blandly as he could manage.Heis very comely, Laral agreed. Essendri blood runs true in him.He eyed Riodan curiously. You didnt wait for my uncle to giveyou leave to speak to Minister Dimas. I saw you talking with himearlier. And he looked most uncomfortable with what you werediscussing.Ionly alluded to his fondness for gaming, Riodan evenly replied.Soyouve heard tales of his frequent visits to the halls, Sivarsaid. He shook his head. I have cautioned him oft enough to bemore prudent with his wagers. His family is well off but not so muchthat he can afford to make a habit of such a ruinous sport.Ihear Lord Malkon also enjoys the occasional evening trying his luckat the tables, Riodan idly mentioned.Doeshe? Sivar shrugged. Perhaps he does. I dont keep track ofMalkons activities. He has his own pursuits, and I have mine.Riodansaid no more, but he did not miss the furtive glance Laral sent hiscousins way.** * *Heand Dylen compared notes during the midday meal back at the Ylandrinembassy. They fell into the habit without ever saying a word,something Riodan hopefully thought was a sign that their affinity oflong ago was still intact.Riodanwatched with fond indulgence as Dylen attacked his meal with delight.Despite all the pressures and tension of fulfilling their mission,Dylen was enjoying what he could of Asmara to the hilt. It was aconscious decision born of the twin reasonings that the experiencemight not come his way again, and though it had been against hiswill, he might as well make the most of it now that he was here.Perhapsnothing had made it as easy for Dylen to appreciate the culture ofthe southern lands as the cuisine. And, having been exposed tosophisticated dishes for years, he was quick to enjoy the differencesin flavor preferences. Slightly spicier than most North Continentfare and given to more adventurous combinations of ingredients andseasonings, the food south of the continental divide was pleasinglyexotic for a Deir whohadnot sojourned abroad before.Today,they dined on fillets of whitefish poached in a surprisingly tart andpiquant broth followed by peppery herb-encrusted roehart medallionsroasted to a rare turn with mashed purple tubers garnished withsweet-tangy garnet plum puree on the side. And to end the meal, therewas a rich cake of sweetened curd cheese in a biscuit crust toppedwith a melange of fruits cooked in syrup.Theyproceeded to discuss what they had learned thus far as they sippedthe southerners favorite post-prandial beverage. Kahviwas a hot aromatic brew with a rich, slightly bitter flavor and wasequally delicious taken with or without the sweetened condensed milkthe Asmarans were fond of using in their various desserts andconfectionery. Riodan grinned when Dylen displayed his predilectionfor the sweet version, adding the milk to his kahviwith a lavish hand.Whatdid Amir have to say? Dylen asked after taking a sip.Hesaware of the problem, Riodan reported. And he did questionDimas about it after we lodged our complaint. But apparently Dimasexplanation for his actions satisfied Amir, and so he didnt pressthe issue further.Dylenpursed his lips. What explanation did Dimas give?Officially?That it would be in Asmaras best interests to periodicallyreassess such agreements, and rather than do a shoddy job