Chapter 15: The Panther

The Council of Lords met at noon to vote the Princess unfit, and Iven walked in carrying a harp.

Nimeriel walked in beside him, and the roots on the tower stair let her through.

The Hall of Lords went quiet from the door to the dais.

"Highness," said the Chancellor from his chair, with a perfect smile. "You should be resting. The boy has come to play for us, I see."

"I asked him to," said Nimeriel, and took a seat at the end of the front bench.

Forty lords sat in half circles under the white banners.

The Chancellor wore the Imperial Seal on a chain at his chest.

It was a disc of dark wood the size of a plum, and he had worn it every day for a year.

Nobody had ever asked why the Emperor's seal hung on a chancellor.

"Then play, Iven," said Veridian, as though it were a treat. "Something calm."

Iven sat on the dais step and put the harp across his knees.

He played the lullaby.

Halfway through it, the countess in green silk leaned down from the front row and stroked his ear.

"Such a pretty pet," she said again, to the whole room. "Does he purr?"

His smile did not move.

His fingers did not stop.

His left hand left the strings for one beat.

It slid up under the Chancellor's elbow as he leaned to answer her.

It came back with a chain looped round two fingers.

Not one lord saw it.

He finished the bar.

Then he laid the harp aside and stood and held up the dark wooden disc between finger and thumb, where the whole hall could see.

"My lord," he said. "You've dropped something."

Veridian's hand flew to his chest.