‘I’ll apologize to him someday – if I happen to think about it. I wasn’t really sure whether any of the other messages had reached King Wargun, so I more or less briefed him on everything that’s been happening.’

It had taken a few moments for what they were saying to seep through King Wargun’s awareness. ‘Are you saying that I moved my army on the orders of one single Patriarch – who isn’t even a Thalesian?’ he roared.

‘No, Wargun,’ the huge Patriarch Bergsten said firmly. ‘I fully approve of the actions of the Patriarch of Kadach, so you moved your army on my orders. Would you like to argue with me about it?’

‘Oh,’ Wargun said contritely, ‘that’s different then.’ Patriarch Bergsten was not really the sort one argued with. Wargun moved on quickly. ‘I read over the document a couple of times and decided that a side trip to Cimmura might be in order. I sent Dregos and Obler with the main body of the army on ahead and took the Elenian army back up there so that they could defend their capital city. When we got there, we found the place defended by the common citizens, if you can imagine that, and when I demanded entry, they wouldn’t open the gates for me until that fat one over there gave his approval. To be honest with you, I couldn’t really see where Cimmura was in all that much danger. Those shopkeepers and common workmen were handling themselves in a very professional manner up on those walls, I’ll tell the world. Anyway, I went to the palace to meet with the Earl of Lenda and this pretty young lady who wears the crown. That’s when I saw that rascal over there.’ He pointed at Stragen. ‘He’d hemstitched a fourth cousin of mine with that rapier of his up in Emsat, and I’d put a price on his head – more out of family feeling than for any particular affection for the cousin, since the man made me sick just to look at him. He had a habit of picking his nose in public, and I find that disgusting. He won’t do it any more, though. Stragen skewered him thoroughly. Anyway, I was going to have this rogue hanged, but Ehlana there talked me out of it.’ He took a long drink. ‘Actually,’ he belched, ‘she threatened to declare war on me if I didn’t drop the idea. She’s a very feisty young lady, I discovered.’ He suddenly grinned at Sparhawk. ‘I understand that congratulations are in order, my friend, but I don’t know that I’d take off my armour until you get to know her better.’

‘We know each other very well, Wargun,’ Ehlana said primly. ‘Sparhawk virtually raised me from a baby, so if I sometimes have a few rough edges, you have him to thank for it.’

‘I probably should have suspected something like that,’ Wargun laughed to the others, ‘because when I told Ehlana about what was happening here in Chyrellos, she insisted on bringing her army along to help with the fighting. I absolutely forbade it, and all she did was reach out, tweak my whiskers and say, “That’s all right, Wargun. I’ll race you to Chyrellos then.” Now, I don’t let anyone pull my whiskers, so I was going to spank her right there on the spot, queen or no queen, but then that enormous woman over there stepped in.’ He looked at the woman Sparhawk surmised was Mirtai, the Tamul giantess, and shuddered. ‘I couldn’t believe that she could move that fast. She had a knife to my throat before I could even blink. I tried to explain to Ehlana that I had more than enough men to capture Chyrellos, but she said something about having an investment to protect. I never really got the straight of that. Anyway, we all marched out of Cimmura and joined with Dregos and Obler and came on down here to the Holy City. Now, could somebody explain to me what’s really been happening here?’

‘The usual Church politics,’ Patriarch Emban told him dryly. ‘You know how much our mother adores intrigue. We were fighting a delaying action in the meetings of Hierocracy, manipulating votes, kidnapping Patriarchs – that sort of thing. We were barely able to keep the Primate of Cimmura off the throne, and then Martel showed up and laid siege to the Holy City. We pulled back inside the walls of the inner city for one of those tedious last stands. Things were starting to get serious by the time you arrived last night.’

‘Has Annias been seized as yet?’ King Obler asked.

‘I’m afraid not, Your Majesty,’ Dolmant replied. ‘Martel managed to spirit him out of the city just before dawn.’

‘That’s truly unfortunate,’ Obler sighed. ‘He could still come back and make a serious bid for the Archprelacy then, couldn’t he?’

‘We’d be overjoyed to see him, Your Majesty,’ Dolmant said with a mirthless smile. ‘I’m sure you’ve heard of the connection between Annias and Martel and the suspicions we have about some sort of arrangements between them and Otha. As luck had it, we were able to take the commander of the Archprelate’s personal guard to a place where he could overhear Annias and Martel talking. The colonel’s completely neutral, and everybody knows it. Once he reports what he heard to the Hierocracy, Annias will be expelled from the Church – at the very least.’ He paused. ‘Now then,’ he went on, ‘the Zemochs are massed in eastern Lamorkand as a part of the arrangement between Otha and Annias. As soon as Otha finds out that their plans have gone awry here in Chyrellos, he’ll start to march west. I’d suggest that we do something about that.’

‘Have we any idea of which way Annias went?’ Ehlana asked, her eyes glittering.

‘He and Martel took Princess Arissa and your cousin Lycheas, and they’re all running to Otha for protection, My Queen,’ Sparhawk told her.

‘Is there any way you could intercept them?’ she demanded fiercely.

‘We can try, Your Majesty,’ he shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t hold out much hope, though.’

‘I want him, Sparhawk,’ she said fiercely.

‘I’m very sorry, Your Majesty,’ Patriarch Dolmant interposed, ‘but Annias has committed crimes against the Church. We get him first.’

‘So that you can lock him away in some monastery to pray and sing hymns the rest of his life?’ she asked with disdain. ‘I have much more interesting plans for him, Your Grace. Believe me, if I get my hands on him first, I will not surrender him to the Church – at least not until I’ve finished with him. After that, you can have what’s left.’

‘That will do, Ehlana,’ Dolmant told her sharply. ‘You’re right on the verge of open disobedience to the Church. Don’t make the mistake of pushing this too far. In point of fact, though, it’s not a monastery that’s waiting for Annias. The nature of the crimes he’s committed against the Church merits burning at the stake.’