‘Something for everybody,’ Sarabian said dryly.

‘So thought Ogerajin and Zalasta,’ Xanetia agreed. ‘They had, however, reckoned not upon the nature of Cyrgon. They soon found that he would in no wise consent to the secondary role they had in mind for him. Cyrgon doth command; he doth not follow. He did set his high priest, one Ekatas, over his new allies, telling them that Ekatas spoke for him in all things. Zalasta did secretly laugh at the God’s simplicity, thinking that the High Priest Ekatas would, like all the Cyrgai, die with the step which took him over the unseen line in the sand. Ekatas, however, had no need of crossing the line. With Cyrgon’s aid, did he travel with his mind, not his body, and could he observe and direct without leaving Cyrga. Truly, the mind of Ekatas can reach across vast distances, not only to convey the will of Cyrgon, but to advise the diverse cohorts of what hath occurred elsewhere.’

‘That explains how the word that we were coming got from one end of Cynesga to the other so fast,’ Bevier said. ‘We sort of wondered how they were keeping ahead of us.’

‘Now,’ Xanetia pressed on, ‘though they are outcast and despised, Ogerajin and the others are still Styrics, and the Styrics are not a war-like people. Their efforts had concentrated on deception and misdirection previously. Cyrgon, however, is a war-God, and he did command them to raise armies to confront the Atans, who are the strong arm of the Empire. Then were the outcasts of Verel nonplussed, for Cyrgon gave the command, but no guidance. Zalasta, who had traveled much in Eosia, did suggest to Ekatas that Cyrgon might deceive the Trolls and bring them to northern Tamuli, and Cyrgon did readily consent. Still he demanded more. Ynak of Lydros, who doth ever carry that cloud of dissension with him, could fan the fires of discontent in all of Tamuli, but so contentious is his nature that none would willingly follow him. Armies require generals, and Styrics are not gifted in that profession. I do not say this to give offense, Sephrenia,’ she added quickly. Both Xanetia and Sephrenia were being very careful about that.

‘I’m not offended, Xanetia. I like soldiers, mind you…’ Her eyes flickered toward Vanion. ‘Some of them, anyway, but I really think the world might be a nicer place without them.’

‘Bite your tongue,’ Ulath told her. ‘If we couldn’t be soldiers, we’d all have to go out and find honest work.’

Xanetia smiled. ‘It was in desperation – for Cyrgon did grow impatient – that Zalasta did journey to Arjuna to enlist his son Scarpa in the enterprise. Now Scarpa was unlike his father in that he did willingly – even eagerly – resort to violence. His years as a performer in shabby carnivals had taught him the skills of swaying crowds of people by eloquence and by his commanding presence. His profession, however, was held in low regard, and this did pain him deeply, for Scarpa hath an exalted opinion of himself.’

‘He does indeed, little lady,’ Caalador agreed. ‘If what the thieves of Arjuna tell me is anywhere close to being accurate, Scarpa probably believes that he could fly or walk on water if he just set his mind to it.’

‘Truly,’ she agreed. ‘He hath, moreover, a deep contempt for the Gods and a profound hatred of women.’

‘That’s not uncommon among bastards,’ Stragen said clinically. ‘Some of us blame our mothers – or our Gods – for our social unacceptability. Fortunately, I never fell into that trap. But then, I’m so witty and charming that I didn’t have the usual inadequacies to try to explain away.’

‘I hate it when he does that,’ Baroness Melidere said.

‘It’s only a plain fact, my dear Baroness.’ He grinned at her. ‘False modesty is so unbecoming, don’t you think?’

‘Be clever on your own time, Stragen,’ Ehlana chided. ‘Did Zalasta tell his son all the details of this conspiracy, Anarae?’

‘Yes, your Majesty. Given the nature of the two, there was surprising candor between them. Scarpa, however, was very young and had an exaggerated notion of his own cleverness, although Zalasta did quickly realize that the rudimentary Styric spells which he had imparted to his son during his infrequent visits to Arjuna might serve to deceive rural bumpkins, but they would scarce be adequate for the business at hand. Therefore, took he his son to Verel to place him under the tutelage of Ogerajin.’

‘When was this, Anarae?’ Caalador asked curiously.

‘Perhaps five years since, Master Caalador.’

‘Then it fits together with what we found out. It was almost exactly five years ago that Scarpa disappeared from Arjuna. Then a couple of years later he came back and started stirring up trouble.’

‘It was a short education,’ Xanetia said, ‘but Scarpa hath a quick mind. In truth, it was his tutor who did suspend his training, for Ogerajin was much offended by the young man’s arrogance.’

‘This Scarpa sounds like the sort you have to stand in line to hate,’ Talen noted. ‘I’ve never met him, and I already dislike him.’

‘Zalasta was also taken somewhat aback by his son’s abrasive nature,’ Xanetia told them, ‘and thinking to awe him into some measure of civility, he did take him to Cyrga that he might come to know their master. Cyrgon did question the young man closely, and then, evidently satisfied, did he instruct him in the task before him. Scarpa came away with no more respect for the God of the Cyrgai than he had felt ‘ere they met, and Zalasta hath lost what small regard he previously had for his son. It is now in his mind that should their conspiracy succeed, Scarpa will not long survive the victory.’ She paused. ‘An it please thee to view it so, Sephrenia, thy vengeance hath already had its beginning. Zalasta is a hollow man with no God and with none in all the world to love him or to call him friend. Even the scant affection he had for his son is now witherèd, and he is empty and alone.’

Two great tears welled up in Sephrenia’s eyes, but then she angrily dashed them away with the back of her hand. ‘It’s not enough, Anarae,’ she said adamantly.

‘You’ve spent too much time with Elenes, little mother,’ Sarabian said. That startled Sparhawk just a bit. He could not be sure if the brilliant, erratic Tamul Emperor used that affectionate term deliberately, or if it had been a slip of the tongue.

‘Who recruited the others, Anarae?’ Vanion asked, smoothly moving away from a slightly touchy situation.

‘It was Scarpa, Lord Vanion,’ she replied. ‘Cyrgon had directed him to seek out confederates to stir rebellion in western Tamuli, thus to bar the way should Anakha come with the armies of the Church, for Cyrgon would not willingly pit his cherished Cyrgai against such as ye. Now Scarpa did know a certain out-at-the-elbows Dacite nobleman who, plagued by gambling debts and the ungentle urgings of his creditors to settle accounts, did flee from Daconia and conceal himself for a time in the very Arjuni carnival where Scarpa did practice his dubious art. This scruffy nobleman, Baron Parok by name, did Scarpa seek out on his return home from Cyrga. Parok, desperate out of all measure, soon willingly fell in with his former associate, for the inducements Scarpa offered were enticing. Consulted then the unscrupulous pair with the debauched Styrics at Verel and followed their counsel to seek out the merchant Amador in Edom and the poet Elron in Astel, both men being much taken with themselves and resentful of the station in life which fate had assigned them.’

Bevier was frowning. ‘We’ve encountered both of them, Anarae, and neither one strikes me as a natural leader. Were they the best Scarpa could find?’

‘Their selection was determined by their willingness to cooperate, Sir Knight. The ability to sway men with words and that commanding presence which doth draw all eyes to the one in question can be elevated by certain Styric spells. Unimpressive though they are, it was the quality of desperation in them which Scarpa did seek. Both Amador and Elron suffered agonies by reason of their insignificance, and both were willing, even eager, to go to any lengths to exalt themselves.’

‘We see it all the time in Thalesia, Bevier,’ Ulath explained. ‘We call it “the little man’s complaint”. Avin Wargunsson’s a perfect example. He’d rather die than be ignored.’

‘Amador’s not all that short,’ Talen pointed out.

‘There are all kinds of littleness, Talen,’ Ulath said. ‘How did Count Gerrich in Lamorkand get involved, Anarae? And why?’

‘He was recruited by Scarpa on Zalasta’s instruction, Sir Ulath. Zalasta thought to stir discord and turmoil on the Eosian Continent to persuade the Church of Chyrellos that her interests required that Anakha be dispatched to Tamuli to seek out the roots of the disturbances. Of all of them, only Zalasta hath his feet planted on both continents, and only he doth understand the thinking of thy Church. In truth, Elron and Amador are but pawns, knowing little of the true scope of the enterprise they have joined. Baron Parok is more knowledgeable, but he is still not privy to all their designs. Count Gerrich is peripheral. He follows his own purposes, which only occasionally match the purposes of his colleagues here in Tamuli.’

‘You almost have to admire them,’ Caalador said. ‘This is the most complicated and well-organized swindle I’ve ever heard of.’

‘But it all fell apart when Xanetia opened the door to Zalasta’s mind,’ Kalten said. ‘As soon as we found out that he’s been on the other side all along, the whole thing began to crumble.’ He thought of something. ‘How did Krager get mixed up in this?’

‘Count Gerrich did suggest him to Scarpa,’ Xanetia replied. ‘Gerrich had found the one called Krager useful in times past.’

‘Yes,’ Ulath said. ‘We saw him being useful outside the walls of Baron Alstrom’s castle in Lamorkand. Martel’s still coming back to haunt us, isn’t he, Sparhawk?’

‘How much did my Minister of the Interior and the other traitors really know about all of this, Anarae?’ Sarabian asked.

‘Almost nothing, Majesty. In the main they did believe that their activities were but a part of the ongoing struggle between Foreign Minister Oscagne and Interior Minister Kolata. Kolata offered them profit, and so they did follow him.’

‘Ordinary palace politics then,’ Sarabian mused. ‘I suppose I’ll have to keep that in mind at their trials. They weren’t really disloyal, only corrupt.’

‘All except for Kolata, your Majesty,’ Itagne noted. ‘His involvement almost had to have gone deeper than simple garden-variety political bickering, wouldn’t it?’

‘Kolata was a dupe, Itagne of Matherion,’ Xanetia corrected. ‘It was Teovin who was ever Zalasta’s man at court. It was to him that the one called Krager did bring Zalasta’s instruction, and Teovin did tell Kolata only so much as it was needful for him to know.’

‘This brings us to the coup-attempt,’ Ehlana said. ‘Krager told Sparhawk that it wasn’t intended to succeed – that it was only designed to force us to reveal our strengths and weaknesses. Was he actually telling the truth?’

‘In part, Majesty,’ Xanetia replied. ‘In the main, however, was Zalasta uncertain about the truth of Anakha’s declaration that he had cast Bhelliom into the sea. Sought he by raising rebellion in the streets of Matherion and endangering all whom Anakha held most dear to force him to reveal whether or no he still did possess the jewel.’

‘We played right into his hands by going after it, then, didn’t we?’ Khalad suggested.

‘I don’t think so,’ Sparhawk disagreed. ‘We’d never have found out about Bhelliom’s awareness if we’d left it where it was. That’s the thing that nobody knew about – except possibly Aphrael. Azash didn’t seem to know about it, and neither does Cyrgon. I doubt that either one would have been so interested in it if they’d known that it might resist their commands – even to the point of obliterating this world if necessary.’

‘All right,’ Khalad said. ‘Now we know what’s led up to all this. What happens next?’

‘That lieth in the future, Khalad of Demos,’ Xanetia replied, ‘and the future is concealed from all. Know, however, that our enemies are in disarray. Zalasta’s position as advisor to the imperial government was at the core of all their plans.’

‘How quickly will he be able to recover, Sephrenia?’ Ehlana asked. ‘You know him better than anyone. Will he be able to strike back immediately?’

‘Possibly,’ Sephrenia said, ‘but whatever he does won’t be very well thought out. Zalasta’s a Styric, and we don’t react well to surprises. He’ll flounder for a while – destroying mountains and setting lakes on fire – before he gets hold of himself.’

‘We should hit him again, then,’ Bevier observed. ‘We shouldn’t allow him to recover his balance.’

‘Here’s a thought,’ Sarabian said. ‘After we went through the secret files of the Interior Ministry, we decided to pick up only the top level of conspirators – the police chiefs and administrators in the various towns for the most part. We didn’t bother with the toadies and informers – largely because we didn’t have enough jail-space. The Interior Ministry was central to the whole conspiracy, I think, and now Zalasta and his friends will probably be forced to rely on the scrapings we left behind. If I send the Atans out to make a more thorough sweep, won’t that push Zalasta off balance all the more?’

‘Let him start to settle down first, Sarabian,’ Sephrenia advised. ‘Right now he’s so enraged that he probably wouldn’t even notice.’

‘Is Norkan still on the Isle of Tega?’ Vanion asked suddenly.

‘No,’ Ehlana replied. ‘I got tired of the forged letters he was sending me from there, so we sent him back to Atan.’

‘Good. I think we’d better get word of Zalasta’s treachery to him as quickly as possible. Betuana really needs to know about it.’

‘I’ll see to it, Vanion-Preceptor,’ Engessa promised.

‘Thank you, Engessa-Atan. If that little outburst in the throne-room is any indication of his present state of mind, Zalasta’s totally out of control right now.’

‘Infuriated to the brink of insanity,’ Sephrenia agreed. It was the first time she had spoken directly to Vanion since the rupture between them. That fact gave Sparhawk some hope.

‘He’ll almost have to do something then, won’t he?’ Vanion asked her. ‘In his present state, inaction would be unbearable.’