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“Father?” she asked

He glanced at her “Ah, Jasnah Retiring so early?”

“It’s hardly early,” Jasnah said, gliding forward It seemed obvious to her that Gavilar and Amaram had ducked out to find privacy for their discussion “This is the tiresorows louder but no smarter, and the company drunken”

“Many people consider that sort of thing enjoyable”

“Many people, unfortunately, are idiots”

Her father smiled “Is it terribly difficult for you?” he asked softly “Living with the rest of us, suffering our average wits and siular in your brilliance, Jasnah?”

She took it as the rebuke it was, and found herself blushing Even her mother Navani could not do that to her

“Perhaps if you found pleasant associations,” Gavilar said, “you would enjoy the feasts” His eyes swung toward A fancied as a potential match for her

It would never happen A to her father and hastened away down the corridor

“What errand did you give hiht, Father?”

“The treaty, of course”

The treaty Why did he care so nore the Parshendi or conquer them Gavilar insisted upon an accommodation

“I should return to the celebration,” Gavilar said,the hallway toward the doors Jasnah had left

“Father?” Jasnah said “What is it you aren’t telling me?”

He glanced back at her, lingering Pale green eyes, evidence of his good birth When had he beco? Storer Such a striking transformation in such a short time

From the way he inspected her, it almost see with Liss?

He turned aithout saying

What is going on in this palace? Jasnah thought She took a deep breath She would have to prod further Hopefully he hadn’t discovered her s with assassins—but if he had, she would ith that knowledge Surely he would see that soly consumed by his fascination with the Parshendi Jasnah turned and continued on her way, passing a master-servant, who bowed

After walking a short ti oddly again She sighed in annoyance as it pulled toward the three Storht lamps on the walls Fortunately, she’d passed from the populated area, and no servants were here to see