Princeps

have been unable to determine who your steward might be or how to reach him. If you would be so kind as to-”

“I am most certain that you do supply fine meats and produce, Factor Lysienk…” Quaeryt let the silence at the end of his words draw out for several moments before continuing. “But my wife, currently in the personage of her private secretary, will be handling such purchases for the governor’s residence.”

Lysienk presented an even more ratlike smile. “Then perhaps you could convey to that distinguished person that I have supplied the last two governors with the best of produce and meat … and my supplies are not only the best, but unlike those of others, there are never any difficulties with their quality … and especially not with their delivery. You, being the direct representative of Lord Bhayar here in Extela, understand above all others the importance of such reliability.”

Quaeryt understood precisely what Lysienk was promising, especially after what he had learned from Aextyl and Pharyl. He was also irritated, for more than a few reasons, but he managed to smile politely. “You are most persuasive, Factor Lysienk, and most convincing. As you may know, however, the new governor’s residence is not yet ready for such provisions as you supply, and it will likely be several weeks before it is. The villa is not yet even properly furnished. Perhaps … if you sent a note to the villa requesting an appointment with secretary Shenna for some time next week…? I would suggest meeting after Mardi.”

“Ah … I do understand, Governor.” Lysienk bowed, gracefully. “You are most kind, and I look forward to making arrangements with your wife’s private secretary.”

After the sleazy produce factor departed, Quaeryt just stared at the closed door for a moment. Did everything in Extela work that way? He’d purchased some time, but he’d still have to deal with Lysienk … in a way that would preclude siphoning off extra golds as assurance that provisions and teamsters would not suffer unfortunate “accidents.”

Once again, he had less than a quint before the duty ranker was announcing “Factor Andryt.”

As the door opened, Quaeryt tried to recall where he’d seen or heard the name … then realized that Andryt was one of those who had signed the petition requesting that Quaeryt stop holding the price of flour down.

Andryt was short, stout, and bald. “Governor … I am here to throw myself at your knees…”

Please don’t.

“… I will grovel if I must, beg … whatever … but I implore you to do something before we are all destroyed, devastated, and desolated…”

Desolated? By the low prices of flour … that will go up before long? But the rotund factor was still talking, and seemingly doing so at an ever increasing speed.

“… the eruption, it was bad enough, and the thefts and the violence that followed was worse, and the east bridge being impassable and the lack of water, and the low prices of flour … but now…” Andryt stopped abruptly and shrugged, as if whatever he might be asking could only be obvious.

“Factor Andryt … I am afraid I do not understand. You are suggesting something that is even worse than everything that has already happened, but you do not tell me what this disaster is.”

“Is it not obvious? Did he not precede me into your presence?”

“Factor Lysienk? He’s obviously less than honest, but it might help if you told me why he is a greater disaster than lava, ash, ground tremors, violence, and flooding.”

“Those who do not sell their best to him … bad things happen to them … He has mentioned … my family … made suggestions about the daughters of others … he is an evil man…”

“You never did tell me what you factor…”

“The finest in fruits, the best apples, pears, and peaches, and all the berries that the hills support…”

“If your produce is so superior, why do you worry about Lysienk? Why is everyone so afraid of him, then?”

“Because everyone who crosses him suffers most terrible things. They are so terrible … he might be…” Andryt shook his head.

“He might be what?”

“I cannot say … only…”

“The spawn of the Namer?” suggested Quaeryt.

“He is worse…” Andryt shivered. “He might … might even … be an imager.”

“Oh…” Quaeryt frowned. “Why do you think that?”

“Because of what has happened to those who cross him. They drop dead while at dinner. They are found lifeless in their beds. There are no wounds. There is no sign of poison. Leforyn’s horse broke a leg while he was crossing the river, and Leforyn hit his head on the bridge and fell into the water and drowned. These things happen. They do not happen all the time. They happen often to those who cross Lysienk. They should not happen just to those who owe Lysienk golds and refuse to pay or to those who have crossed him. Yet this is the way it has happened for the past years, ever since this … imager came to Extela.”

“How much do you owe him?”

“Nothing.”

“How did you cross him?”

“Why do you ask me such questions?”

“Because no one talks about Lysienk. I know. I’ve made inquiries. You’re talking. You’ve come to me because you have nowhere else to turn.”

“He wants me to sell my goods and warehouse to him. I do not wish that. Not now. He is most insistent.”

“Why your goods and warehouse?”

“I have the best flour mill in Extela, and now that there are fewer mills, there are growers who will sell only to me…” Andryt shrugged. “I refused his request for my daughter’s hand.”

“She is beautiful?”

“Every father thinks his daughter is special, but Marah is indeed special and beautiful, and I would not see her in his hands. Yet … to who else can I turn? No one else will help … or even say anything.”

Quaeryt nodded. “I can only say that I will see what I can do.”

Andryt sagged where he stood, looking crestfallen.

“Factor Andryt … I cannot ride out of here with a patrol and throw this man into a cell in the gaol because accidents have happened. I can see that he is not a good man, and I will deal with him. That is all I can promise.”

“I have your word?”

“You do.”

“I asked … the soldiers. They said you were a man of your word. Will you keep that word, even if an accident befalls me?”

“I will … but please do not let us talk of accidents.”

“There have been so many … so many around this evil man.”

“I’ll do what I can…” Quaeryt said again.

It took a bit more time before he succeeded in reassuring the nervous factor and saw him out. After Andryt left, Quaeryt just shook his head … but he had to admit that the factor might be right. Accidents such as those he had described were one way a hidden imager might well operate.

Quaeryt felt a tight smile on his face. He’d done things like that, most recently with High Holder Wystgahl. But doesn’t the reason count for something? You acted to stop fraud, theft, and starvation. If this … Lysienk … does what this factor thinks … he uses imaging in order to create a form of fraud and theft. He shook his head. Some people would see no difference, would only condemn the act, and not the reason, even when the law, such as it was, was unable to stop such theft.

And all that meant … If Lysienk were truly an imager … and as evil as he appeared to be, Quaeryt would have to do something … both to implement his own plans to make Telaryn a better and safer place for scholars and imagers, and to stop the corruption in Extela that seemed to pervade everything. Still … he likely had few days, if not longer.

In addition to everything else, he also couldn’t help but worry about the homily he needed to deliver on Solayi evening, and that led to worries about meeting with Siemprit’s junior chorister, which was something he didn’t really want to do, because the whole issue would be moot, one way or another, in less than a month, when Third