Elantris

inside, dressed in a montage of garish reds and oranges. He spoke animatedly with Kiin and Roial, and apparently hadn't noticed her arrival.

Lukel closed the door behind her, then glanced toward the Dula with apparem distaste. Her cousin was known as one of the wittiest, most colorful men in Kae. Kaloo's reputation, however, had quickly eclipsed even Lukel's, leaving the young merchant a bitter second.

'Roial invited him for some reason,' Lukel muttered.

'Has Roial gone mad?' Sarene asked, perhaps more loudly than she should have. 'What if that cursed Dula is a spy?'

'A spy for whom?' Kaloo asked merrily. 'I don't think your pompous king has the political acumen to hire spies-and let me assure you, no matter how much I exasperate you, Princess, I bother Fjordells even more. That gyorn would rather stab himself in the chest than pay me for information.'

Sarene flushed with embarrassment, an action that only sent Kaloo into another peal of laughter.

'I think, Sarene, you will find Citizen Kaloo's opinions helpful,' Roial said. 'This man sees things differently from Arelenes, and he also has a fresh opinion of events in Kae. I seem to remember that you yourself used a similar argument when you first joined us. Do not diseount Kaloo's value because he happens to be a little more eccentric than you find comfortable.'

Sarene frowned, but allowed herself to be rebuked. The duke's observations held weight; it would be helpful to have a new perspective. For some reason Roial seemed to trust Kaloo. She could sense a mutual respect between them. Grudgingly, she admitted that perhaps the duke had seen something in Kaloo that she hadn't. The Dula had, after all, been staying with Roial for several days.

Ahan was late, as usual. Shuden and Eondel spoke quietly at one end of the table, their subdued conversation a stark contrast to Kaloo's vibrant narrative. Kiin had provided appetizers-crackers with some sort of creamy white glaze atop them.

Despite her insistences that he not prepare dinner, Kiin had obviously been unable to let this many people congregate without giving them something to eat. Sarene smiled: she doubted that other treasonous conspiracies enjoyed gourmet snacks.

A few moments later, Ahan waddled in. nor bothering to knock. He plopped himself down in his customary seat and proceeded to attack the crackers.

'We're all here, then,' Sarene said, speaking sharply to interrupt Kaloo. All heads turned toward her as she stood. 'I trust you all have given our predicament much thought. Does anyone want to start?'

'I wiIl,' Ahan said. 'Maybe Telrii can be persuaded nor to convert to ShuDereth.'

Sarene sighed. 'I thought we discussed this, Ahan. Telrii isn't debating whether or not to convert; he's waiting to see how much money he can get out of Wyrn.'

'If only we had more troops,' Roial said with a shake of his head. 'With a proper army. we eould intimidate Telrii. Sarene, what chance is there of getting aid from Teod?'

'Not much.' Sarene said, sitting. 'Remember, my father swore himself to Shu-Dereth. Besides, Teod has a wonderful navy, but few ground troops. Our country has a small population-we survive by sinking our enemies before they land.'

hear there are resistance fighters in Duladel,' Shuden suggested. 'They harass caravans occasionally.'

All eyes turned toward Kaloo, who raised his hands palms forward. 'Trust me, my friends, you do not want their help. The men of which you speak are mostly former republicans, like myself. They can duel one another with fine proficiency, but a syre isn't much good against a trained solider, especially if he has five friends beside him. The resistance only survives because the Fjordells are too lazy to chase it out of the swamps.'

Shuden frowned. 'I thought they were hiding in the caves of the Duladen Steppes.'

'There are several pockets of them,' Kaloo said smoothly, though Sarene detected a hint of uncertainty in his eyes. Who are you? she thought as the conversation moved forward.

'I think we should bring the people into it,' Lukel said. 'Telrii has indicated that he intends to maintain the plantation system. If we encourage the common people to our cause. they should be willing to rise against him.'

'It could work,' Eondel said. 'Lady Sarene's plan to sharecrop my peasants has given them a taste of freedom, and they've grown far more self-confident over the last few months. But, it would take a great deal of time-you don't train men to fight overnight.'

'Agreed,' Roial said. 'Telrii will be Derethi long before we finish, and Hrathen's procIamation will be law.'

'I could pretend to be Derethi for a while,' Lukel said. 'If only while I'm planning the king's demise.'

Sarene shook her head. 'If we give Shu-Dereth that kind of foothold in AreIon, we'll never be free of it.'

'It's only a religion. Sarene,' Allan said. 'I think we should focus on real problems.'

'You don't think Shu-Dereth is a 'real problem.' Ahan?' Sarene asked. 'Why don't you try and explain that to Jindo and Duladel?'

'She's right,' Roial said. 'Fjorden embraced Shu-Dereth as a vehicle for domination. If those priests convert AreIon, then Wyrn will rule here no matter who we put on the throne.'

'Then raising an army of peasants is out?' Shuden asked, bringing the conversation back on topic.

'Too time-consuming,' Roial said.

'Besides.' Kaloo noted, 'I don't think you want to throw this country into war. I've seen what a bloody revolution can do to a nation-it breaks the people's spirit to fight one another. The men in the Elantris City Guard might be fools, but they are still your countrymen. Their blood would be on your hands.'

Sarene looked up at the comment. made without a hint of Kaloo's normal flamboyance. Something about him made her increasingly suspicious.

'Then what?' Lukel said with exasperation. 'We can't fight Telrii and we can't wait for him to convert. What do we do?'

'We could kill him,' Eondel said quietly.

'Well?' Sarene asked. She hadn't expected that suggestion to come out quite so early in the meeting.

It has merits,' Kiin agreed. showing a cold dispassion that Sarene had never seen in him before. 'Assassinating Telrii would solve a lot of problems.'

The room fell quiet. Sarene felt a bitter taste in her mouth as she studied the men. They knew what she knew. She had determined long before the meeting began that this was the only way.

'All, one man's death to save a nation,' Kaloo whispered.

'It seems the only alternative,' Kiin said with a shake of his head.

'Perhaps,' the Dula said. 'Though I wonder if we aren't underestimating the people of Arelon.'

'We already discussed this.' Lukel said. 'We don't have enough time to rally the peasants.'

'Not just the peasants, young Lukel,' Kaloo said, 'but the nobility. Have you not sensed their hesitance to back Telrii? Have you not seen the discomfort in their eyes? A king with no support is no king at all.'

'And the Guard?' Kiin asked pointedly.

'I wonder if we couldn't turn them,' Kaloo said. 'Certainly they could be persuaded to see that what they have done is not right.'

'You' had become 'we.' Sarene's brow furIed; she almost had it. There was something familiar about his words…

'It's an interesting suggestion,' Roial said.

'The Guard and the nobility support Telrii because they don't see another alternative,' Kaloo explained. 'Lord Roial was shamed by the failed wedding, and Lady Sarene was thrown into EIantris. Now, however, the embarrassment has been removed. Perhaps if we can show the Guard the ultimate result of their decision- occupation by Fjorden and a virtual enslavement of our people-they will realize that they supported the wrong man. Give men an honest choice, and I believe they will choose wisely.'

That was it. Sarene knew that faith somewhere-that pure belief in the basic goodness of all men. And. when she suddenly realized where she had seen it before, she couldn't stop herself from jumping up and yelping in surprise.

Raoden cringed, immediately recognizing his mistake. He had let go of Kaloo too quickly, allowing too much of his true self to show. The others hadn't noticed the change, but Sarene-dear suspicious Sarene-hadn't been so lax. He looked into her shocked, wide eyes, and knew that she knew. Somehow, despite their short time together,