'll see what else I can learn."
"You might talk to Kutyr. He knows more than he'll tell me." Ryalth smiles again.
"He might not tell me, either."
"If you flatter him..."
Lorn shakes his head ruefully, then smiles, and turns.
V
Because the core of a fully-functioning tower maintains an isochronic/isotemporal barrier of approximately 1,000 nanoseconds, this temporal "dislocation" effectively provides not only the points of energy polarity which generate the raw power, as described above, and an
"But the finished cotton... that's more like ten a bolt, and they're easier to carry," Lorn says, recalling his early trading adventures with Ryalth.
"Why would anyone import the bales all the way from Hamor? They're bulky."
Eileyt nods. "Good. That's another reason to suspect this. Anyone can look at a bolt of finished cotton and see the difference between Hamorian white and Kyphran dun, but raw cotton-that's another story. Might even be something hidden in the bales, as well."
Lorn shakes his head, but he has asked Ryalth and her people to show him what they can about forbidden trading practices, even though it is unlikely he will be directly involved, except when called in by the Emperor's tariff enumerators, if he ever is. The more he learns, the more small references tell him how intertwined everything is-such as Bluoyal's involvement in the consorting between Syreal and Veljan that, because of Lorn's killing of Veljan's older brother Shevelt, has led to a greater possible influence by the Magi'i in the affairs of one of the leading merchanter houses. That underscores why he would like to know enough to be able to ask his own questions should such arise. His experience with patrol tactics and the Accursed Forest was enough of an example of not knowing enough, to confirm his decision to learn what he can in the few days he has in Cyad. He is also coming to realize that it is far better-and less costly to all involved-to act before others act... rather than when it is obvious to all that one must act.
So he might as well learn what he can, since Ryalth cannot give up work, especially since spring is far busier for Ryalor House than Lorn ever would have imagined.
He looks back through the bills of lading again, looking for odd spacing, improbable goods, anything.
On the next to last, he finds something-or thinks he does.
"A hundred stone of zinc tools?" he asks. "Is this a cover for iron blades? It's a metal and almost the same number of letters."
"That's more dangerous, because iron-bladed weapons carry high tariffs, and selling them in Cyad or failing to declare them for shipment elsewhere can send a trader to prison," Eileyt says. "But some traders like to buy Hamorian blades and sell them elsewhere in Candar." The enumerator hands Lorn another set of lading bills.
It is nearly midday when Lorn walks into Ryalth's inner study. She looks up from a ledger.
"You have a nice study here," he observes.
"Merchanters call them 'offices,' dearest... remember?" She smiles. "But if you want traders to think you know less than you do, just call them 'studies.' "
"Thank you. That might be wiser. I can see why you're the trader, and I'm not." He shakes his head again.
"We work better together," she says.
"Do you have to work all day?"
"Zerlynk is coming in midafternoon. He had made an offer on cordage. I picked up some raw hemp from a Sligan trader last year, and got some peasants near Desahlya to turn it into rope. It's not top-line, and I'll not try to sell it as such, but we should make some silvers on it. After he goes, I can leave."
Lorn nods. "You're busy. I'll see what else I can learn."
"You might talk to Kutyr. He knows more than he'll tell me." Ryalth smiles again.
"He might not tell me, either."
"If you flatter him..."
Lorn shakes his head ruefully, then smiles, and turns.
V
Because the core of a fully-functioning tower maintains an isochronic/isotemporal barrier of approximately 1,000 nanoseconds, this temporal "dislocation" effectively provides not only the points of energy polarity which generate the raw power, as described above, and an
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