'This is Councillor Loris,' Blood began unnecessarily, 'the new
presiding officer of the Ayuntamiento. This other councillor's
Councillor Potto.'
'Calde Silk and Councillor Potto are old acquaintances,' Loris
purred. 'Isn't that right, Calde?'
'I don't know this soldier myself,' Blood continued, and paused to
sip his drink. 'It probably doesn't matter.'
'Sergeant Sand,' Silk told him. 'He and Councillor Potto interrogated
me Tarsday. It was very painful, and I suppose it's quite
possible they're going to do it again.'
Sand came to attention and appeared about to speak, but Silk
stopped him with a gesture. 'You were only doing your duty.
Sergeant. I understand. In justice to you, I ought to add that you
had treated me well earlier.'
Potto said, 'We won't need you here, Sergeant. You know what
to do.' Sand looked at Silk, saluted, executed an about-face, and
left, shutting the door behind him.
'A very handsome young man,' Maytera Marble remarked. 'I was
sorry to hear that he behaved badly toward you, Patera.'
Blood indicated her with his glass. 'This holy sibyl's Maytera
Rose--'
Chenille tittered nervously. Maytera Marble said, 'I'm Maytera
Marble, Bloody. Remember? I explained about that. Chenille and I
have met, and naturally Patera knows me well.'
'Patera _Silk_, she means,' elucidated the small augur in the corner.
'I, _too_, am entitled to the honorific, as well as my more customary ones.
Calde, I have been appointed the new _Prolocutor_ of _Viron_ by
_Subleviating Scylla_, who during that same _theophany_ confirmed
_you_ as its calde. Am _I_, as I _dare hope_, the first
to--'
Silk managed to smile. 'It's a pleasure to see you again, Patera.'
Chenille blurted, 'Why weren't you dead? I've just been standing
here... We couldn't, none of us--'
Xiphias cackled. 'He's a tough one! Student of mine, too! Truth!'
Silk said, 'Maytera, do you know Master Xiphias? Master Xiphias
is teaching me to fence. Master Xiphias, this holy sibyl is Maytera
Marble. She's the senior sibyl now at my-- Of the manteion on Sun
Street.'
Maytera Marble added softly, 'I'm also the representative of our
Generalissimo Oosik and the Trivigauntis' General Saba, Patera.
I've come to arrange your release.'
His voice thick with mock sincerity, Loris said, 'We hold the key
to the crisis now, you see, the generous gods having flung the ring
into our laps. How foolish are those who scorn the power of the
immortal gods!'
A black shape darted through the open window, landing with a
thump on Silk's shoulder. 'Bird back!'
'Oreb!' Silk looked around at him, surprised and more pleased
than he would have been willing to admit.
'_Scourging Scylla_,' ignoring Oreb, Incus had leveled his forefinger
at Loris, 'has given _you_ nothing.'
'In that case, we have gained our present advantage by merit.'
Loris smiled. 'We thank the undying, ever-generous gods for our
talents.'
Oreb cocked an inquiring head. 'Good gods?'
'She will _destroy_ all of you, should you harm _either_ of the holy
augurs present, or this _sibyl_. We are _sacred_.'
'We'll risk her wrath if need be. Old man, stop reaching for your
sword. It's gone. Were you thinking of overpowering us?'
Xiphias shook his head. 'You think I don't know there's soldiers
out there?'
'You could not even if there were none.' Loris took a bookend
from the mantle; it shattered between his fingers with a sharp
report and an explosion of snowy chips. The door flew open,
revealing Sand and two other soldiers with leveled slug guns.
Oreb whistled.
Potto told them, 'It's all right. Shut it.'
'Calde Silk is a strong young man, but he's been severely
wounded. You are an old one, unarmed, and not as strong as you
suppose. Our new Prolocutor's not physically imposing. Need I
continue?'
Silk said, 'I can understand how you came to be in the tunnel,
Master Xiphias--both you and His Cognizance. You ran for cover
just as Hyacinth and I did--'
Blood interrupted. 'You've got her? Where is she?'
'I don't. I had her, if you like. We were separated.' Turning back
to Xiphias, Silk continued, 'After you dug me out of the loose soil,
you went down the tunnel to look for water with Chenille and
Patera, leaving His Cognizance with me--with my body, as you
thought. Is that right?'
Xiphias nodded.
'Only we didn't think your body,' Chenille told Silk, 'We knew
you were alive. His Cognizance said there was a pulse, only we
didn't understand how you could be alive after getting buried like
that.'
Loris rattled what remained of the bookend in his hand. 'What
puzzles me--excuse my interrupting your conference--is your
mention of His Cognizance. I take it you don't refer to our friend,
but to the actual head of the Chapter? Was he in the tunnel with
you, Calde?'
'Yes, he was. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it.'
Potto said happily, 'He's an old man. One of the patrols will pick
him up, Cousin.'
'A clever old man.' Loris looked grim. 'A troublemaker.'
Privately, Silk was trying to reconcile Quetzal's telling Chenille
that he, Silk, was alive with his saying that they had thought him
dead. He had lied in one or the other, but why?
'Bad thing!' Oreb told everyone.
Silk ventured, 'A patrol headed by Sergeant Sand--one like the
