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Ministry of Finance, Palace of the First Wind
8th of Glade, Year 124 of Steel
The demon indwelt turned the package over and over in his long-fingered hands. His seeming was still the hybrid elven countenance of the overreaching summoner who had called him, the elf and demon becoming one thing rather than distinct entities. Kanedama had sworn himself to the secret goddess. Perhaps it was her domain of Unity that spoke to him, the union of disparate souls. She was a Moritasi, but only fools conflated the Mistborn with the Infernal. By his estimation, most people were fools. He had sworn himself to her because what she said made sense to him, and her yoke would be lighter than any demon lord or mortal power.
Oath notwithstanding, he sensed the power emanating from the package and he craved it. Avarice had always been his favored sin. But he sighed and admired the rings on his fingers instead as he sorted the rest of her mail and knocked on her office door before entering.
"Vice-Minister," he greeted with a veneer of respect. "I'll be sorting your mail, but this package... you will probably want to open it. I believe it is safe."
He set the package down beside her. Her eyes saw too much for his comfort, but she had seen him and found him worthy of continued service even after he had attempted to steal from her. Her eyes fell upon the package and he knew she would likely ken dangers even he might not suss out. In any case, the Dowager Queen's fiat that the winged woman be protected remained in effect. While Kala slipped out from under the royal watch, she was only too happy to allow them to scan incoming mail for magical and mundane threats, as well as guard her and her people when the need arose.
The packaging was immaculate, though there was no return address.
"This must have delivered by hand," she declared. "Was there any word from the messenger?"
"An Avialae named Kelvin who refused payment and left," Kanedama reported with a supercilious sneer.
"Ah, well. Please leave word that I would speak to him if he should return."
"Yes, Vice-Minister." He sprawled upon a divan and began to tear into the rest of her mail. She had a soft hand and occasioned to allow him his casual disrespects when they didn't matter.
Kala carefully removed the scarlet ribbon, then turned an ivory-handled letter opener upon the brown paper. It always seemed such a shame to shred such careful construction, to disregard such attention to detail. Covetous eyes flashed green as they cut to her desk from the divan while she took in the eye-beguiling refraction of the case. She touched it and the vitreous panes dissolved into nothing, leaving only an aetherstone resting upon an imperial purple cushion. Within, a flower and a pure black feather were caught like an insect in amber.
"Ah!" she said quietly, delighted by the beauty of it.
She moved it to the side and quickly penned two notes.
To Her Majesty the Queen Dowager:
Your Majesty,
As it has been your desire to protect me since the revelation of my wings and as you are the member of Great House Briathos with whom I have the most familiarity, I would like to inform you of a gift...
She described the situation in detail both for Sahfri and Karam Senue.
Perhaps it will turn out to be a princely gift from a future suitor, but I recognize that my safety is a matter of national importance and so while I plan to make some inquiries, I write to inform you of the situation should you wish to do the same as my Shokaze.
Sincerely,
Kala Mizal of House Leukos
Upon sealing them with blue wax and her seal, she held them out.
"Kanedama, please deliver these to the Shokaze and the Queen Dowager. Then begin a discreet inquiry into Master Kelvin while I see if Master Kilvin's eye can semble more than mine."
The demon indwelt grunted like a teenager as he rose and took the letters from her and dropped the remainder of her mail upon her desk.
"Yes, Vice-Minster."
"Surely not a courting gift," she murmured to herself after he had gone, the back of her hand coming up to test the heat of her cheeks, even as she reached out to her twin who was sparring with young Timon and could alert Torin to her request for his help. If nothing else, he would likely be the one to make something of the gift for her. Talon was always so busy.
*~*~*
Time had passed. Inquiries had been made.
The door to her office opened and Kanedama entered, looking a bit worse for wear. The travel had been his idea, as if he was daring her to let him out of her sight, to loosen his leash. He seemed perturbed, as if not sure why he had returned or why he was upset that she hadn't chased him down to keep him under her thumb. Demons knew circumscribed experiences, and she often baffled him. He went directly to the side board, brought two crystal tea cups and a bottle of dark spirits. Setting them down on her desk, he poured for both of them, then tossed her mail down on the desk before slumping into the chair opposite her.
"Vice-Minister," he said, half-heartedly raising his glass to her. Though he was paid well, it was more expensive than he could afford and he had champagne wishes and caviar dreams.
"Kanedama. How did the springtime skies treat you?"
"I like my creature comforts," he grunted. "I shan't be staying 'til end of day. I need a bubble bath. I'm... I'm going to the Jade Crane."
"Ah, lovely." She set aside the ledgers and economic statistics, lending him her full attention.
His pretty mouth twisted into something less pretty when she didn't grill him for answers.
"So, Kelvin of the powder blue wings, he received the package from a Shemashki courier of known provenance. I followed up on him, as well. Kelvin, I mean. Nothing besmirching his record. I'd say suspiciously clean, but of course I assume the worst of people. Found said courier in Shemashk, identified their contact in Kathiid. The trail then took me to Satesoria, where the package was delivered after hours so... dead end. My guess is... that close to the Dalquian border, it must've come from a Gelerian source. I know you have your fingers in some Imperial pie. When are you going to let me invest in some of those juicy Leukos projects, hmm? Haven't I proven loyal? Flown from one end of Karnor to the other on a wild goose chase? Look, I'm not complaining. I just think, knowing my nature, you could make it worth my while."
He froze when she slid something across the desk toward him. Her hand came away to reveal gold. He snatched it up with the speed of an adder strike, then tested its karat between his white, white teeth. Not satisfied, he made it disappear upon his person like sleight of hand. There was never enough gold for him, but he knew there would always be more gold if he stuck with her. Call it a nod from Avenna, who had marked his host and not seen fit to rescind her favor when his host and he got, well, tangled.
"According to a Lord Yserloo Choi, chairman of the Amateur Botanists Society of Kalzasi, the flower was known as a Dragon's Heart hibiscus, native of ancient Avaelor and otherwise thought to be extinct." She moved the cushion holding the modified aetherstone toward him to remind him of how it looked. "The feather is Avialae, but I cannot ascertain whether it be Synnekar or Kathar, from some man living or long dead. Even the rutiles within the dragonshard itself foil understanding, whether they were planned or are merely some natural fractal. I can't tell you how frustrating it is for a sembler of my caliber to remain in ignorance after spending a good deal of time meditating upon the thing."
"How much is it worth, do you think?" he asked quickly. Her brow, pale against pale skin, rose. He shrugged. "What? This is the Ministry of Finance. It's a natural question."
"I could say if it was merely an aetherstone, but the mystery would likely add something to the sticker price. If I planned to sell it."
"Going to have your pet runeforger doctor it for you?"
"Perhaps," she allowed. "Too big and unwieldy for something I would use regularly, but perhaps... I do trust in his genius."
Kanedama snorted, but didn't deny Master Kilvin's skill. After a pause, tentatively, "I am sorry I couldn't track down the source. I do want to remain useful to you."
"You are, Kanedama," she assured him. "Some mysteries require time is all. Now, go home and enjoy your well-deserved bath." She finally picked up her own crystal tea cup. After a moment's thought, he nodded, finished his, and saw himself out. He supposed a young goddess had plenty of time to wait for mysteries to reveal themselves.