‘That’s probably what Annias hopes you’ll do,’ Lenda told him. ‘Then he’ll have every justification for disbanding the militant orders. Most of the Church Knights will obey the Archprelate’s command to disband. The rest of you will be outlaws, and Annias will let the commons know that you’re keeping the one thing that will stave off Otha. As I said, it’s very clever.’

‘Sparhawk,’ Ehlana said in a ringing voice, ‘when you get to Chyrellos, I want Annias apprehended on the charge of high treason. I want him delivered to me in chains. Bring Arissa and Lycheas as well.’

‘Lycheas is already here, My Queen.’

‘I know that. Take him with you to Demos and imprison him with his mother. I want him to have plenty of time to describe the present circumstances to Arissa.’

‘It’s a useful idea, Your Majesty,’ Vanion said delicately, ‘but we’ll hardly have enough force in Chyrellos to take Annias into custody right at first.’

‘I know that, Lord Vanion, but if the arrest warrant and the specification of charges is delivered to Patriarch Dolmant, it may help him in delaying the election. He can always call for a Church investigation of the charges, and those things take time.’

Lenda rose and bowed to Sparhawk. ‘My boy,’ he said, ‘no matter what else you may have done or may yet do, your finest work sits upon that throne. I’m proud of you, Sparhawk.’

‘I think we’d better start moving,’ Vanion said. ‘We’ve got a lot of preparations to make.’

‘I’ll have copies of the warrant for the Primate’s arrest in your hands by the third hour after midnight, Lord Vanion,’ Lenda promised, ‘along with a number of others. We have a splendid opportunity here to clean up the kingdom. Let’s not waste it.’

‘Berit,’ Sparhawk said. ‘My armour’s in that room over there. Take it back to the chapterhouse, if you would please. I think I’m going to need it.’

‘Of course, Sir Sparhawk.’ Berit’s eyes, however, were still flat and unfriendly.

‘Stay a moment, Sparhawk,’ Ehlana said as they all started towards the door. He dropped behind the others and waited until the door closed.

‘Yes, My Queen,’ he said.

‘You must be so very, very careful, my beloved,’ she said with her heart in her eyes. ‘I’d die if I lost you now.’ Mutely, she held out her arms to him.

He crossed to where she sat and embraced her. Her kiss was fierce. ‘Go quickly, Sparhawk,’ she said in a voice near to tears. ‘I don’t want you to see me crying.’

Chapter 7

They left for Demos shortly after sunrise the following morning, riding at a jingling trot with a forest of pennontipped lances strung out behind them as the hundred Pandions rode resolutely eastward.

‘It’s a good day to be on the road,’ Vanion said, looking around at the sun-drenched fields. ‘I just wish – Oh, well.’

‘How are you feeling now, Vanion?’ Sparhawk asked his old friend.

‘Much better,’ the Preceptor replied. ‘I’ll be honest with you, Sparhawk. Those swords were very, very heavy. They gave me some fairly strong hints of what it’s going to be like to grow old.’

‘You’ll live forever, my friend,’ Sparhawk smiled.

‘I certainly hope not, not if it means feeling the way I felt when I was carrying those swords.’

They rode on in silence for a while.

‘This is a long chance, Vanion,’ Sparhawk said sombrely. ‘We’re going to be badly outnumbered in Chyrellos, and if Otha starts across Lamorkand, it’s going to be a close race between him and Wargun. Whichever one gets to Chyrellos first will win.’

‘I think we’re getting very close to one of those articles of the faith, Sparhawk. We’re going to have to trust God in this. I’m sure He doesn’t want Annias to be Archprelate, and I’m very sure he doesn’t want Otha in the streets of Chyrellos.’

‘Let’s hope not.’

Talen and Berit were riding not far behind. Over the months, a certain friendship had grown up between the novice and the young thief, a friendship based in part upon the fact that they were both a bit uncomfortable in the presence of their elders.

‘Exactly what’s this election business all about, Berit?’ Talen asked. ‘What I’m getting at is how does it work exactly? I’m a little shaky on that sort of thing.’

Berit straightened in his saddle. ‘All right, Talen,’ he said, ‘when the old Archprelate dies, the Patriarchs of the Hierocracy gather in the Basilica. Most of the other high Churchmen are there as well, and the kings of Eosia are usually also present. Each of the kings makes a short speech at the beginning, but no one else is permitted to speak during the Hierocracy’s deliberations – only the Patriarchs, and they’re the only ones who have votes.’

‘You mean that the Preceptors can’t even vote?’

‘The Preceptors are Patriarchs, young man,’ Perraine said from just behind them.

‘I didn’t know that. I wondered why everybody sort of stepped aside for the Church Knights. How is it that Annias is running the Church in Cimmura then? Where’s the Patriarch?’

‘Patriarch Udale is ninety-three years old, Talen,’ Berit explained. ‘He’s still alive, but we’re not sure he even knows his own name. He’s being cared for in the Pandion Mother-house at Demos.’

‘That makes it difficult for Annias, doesn’t it? As a Primate, he can’t talk – or vote, and there’s no way he can poison this Udale if he’s in the Mother-house.’

‘That’s why he needs money. He has to buy people to do his talking – and his voting – for him.’

‘Wait a minute. Annias is only a Primate, isn’t he?’

‘That’s right.’

Talen frowned. ‘If he’s only a Primate and the others are Patriarchs, how does he think he stands a chance at election?’

‘A Churchman doesn’t have to be a Patriarch to ascend the throne of the Church. On several occasions, some simple village priest has become the Archprelate.’

‘It’s all very complicated, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it just be simpler for us to move in with the army and put the man we want on the throne?’

‘That’s been tried in the past. It never really worked out. I don’t think God approves.’