Spiriting Away

[Ezekiel]

Zahir

He watched the Aes Sedai and her gaidar long enough to see them diverge their paths away from one another. Curious, given how close the dour-faced warders were all traipsing like dogs to heel all evening – practically tripping over the women’s skirts and snarling at wind, even. After that he followed long enough to see the Green fall into step with an Asha’man and a servant. A channeler of saidin was not a tripwire Zahir wanted to fall foul of, and certainly not before his work here was done, which for now cooled his curiosity somewhat. The sister could wait. It was only a diversion anyway, but Zahir had sharp instincts. The gaidar had worn both her honour and her heart too much on her foolish sleeve.

He continued down, headed for the entrance hall. The Tower’s currents were frothing up under the surface, and his informants were all dithering over it. Zahir had no wish to still be here when it overspilled, and Maylis would remember the obedience and mark it in his favour. That one had been an easy ear into which to pour poison; she had never forgiven the Seanchan for taking her home, and her spark only needed a gentle blow of air to ignite into fury that spread like wildfire amongst her sisters. It was doubly pleasurable to facilitate given the bloody mouth her warder had given him on the field, and soothed some of the hissing voices clamouring for retribution every time the man entered Zahir’s orbit. Lythia had been elusive since that first meeting. It made the politicking amongst her Ajah sisters necessary, if tiresome. His reputation shone; it was not so hard to polish the gleam. But what he wanted was Lythia’s attention specifically.

As for the others; no-one seemed to know where the Yellow had gone, nor seemed much to care either – she was not, apparently, well liked. If he should need to hunt her down, it meant an easier task at least. The Brown sister, ah, well; she was a softer game, and a sweeter pleasure. The object she had been seen with was not what he sought, but the muted tremors of her fears were too enticing to pass up. The Tower was abuzz with the treaty the Aes Sedai had been barred from. Malaika was one of few who knew personally what peace and tolerance might encourage, or so Zahir blithely nudged her to consider. He could not imagine the creature she must have been with a collar around her pretty little throat.

“For your troubles, gleeman.”

He was crossing the hall towards the grand steps and cool night air when the coin sailed through the shadows. Zahir caught it from the air and flourished a bow.

“Always a pleasure to serve the White Tower,” he said.

He did not read the message until he was snaking through the streets of the Shining City. It sharpened a smile to his lips, and a low laugh in his throat.

Oh, he had work to do.