Under the thin moonlight that slipped through the handful of clouds crossing the night sky, Tariq finally found a moment to himself to think. The cool stone of the bench he sat on and the rougher rock of the servants' dormitory at his back helped him focus. He certainly had enough on his mind to need the help.
Li-Eliska was at the forefront of his thoughts. Even having heard it from her, even hearing the whole story, even having seen her at the ceremony, he still found it hard to believe she was royal. This was the woman who'd gotten the drop on him when they'd first met. The woman who'd yelled at him, not for kissing her but for nearly blowing her cover. How could someone like that have been raised in the harem as a princess?
He wanted to know more, especially about the spy training of hers. But he wasn't about to press her right now. He'd wait until she relaxed again and then strike. He'd learned in his business that going too hard all at once would just end up with the other person clamming up, leaving you with nothing.
Tariq sighed and tilted his head back so he could stare at the stars visible beyond the roofs of the palace. He was torn on the subject of Eliska and didn't like that he was. She was royal and a spy to boot, someone who couldn't be trusted and who was obviously, and he had to admit for good reason, completely loyal to the Sultan. On the other hand, she was intelligent, adaptable and filled with deadly grace. He kept finding himself drawn to her, and part of him wanted to trust her.
If she'd been a man and not a member of the Sultan's family, he'd have tried to hire her or arrange a partnership with her. Or remove him as competition if he'd been in the same business. But she was undeniably female which presented certain...opportunities and temptations he shouldn't even be thinking about. She was the Sultan's sister, one of his favourites. She's was dangerous.
The gentle grinding sound of footsteps across gravel had him shifting so he could see the narrow path that led towards the central portions of the palace. The figure coming around the tree was hard to see in the dark, but as it got closer, the clouds shifted and the full force of the moonlight made the man's face visible.
"Fahim?" Tariq called softly, hoping not to wake anyone.
The scribed faltered, head jerking around to face him. "Akhtar? What are you doing out here so late?"
Tariq shrugged. "I couldn't sleep. How about you?"
Fahim looked around as he closed the distance between them. "The same I guess. I went for a walk around."
"You went to bed pretty early tonight."
"I was tired. I-I guess I just went to bed too early. Couldn't keep sleeping. You know how it is."
The way Fahim kept shifting his weight and looking around told Tariq far more than he thought the other man thought he was giving away. Normally he'd have left it, but whatever Fahim had himself involved in could prove to be useful. So Tariq raised his eyebrows. "Not really. You look a little too wound up to just have been walking, especially if you were trying to head back to sleep. Did something happen?"
Fahim opened his mouth, then closed it. Eyes intent on him, Fahim studied Tariq intently for several seconds. Fahim glanced around before leaning in closer to him. "Can you keep a secret? A really important one?"
Tariq nodded. Finally, he was getting somewhere with the scribes. "Absolutely."
"I wouldn't tell just anyone, you know. But you're smart and I can tell you won't be a scribe for long, same as me. I'm moving up. But before then I've been asked to help out."
"Asked by who? And to help out with what?" Tariq tried to project eagerness and trustworthiness. The former was far easier.
Fahim took a deep breath and released it as a sigh. "I was asked by Sirhan. I've been helping him with some secret and very important work."
Forcing his eyes wide, like he was in awe, Tariq asked, "What kind of work?"
Preening a little, Fahim patted imaginary dirt off his shirt. "This is incredibly important, a national secret in fact." He paused for a moment, for effect Tariq imagined and had to resist the urge to snort. "Sirhan is part of a covert network of spies that work for the Sultan."
Tariq nearly choked but managed to hold it together. Obviously mistaking his stare for one of shock at how important he was, Fahim continued. "Sirhan has me collecting information from the reports and from what I hear around the palace and passing it to him. He in turn passes it to the Sultan or other members of the network. He, Sirhan, said that he can't trust just anyone with this kind of important job but that I was perfect for it. I'll put in a good word or you, and when I've been promoted, I'm sure he'll use you as my replacement. You can even help me now and get a feel for the job before then."
Blinking as his brain finally caught up with Fahim's words, Tariq nodded. "Anything I can do to help. This is for the country, for something bigger than us."
Fahim beamed. "Exactly. And Sirhan told me that he's on the trial of someone nasty, someone hiding in the palace and up to something dark, someone who needs to be stopped."
That had Tariq hiding a frown. He'd have to check with Eliska, but if Sirhan was looking for the blood mage as well, then there was a good chance that he really was working with the Sultan's spies. "Then we need to do all we can," was what he said.
Fahim clasped his shoulder and gave it a brief squeeze. "You're a good man, Akhtar. I'm glad you're on our side."
Tariq forced a smile. His next meeting with Eliska would certainly be interesting, one way or another. Because if Sirhan was part of her network, Tariq would have to really watch his step so he didn't end up dead.