Cobra Bargain Read online

  Jin painted made too much sense to ignore. "The only way to find out for sure will be to get inside and take a look for ourselves."

  "Ourselves?" A faint and slightly bitter smile touched Kruin's lips. "How quickly you change between offworlder and Qasaman, Jasmine Moreau. Or don't you think we know that once inside Mangus it will be your priorities, not ours, that you will address?"

  Jin's hands curled into fists. "You insult me, Kruin Sammon," she bit out. "I don't play games with people's lives-not those of my own people, not those of yours. If Mangus threatens anyone-Aventinian or Qasaman-I want to know about it.

  That's my priority."

  For a moment Kruin didn't answer. Then, to her astonishment, he inclined his head toward her. "I had assumed you were a warrior, Jasmine Moreau," he said. "I see I was mistaken."

  She blinked. "I don't understand."

  "Warriors," he said softly, "don't care about the people they are told to kill."

  Jin licked her lips, a cold shiver replacing the fading indignation in her muscles. She hadn't meant to blast Kruin that strongly-certainly hadn't meant to imply that Milika's welfare was truly any of her concern. She was here for only one purpose, she reminded herself firmly: to find out if the Cobra Worlds were being threatened. If it was merely one group of Qasamans preparing to slaughter another, that was none of her business.

  Except that it was.

  And for the first time her conscious mind was forced to acknowledge that fact.

  She'd lived with these people; lived with them, eaten their food, accepted their help and hospitality... and there was no way she could simply turn her back on them and walk away. Kruin was right; she was no warrior.

  Which was to say, no Cobra.

  A sudden moisture obscured her vision; furiously, she blinked it away. It didn't really matter-she'd already fouled things up so badly that one more failure wouldn't make much of a difference. "Never mind what I am or am not," she growled. "The only issue here is whether you're still going to help me get into

  Mangus, or whether I'm going to have to do it all myself."

  "I've given you my pledge once," Kruin said coldly. "You insult me to ask again."

  "Yes, well, it seems to be a day for insults," Jin said tiredly. All the fight was draining away, leaving nothing but emotional fatigue behind. "Daulo spoke of work parties hired from Azras. Can you ask your friend the mayor to get me into one of them?"

  Kruin glanced at his son. "It may be possible," he said. "It could take a week to make the arrangements, though."

  "We can't afford that much time," Jin sighed. "I've got to be in and out of

  Mangus within the next six days."

  "Why?" Kruin frowned.

  Jin nodded toward Koja's letter on the low desk. "Because that note changes everything. There won't be any six-month debate now as to whether or not another mission should be sent here. Koja will have burned space getting back, and there'll be a rescue team on its way just as soon as it can be scrambled together."

  Kruin's lips compressed slightly. "Arriving when?"

  "I don't know exactly. I'd guess no more than a week."

  Daulo hissed between his teeth. "A week?"

  "Bad," Kruin agreed calmly. "But not as bad as it might be. With a new supply of metals on its way to Mangus, they should be needing to call in extra workers soon."

  "How soon?" Jin asked.

  "Within your six-day limit, I'd guess," Kruin said. "I'll send a message to

  Mayor Capparis this afternoon and ask if a member of my household can be worked into one of the parties."

  "Please ask if he can make it two members," Daulo said quietly.

  Kruin cocked an eyebrow at his son. "A noble offer, my son, but not well thought out. For what reason-besides curiosity-should I allow you to accompany Jasmine

  Moreau on this trip?"

  "For the reason that she still knows so very little about Qasama," Daulo said.

  "She could betray herself as an offworlder in a thousand different ways. Or worse, she could fail to understand or even to notice something of vital importance once inside."

  Kruin cocked an eye at Jin. "Have you a response?"

  "I'll be fine," Jin said stiffly. "I thank you for your offer, Daulo, but I don't need an escort."

  "Are his arguments invalid?" Kruin persisted.

  "Not necessarily," she admitted. "But the risks outbalance the benefits. Your family is well known here, and probably at least slightly known in Azras. Even with the disguise kit I've got in my pack, there's a good chance he'll be recognized by someone in the work party, or even by Radig Nardin or someone in

  Mangus itself. At least as much chance, I'd guess, as that I'll be caught in an error." She hesitated; no, better not say it.

  But Kruin saw through the hesitation. "And...?" he prompted.

  Jin clenched her teeth. "And if there is trouble... I stand a much better chance of getting out alone than if Daulo is with me."

  An instant later she wished she'd kept her mouth shut. Daulo sat up stiffly on his cushion, face darkening. "I don't need the protection of a woman," he bit out. "And I will go with you into Mangus."

  And there was no longer any room for argument, Jin realized with a sinking heart. Logic was fine in its place; but when set against the emotions of threatened manhood, there was only one possible outcome. "In that case," she sighed, "I would be honored to have your company and protection."

  It was only much later that it occurred to her that perhaps she'd been guilty of the same kind of nonrational thinking... that perhaps the very fact she'd forgotten something as basic to Qasama as the expanded male ego meant that she really did know too little about Qasama to tackle Mangus alone.

  It wasn't a particularly encouraging thought.

  Chapter 27

  "I looked up what records we had this afternoon," Daulo's silhouette said from beside Jin, "and it looks like my father's guess was a little pessimistic. It should be only two to three days before Mangus asks Azras to organize a work party."

  Jin nodded silently as they passed through the darkened courtyard toward the steady splash of the fountain. It was odd, she thought, how easily a place could start to feel familiar and comfortable. Too comfortable, maybe? she wondered with a twinge of uneasiness. Layn had warned them against losing the undercurrent of mild paranoia that every warrior in enemy territory ought to maintain, and she could remember thinking it incredible that anyone in such a position could possibly relax that much. Now, it seemed, she was doing just that.

  Which made it all the more urgent she move on to Azras and Mangus as soon as possible.

  "You're very quiet," Daulo said.

  She pursed her lips. "Just thinking how peaceful it is here," she told. him.

  "Milika in general; your house in particular. I almost wish I could stay."

  He snorted gently. "Don't worry too much about it. If you lived here for a few months you'd quickly find out it's not the Eden you seem to think." He paused.

  "So... what are your people likely to do if it turns out you were right? That

  Mangus is a base for striking back at you?"

  Jin shrugged. "It probably depends partly on what you do in that case."

  He frowned. "What do you mean?"

  "Come on, Daulo Sammon, don't play innocent. If Mangus isn't a threat to Milika, you and your father have no reason to help me further. In fact, you have every reason to betray me."

  His eyes grew hard. The Sammon family is a family of honor, Jasmine Moreau," he bit out. "We've sworn protection to you, and we'll stand by that bargain. No matter what."

  She sighed. "I know. But we were... warned not to get overconfident."

  "I understand," Daulo said quietly. "I'm afraid you'll just have to take my word for it."

  "I know. But I don't have to like it."

  In the darkness, his hand tentatively sought hers. It brought back memories of

  Mander Sun... blinking back tears, she accepted the touch. "W
e didn't ask to be your enemies, Jin Moreau," Daulo said quietly. "We have enough to fight against right here on Qasama. And we've been fighting against them for long time.

  Haven't we earned the right to some rest?"

  She sighed. Thoughts of Caelian flashed through her mind... and thoughts of her father and uncle. "Yes. So has everyone else I know."

  For a few minutes they continued to wander around the courtyard in silence, listening to the nighttime sounds of Milika beyond the house. "Is there a meaning to the name Jin?" Daulo asked suddenly. "Jasmine, I know, is an Old

  Earth flower, but the only use of Jin I've ever heard is for the mythological spirit."

  She felt a touch of heat in her cheeks. "It was a nickname my father gave me when I was young. He said-at least to me-that it was just a shortened version of

  Jasmine." She licked her lips. "Maybe that's really all he meant it to be... but when I was about eight I found an old Dominion of Man magcard in the city library that listed several thousand common names and their meanings. Jin was given as an Old Japanese name that meant 'superexcellent.' "

  "Indeed?" Daulo murmured. "A great compliment for your father to give you such a name."

  "Maybe too great," Jin admitted. "The listing noted that it was rarely given, precisely because its meaning placed so great a demand on a child."

  "And you've been trying to live up to it ever since?"

  It was a thought that had often occurred to her. "I don't know. It's possible, I suppose. I remember that for weeks afterward I felt like everyone was looking expectantly at me, waiting for me to do something superexcellent."

  "And so here you are on Qasama. Still trying."

  She swallowed through a throat that suddenly ached. "I guess so. Or at least trying to make my father proud of me."

  It was a long moment before Daulo spoke again. "I understand, perhaps more than you realize. Our families are not so different, Jin Moreau."

  A flicker of movement from one of the windows overhead caught Jin's eye, saving her from the need to find a good response to that. "Someone's in your father's office," she said, pointing.

  Daulo stiffened, then relaxed. "One of our people-a messenger. Probably bringing

  Mayor Capparis's reply to my father's message this morning."

  "Let's go find out," Jin said, changing direction back toward the door. Beside her, Daulo seemed to draw back. "If that would be all right with you," she added quickly.

  The extra tension vanished as male pride was apparently assuaged. "Certainly.

  Come with me."

  Alone with Jin, Daulo had lost track of time a bit, and it was with mixed embarrassment and guilt that he led her down the empty corridors toward his father's office. Most of the household had retired to their chambers by now, and the corridors echoed oddly to their footsteps as they walked. I should have returned her to her rooms half an hour ago, he thought, hoping the heat rising to his cheeks wasn't visible. Father will probably be angry with me. For a moment he searched for an excuse to give Jin for changing his mind and getting her upstairs instead, but nothing occurred to him that didn't sound limp or contrived.

  The guard at Kruin Sammon's door made the sign of respect as they approached.

  "Master Sammon," he said. "How may I serve you?"

  "The messenger who came to my father-is he still within?" Daulo asked.

  "No, he left a moment ago. Do you wish to speak to him?"

  Daulo shook his head. "No, I seek to speak to my father."

  The guard nodded again and turned to the intercom box. "Master Sammon: Daulo

  Sammon and Jasmine Alventin are here to see you." An inaudible reply and the other nodded. "You may enter," he said as the door's lock clicked open.

  Kruin Sammon was seated at his desk, a stylus in his hand and an oddly intense look on his face. "What is it, my son?" he asked as Daulo closed the door.

  "We saw from the courtyard that a messenger had arrived, my father," Daulo said, making the sign of respect. "I thought it might be news from Azras."

  Kruin's face seemed to harden a bit more. "Yes, it was. Mayor Capparis has arranged housing for two people, and promises to facilitate your entrance into the work party whenever Mangus announces its formation."

  "Good," Daulo said, feeling his eyebrows come together in a frown. His father's expression... "Is anything wrong, my father?"

  Kruin licked his lips and seemed to take a deep breath. "Come here, Daulo," he sighed.

  A hollow feeling settled into Daulo's stomach. Squeezing Jin's hand briefly, he left her side and stepped to his father's desk. "Read this," the elder Sammon said, handing him a piece of paper. His eyes slid away from Daulo's gaze. "I'd intended that it be delivered to you tomorrow morning, an hour before dawn. But now..."

  Gingerly, Daulo accepted the paper, heart thudding in his ears. To have discomfited his father so...

  DAULO.

  IN MY MESSAGE TO MAYOR CAPPARIS THIS AFTERNOON I ALSO INFORMED HIM THAT THE

  YITHTRA FAMILY HAS DISCOVERED AN ARTIFACT FROM OFFWORLD. HE HAS INFORMED ME IN

  TURN THAT MY MESSAGE HAS BEEN FORWARDED TO THE SHAHNI, WHO WILL BE SENDING A

  FORCE TO QUESTION THE YITHTRA FAMILY AS TO THEIR REASONS FOR NOT INFORMING THEM

  ABOUT THIS ARTIFACT THEMSELVES.

  YOU AND JASMINE MOREAU WILL NEED TO LEAVE AS SOON AS IS PRACTICAL-TOO MANY

  PEOPLE OUTSIDE OUR HOUSEHOLD HAVE SEEN HER FOR HER TO REMAIN HIDDEN HERE. A CAR

  HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU, CONTAINING ALL THE SUPPLIES YOU SHOULD NEED FOR A

  WEEK IN AZRAS. MAYOR CAPPARIS HAS OFFERED YOU THE USE OF HIS GUEST HOME WHILE

  YOU WAIT FOR MANGUS TO BEGIN ITS HIRING.

  BE CAREFUL, MY SON, AND DO NOT TRUST JASMINE MOREAU MORE THAN YOU MUST.

  KRUIN SAMMON

  Daulo looked from the paper to his father. "Why?" he asked, dimly aware that his heart was thudding in his ears.

  "Because it was necessary," Kruin said simply. But the look in his eyes belied the confidence of the words.

  "You had no right, my father." Daulo could hear a tremor in his voice; could feel his face growing hot with shame. The Sammon family is a family of honor-he'd said those words to Jin not half an hour ago. We've sworn protection to you... "We had a bargain with Jasmine Moreau. One which she has not broken."

  "And which I've not broken, either, Daulo Sammon. You've known you'll need to go to Azras eventually. Now it'll simply be sooner than we'd expected."

  "You swore not to betray her-"

  "And I have not!" Kruin snapped. "I could have told Mayor Capparis everything about her; but I didn't. I could have kept from you both the knowledge that the

  Shahni were sending investigators; but I didn't."

  "Fancy words do not hide truth," Daulo bit out. "And the truth is that you swore to her the protection of our house. Now you drive her from both our house and our protection."

  "Take care, Daulo Sammon," his father warned. "Your words are dangerously lacking in respect."

  "My words echo my thoughts," Daulo shot back. "I'm ashamed for my family, my father."

  For a long moment the two men stared at each other in silence; and it was almost a shock for Daulo to hear Jin's voice come from close beside him. "May I see the paper?" she asked calmly.

  Wordlessly, he handed it to her. And now the world ends, the thought came distantly to him. The vengeance of a demon warrior betrayed. The memory of the headless corpse of the razorarm she'd killed brought bile into his throat...

  It seemed a long time before she lowered the note and looked Kruin in the face.

  "Tell me," she said quietly, "would the Yithtra family have kept the pod secret for long?"

  "I doubt it," the elder Sammon said. His voice was even... but Daulo could see a trace of his own fears in his father's eyes. "As soon as they've gained all the secrets they can from the pod, they'll alert the Shahni themselves."

  "Within the week, you think?"

  "Probably sooner," Kruin sai
d.

  She looked at Daulo. "You agree?"

  He worked moisture back into his mouth. "Yes. Doing that would still gain them favor in the eyes of the Shahni and yet let them have first look at anything of value."

  She turned back to Kruin. "I understand," she said. "In other words, as you said, it was inevitable that I would eventually be chased out of Milika anyway."