“Personal business.” Shari sniffed, disapproving. “I tell you, once Greve finally expires, Morgan will be hard-pressed to justify his lacksadaisical attitude.”

Shari Frieden really was a miserable sow. Morgan, you idiot, why won’t you be more careful? “You’re too harsh.”

“And you, Venette, are too lenient!” Sallis said. “But I didn’t request this meeting to discuss your shortcomings.”

“Which is just as well for you, Sallis, since I would then feel obliged to point out a few of your flaws, such as how it came about that Morgan’s pending incants were not presented for patenting with Brahn Sorvold’s, and the rest!”

“What?” said Sallis, flushing dark red. “Do you imply my conduct has been somehow improper?”

“Imply? No. I claim it as fact. Both you and Shari have deliberately obstructed Morgan’s progress.”

Shari gasped. “That is untrue!”

“I beg to differ.”

Shari turned to Brice. “This is outrageous! Lord Varen, you are derelict in your duty. Will you sit there saying nothing while Lady Martain questions not only my integrity, but—”

“Enough,” Brice said, his eyes hooded and cold. “Another word, Lady Frieden, and I will censure you. Lady Martain, have you proof to support such a grave accusation?”

“She does not,” said Sallis, white about the mouth. “For there is none.”

Brice folded his hands upon the table. “I will decide that. Lady Martain?”

Taking a moment to choose the approach that would best suit her ends, Venette looked through the nearest window at the morning’s damp, cloudy sky. Elvado in the rain had a different, paler kind of beauty, like a watercolour painting trapped under glass.

Morgan won’t thank me for this. But I can’t let Sallis and Shari think they play their petty games unnoticed. I promised Haeth I’d look out for her son.

Besides. Brice should know how his Council was conducting itself. Or, if he already knew, must be made to show his hand. Either his support of Morgan was genuine, or it wasn’t. It was time she knew which.

“Lady Martain.”

She’d tried Brice’s patience far enough. Looking back, she made no effort to hide her disdain for Shari and Sallis. “Morgan’s pending incants should’ve been considered for a full Council vote. They were not, even though they were submitted long before those other mages’ work came to our attention. That they weren’t is a travesty and—”

Shari slapped the table. “That is a lie! Sallis and I did consider them, and found them unsatisfactory.”

And that was too easy. “When, Shari? Not during the one patent meeting I couldn’t attend, by any chance?”

“Is that true?” said Brice, deceptively mild, as Shari and Sallis sat uncomfortably silent. “Did you wait until Venette was absent before discounting Morgan’s incants?”