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,Of course."
Thank him? Mist thought. He's been thanked already.
But only he and I know, Lord Ch'ien. I'm sorry, old friend, but I'm going to
disappoint your secret ambition. Lord Ssu-ma is a better man for the job. But
your turn will come. I promise you that. You've served me long and well. Be
patient. I never forget my friends.
She reflected on old friends in the west, friends who would be ill-served if
Lord Hsung had his way. She hoped Bragi would interpret her gesture
positively.
20
Year 1016 AFE; As the Sparks Ry Upward
Credence abaca foldedhis hands, closed his eyes. ,Read the last part again."
His aide went back to the report delivered by Michael Trebilcock's messenger.
,Tonight, eh? Here's what you do. Have the carpenters rig a sixteen-man
gibbet. Send Blakely's company down there in civilian clothes. Tell him to
grab the shit disturbers the minute they start sounding off. Give them to
Trebilcock." Michael's report predicted rioting in the Arsen Street area.
,You know what this is, don't you?" Abaca asked. ,A diversion set up by the
Estates. The main show will take place somewhere else. They want to test me.
Send that back to Trebilcock. Have Adam pass the word to stay alert. Oh. Ask
Trebilcock where else we might expect trouble."
The riots began exactly as Michael predicted. Abaca was quick and merciless.
His gibbet collapsed under an over- load. Bodies were left lying in the
streets. People were appalled and intimidated when they had time to reflect.
Abaca's prophecy proved correct. The rioting was a diversion for a band of men
who tried to raid Castle Krief. They were supposed to free the Queen and
spirit her into hiding in western Kavelin. They perished in the attempt.
,Perfect end to an ill-conceived plot," Abaca observed next morning. ,We win
the first test of strength. Next time they won't underestimate me. What's
holding up break- fast?"
Dan] picked up Gales coming off the Great Bridge into the Wharf Street South
district of Itaskia. Gales was a day later than Haas expected. He had had time
to contact his king's friends in the Itaskian government.
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He had been surprised to find them eager to help. The man assigned to aid him
was a Colonel from the War
Ministry staff. He brought a team of thirty men with him. He took one look at
Gales and told Dahl, ,That's no infantry sergeant, Captain."
,Sir?"
,The name is right. Josiah Gales. But he's a colonel in the Greyfells family
forces. One of the Duke's top men. We thought he'd been eliminated. He's been
missing for several years. Let's get back to the Ministry and review what you
remember about his friends."
,He's a Greyfells agent, then?"
,Yes. A good man, too. He's wasted on them. The rumor is, he sticks with them
because he's in love with Inger, and because he thinks he owes them for a
lapse of his while guarding her when she was young."
Dahl said, ,I think you've answered most of the King's questions already."
,You sound happy."
,I was afraid I'd have to hang around for months. I left a lady friend...."
Dahl blushed.
,I see. Before you run back to her, give us a few days. With your help maybe
we can scuttle this thing from this end. Chop off the dragon's head, as it
were. We knew the Greyfells lot were up to something, but we couldn't pin it
down. We expected it to be something here. Can you stay?"
,Of course. I want to ride up north while I'm here. King Bragi has some
property up the river. I have relatives there."
,I know the place. We used to have troops garrisoned there. It's abandoned
now, except for a few farmers. Your relatives farmer types?"
Dahl nodded. ,My father gave them his share of the property. You sure your men
will keep track of Gales?"
,Better than you could. Let's go over what you know today. Go see your
relatives tomorrow. I'll give you a full report when you get back. We can go
over any new ques- tions, then you can head home."
,Sounds good to me." Dahl was eager to see the old place. He'd been happy
there. He hoped he could recapture the feel of the past.
The news Bragi was awaiting finally came from Maisak. The Dread Empire legion
stationed at Gog-Ahlan, a ruined city at the eastern mouth of the Savernake
Gap, was pulling out. ,We move in the morning," he announced. ,Up to Maisak."
Sir Gjerdrum looked at him askance. Baron Hardle asked, ,Why the hurry?"
,Even a fast rider needs a week to get from Gog-Ahlan to Baxendala. We want to
make some noise while there's still somebody to see us."
,I have a bad feeling about this," Gjerdrum said. ,Some- thing doesn't smell
right."
,What?"
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,Just a hunch. Nothing I can put a finger on."
,Ahead of us or behind us?" Ragnarson had the same feel- ing, but his
intuition hadn't told him which way to jump.
,Can't say. There were those riots the other day."
The news had arrived quickly, via the watchfire telegraph running from Maisak
to the capital.
,That don't seem like a problem. Credence cleaned up on them."
,Maybe it's because there are too many variables. The factionalism at home.
Megelin and Norath. Yasmid. Hsung. Mist. Too many people pulling too many
directions."
,That may be. Even so, we move up tomorrow. Try to look fierce, eh?"
Aral cantered to where Michael awaited him. This would be their first ride
since last week's riots. ,Long time no see," Michael said cheerfully. Aral
scowled and grumped. ,What's the matter? It's a beautiful day. Was the storm
yesterday more your style?"
,I was up late last night."
,You have a partner. Let him run things. You're supposed to be staying
respectable, anyway."
,Wasn't that. I was talking to some smugglers. Some back from delivering your
weapons, some in from Throyes."
,And?"
,They say it's going to blow up out there. Hsung has his mind made up. He's
going ahead despite orders and good sense."
,Not a lot we can do about that, is there? So why the long face?"
,I'm scared the King will get another wild hair."
,Come on."
,He's changed, Mike. He's making the long bets without thinking. He's getting
arrogant about his luck. Taking chances when he doesn't have to. Maybe being
King has gone to his head."
Michael couldn't disagree. ,He does tend to ignore ad- vice when it isn't what
he wants to hear."
,I'll let you in on something, Mike. Our organization isn't betting on him.
We're moving our money out of Kavelin. We don't think he's going to last."
,Why not? Everything is under control. I have the trou- blemakers spotted. In
a month or so...." He dropped it. Aral didn't need to know about the Harish.
,I'm saying that one more long bet and a lot of people are going to give up on
him. And a lot more will try to make something out of it. He needs to take a
more realistic approach to dealing with people, too. He's got to make themwant
to work with him. He did that while he was Marshall."
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,The mess isn't all his fault. There are some people sabotaging everything
they can. They're doing their damnedest to make him look bad."
,I can guess who. There's a lot of Itaskian gold floating around my part of [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]