A Magic of Twilight

The man nodded. Justi saw ca’Cellibrecca taking in the soiled clothing, the mud spattering his boots, the weariness in the man’s stance as he wiped uselessly at stubble on his face.

“I’ve come from Ville Colhelm on the border, riding hard and constant for a hand of days now with little sleep. I don’t know how many mounts I’ve killed under me getting here this quickly. .” He stopped.

Licked his lips. “The army of Firenzcia has crossed the River Clario in force and overrun Ville Colhelm. They are even now moving toward Nessantico. The Garde Civile were routed at the bridge, far outnumbered. We lost a third of our men trying to hold the bridge before A’Offizier ca’Montmorte ordered the retreat. He sent me to give the Kraljiki the news; the rest of the troops with A’Offizer ca’Montmorte are falling back toward Passe a’Fiume, planning to stay there to await orders and reinforcements.”

“You say the Hirzg was with them?” Justi prompted the man. “And war-teni as well?”

“The division we met was flying the banner of the Hirzg, my Kraljiki,”

the soldier answered. “We’re certain he is with them, though we didn’t see him during the battle. And they had many war-teni with themthey were devastating. We had nothing to counter them. Nothing.”

Justi nodded. “I want to thank you greatly for your service,” he told the man. “Go-get some food and rest. We’ll need you later.”

The man saluted both Justi and the commandant, then gave the sign of Cenzi to the Archigos. Ca’Rudka opened the door and closed it after the offizier. As the door closed, Justi turned back to ca’Cellibrecca.

The Archigos’ face was drained of color. He looked years older as he stared at Justi. “But the message birds we’ve received. .”

“. . were meant to deceive us, as the commandant suspected all along. If I hadn’t ordered troops to the border-against your express advice, as you may recall, Archigos-then we might never have known what ca’Vorl intended until his army reached the A’Sele. So, Archigos. .” The anger burned in Justi, sullen.

It was ca’Rudka who spoke: quietly, saying the words that were in Justi’s mind also. “I have to wonder, Archigos, how it is that the Hirzg has war-teni with his army-war-teni who would have been trained in Brezno, in your temple, under your U’Teni cu’Kohnle.”

“Commandant, you’re not suggesting. .” Ca’Cellibrecca’s voice trailed off and his gaze moved to Justi as if looking for support. Justi simply stared at the Archigos, whose hand pressed against the base of his throat as if trying to stop his words. The man blanched even more; his skin seemed to be the shade of the alabaster statues in the corridors. “Certainly I knew about the maneuvers, Commandant, Kraljiki,” ca’Cellibrecca continued. “As did your matarh. But that is all they were supposed to be: maneuvers. I certainly didn’t know the Hirzg’s intentions when I granted permission for the war-teni to accompany him.

The war-teni should have returned to Brezno when it was apparent that the Hirzg threatened the peace of the Holdings; to do otherwise was a blatant disobedience of standing orders, and U’Teni cu’Kohnle will be appropriately punished if it is true. Cu’Kohnle must have gone rogue, or perhaps worse has happened to him.”

“Indeed,” Justi said. “I would hate to believe that he was following orders you gave to him.”

“Kraljiki. .” Ca’Cellibrecca rose now, calming himself visibly. Justi nearly snorted at the obviousness of it. The Archigos arranged himself in a pose of wounded pride, his right hand spread and pressed against his chest. “If you’re accusing someone of treason, then I wonder why you aren’t instead looking at the man beside you. It wasn’t me who lost so many of the Numetodo enemies of the state, including their leader.”

“Attempting to deflect attention, are we, Archigos?” ca’Rudka asked. The commandant’s tone was offhand, his posture casual as he leaned against the wall next to the door. He rubbed at his sculpted, silver nose. “I’ve already made my apology to the Kraljiki and accepted the blame for my failure. But a few dozen heretics cowering in the shadows of Oldtown is hardly the equal of an army massing on Nessantico’s doorstep.”

“Shut up, both of you.” Justi glowered at the two men: as ca’Rudka bowed his head; as ca’Cellibrecca sat once more. “Archigos, I’ve come here to ask you one simple question-do you stand with me?”

“If you don’t,” ca’Rudka interjected, “then perhaps the Archigos would enjoy one of the cells the Numetodo have so recently vacated.”

“Commandant!” Justi snapped, and ca’Rudka shrugged. “Archigos, an answer, please.”

Ca’Cellibrecca spread his hands as if in blessing. “I can assure the Kraljiki that he has my complete devotion.” He seemed to attempt a conspiratorial smile; it failed utterly, collapsing into an uncertain frown.

“After all, my Francesca. .”

“Your daughter has nothing to do with this,” Justi told him. “I’m certain she would as easily be persuaded to marry the Hirzg as me. After all, ca’Vorl could have his present marriage annulled. The Archigos can grant such favors, can’t he? At least that’s what a certain trader in Oldtown whispers-Carlo cu’Belli, who has been to Brezno under the

seal of A’Teni ca’Cellibrecca many times.”

Justi saw the Archigos visibly flinch. “It’s obvious that someone has been filling your ears with innuendo and lies, Kraljiki,” he said. “I have done nothing, nothing, that hasn’t been for the good of Nessantico, and for you especially, Kraljiki. I was Brezno’s A’Teni for years, yes, and it’s true that I know the Hirzg well and have worked with him many times, but I am not a traitor: not to Concenzia, and not to the throne of the Kralji.”

“Then I have your answer?” Ca’Cellibrecca nodded, with a quick glare at the lounging commandant. “Good,” Justi said. “Then you will prepare to leave with me tonight.”

“Leave, Kraljiki?”

“The Kraljiki has sent a request to the Hirzg for parley,” Commandant cu’Rudka said. “He intends to meet with ca’Vorl before their army reaches Passe a’Fiume. Along with the Garde Civile from the city, we will pick up the remnants of the Garde Civile from Ville Colhelm, as well as the garrisons of Passe a’Fiume, Ile Verte, and Chiari. I have conscription squads out in the city as we speak, and pages have gone to all the houses of the ca’-and-cu’ to summon the chevarittai. You will arrange for the war-teni of the Garde Civile to accompany us. We will have a force capable of holding Passe a’Fiume, if it comes to that.”

Ca’Cellibrecca gaped, then seemed to shake himself. “Kraljiki,” ca’Cellibrecca protested, “it’s not the role of the Faith to interfere in political affairs. That is your arena, as the nurturing of the faithful of Cenzi is mine. I would think I would better serve you here, where I could help to calm the fears of the populace and make certain that the Numetodo take no advantage of your absence. After all, I’m not a warteni myself.”

“And that way the Archigos can appear to have been a neutral party, just in case the Hirzg prevails,” ca’Rudka said laconically. Ca’Cellibrecca shot him another glance.

“Despite the commandant’s rude insinuations, I will do as the Kraljiki wishes, of course,” the Archigos said. “But I ask him to consider what happens if Hirzg ca’Vorl chooses to ignore the rules of parley as he has ignored the laws of Nessantico, and decides to snatch up the Kraljiki, the new Commandant of the Garde Civile, and the Archigos of the Concenzia Faith, all at once. The power that would give him, the ransoms he could demand, the concessions he could force. .”

“You wouldn’t immediately declare him a heretic if he did that, Archigos?” Justi said. “You wouldn’t cite the Divolonte to him? You wouldn’t withdraw the favor of the Faith, or command his teni to no longer perform services for those of Firenzcia? You wouldn’t tell the war-teni with him that they can no longer call on Cenzi to perform their spells of destruction, and that if they do, you will cut off their hands and remove their tongues and send them from the Faith? In fact, all of that is exactly what I intend you to say to ca’Vorl when we meet: he must turn his army back; he must relinquish military command of the Holdings troops in Firenzcia, and, as surety, he will send his daughter Allesandra to Nessantico as a hostage. He will do that, or he will be declared an enemy of the Faith and of the Holdings, and he will suffer the consequences.”

“Kraljiki. .”

“I assume that I am sufficiently clear on this, Archigos,” Justi barked, not giving the man time to protest. “I am not my matarh. I will not avoid confrontation by bandying marriage and alliances; I will not sit on the Sun Throne and weave spiderwebs of intrigue to tangle and confuse my enemies. No one will dub me ‘Generi a’Pace,’ and that bothers me not at all. When I am threatened, I will deal with the threat directly and with full, terrible force. I have played your little game regarding Archigos Dhosti and the Numetodo, and that has placed you in the position you so long coveted. Now it’s time for you to return the favors I have granted you: in full, without reservation, and with full interest. If you cannot do that, Archigos, then-as I said-I will deal with that in a direct manner. I will consider your refusal to be a threat. We leave in three dozen turns of the glass, Archigos. I will see you with your