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“Then let’s start with why.”
Neimura says, “The neighboring courts have been pressing Lord Daurek to marry or name an heir. Lord Surevai wants control of our trade road. He uses the uncertainty about the Ilden’s future to support his claim.”
“How does buying me stop him?”
“I hoped a marriage outside the neighboring families would answer the council without giving another lord a claim here.”
“You hoped.”
“Yes.”
“And you thought I’d help you convince him.” She points to me. “Once you’d got me here.”
“You have a reputation for bringing difficult people to an agreement.”
She looks at the cup in her hands. “I also had a debt from the last agreement I made.”
“I knew the circumstances.”
“So you knew how badly I needed the money. You thought that would help get me here.”
Neimura starts to answer, then stops. I have heard him negotiate a delay until the person asking for payment thanked him. Vai has not given him the chance.
She puts the cup on the table with care.
“I asked whether he’d sent you. You said yes. Did you think I’d come if you told me the truth?”
“No.”
“Then write that down with the rest.”
Reivaka draws his statement toward her. Neimura takes the pen she offers and adds a line.
Vai watches him finish.
“You can go now.”
He looks at me. I point toward the door.
When he has gone, Reivaka sets his statement aside.
“Another clerk is taking over the court’s accounts and agreements,” she says. “Neimura will show him where things are. I’ll check the work.”
“Start today.”
Vai rubs her forehead. I reach for the request. She has had to defend herself enough for one morning.
“Can you end the marriage?” she asks.
“Yes. I can ask the council to cancel it because Neimura used my seal to arrange a marriage I hadn’t authorized and lied to you. The council has to approve that before an independent registrar can release you.”
“How long?”
“Two or three weeks, if the registrar’s account reaches them for the next review. The request asks for the earliest place they can give us.”
“Weeks.”
“I know.”
