mansion. "I don't care. The city's not the same any more. The street gangs are everywhere, now—all the servants say so—bolder than ever. And—and—"
She groped for words. Kata's cloistered existence—using the term "cloistered" loosely—didn't really give her much of a clear understanding of Vanbert's politics. But even a young concubine, whose life experience since her capture from barbarians at the age of fourteen had been restricted to a wealthy nobleman's villa, could sense that the capital had become dangerous. Even for a man as powerful as Jeschonyk. Perhaps especially for a man like Jeschonyk.
For a moment, the old politician simply basked in the warmth of her concern. His relationship with Kata had changed, subtly, over the past few months. He'd even found himself—quite often, in fact—spending his nights alone with her, instead of in his usual orgiastic custom.
Still, she was a concubine. More to the point, she was young—and truly innocent of the ways of the world. So there was really no way that Jeschonyk could explain, in any words that would mean anything to her.
In truth, he barely understood it himself. Rather to his surprise, Ion Jeschonyk had discovered
She groped for words. Kata's cloistered existence—using the term "cloistered" loosely—didn't really give her much of a clear understanding of Vanbert's politics. But even a young concubine, whose life experience since her capture from barbarians at the age of fourteen had been restricted to a wealthy nobleman's villa, could sense that the capital had become dangerous. Even for a man as powerful as Jeschonyk. Perhaps especially for a man like Jeschonyk.
For a moment, the old politician simply basked in the warmth of her concern. His relationship with Kata had changed, subtly, over the past few months. He'd even found himself—quite often, in fact—spending his nights alone with her, instead of in his usual orgiastic custom.
Still, she was a concubine. More to the point, she was young—and truly innocent of the ways of the world. So there was really no way that Jeschonyk could explain, in any words that would mean anything to her.
In truth, he barely understood it himself. Rather to his surprise, Ion Jeschonyk had discovered