you really want to improve your skills … with a shovel?'
That kind of work — and there was a lot of it because this force included more animals than it did men — was handled by Calziran day laborers. Polo did not know that. Polo did not wander around seeing who was doing what.
'I'm on my way, Colonel.'
While Polo was away Else thought up an errand the man could handle after he returned with Ghort.
'What's up, Pipe?' Ghort asked, but not until Polo had scampered away.
'Is he gone? For sure?'
'Yeah. Tell me. I ate the same stuff you did.'
'There are a couple of nightmares out of my past in that bunch that just rode in. I don't want to run into them until I have time to change my look.'
'You already changed a lot since I met you.'
'Yes. But by changing back to what I looked like before I headed south. Look. I don't want to talk. I've already told you more than you need to know. Go to the meeting. Stay out of the way. Don't tell anybody anything unless they ask. Nobody but Drocker, Uncle Divino, and Principatй Doneto are likely to miss me. If they do ask, say it looks like food poisoning. Orj maybe regular poisoning, since you ate with me.'
'Sure.' Ghort grinned 'Which ones don't you want to see?'
'You don't need to know that.'
“I figured that's what you'd say.'
Else pretended to be exasperated. 'Just go be the eyes and ears of the regiment.'
'I'll put on a show.'
'No. Don't be Pinkus Ghort. Be invisible. They might not miss me.'
'There's some wishful thinking that maybe turned up in a too-much-wine dream. All right, Pipe. Anybody asks, you're dyin' of the drizzlin' shits. I'll beg them to use their powers to save you. I'll get them to burn Polo at the stake for poisoning you.'
'Pinkus.'
'I'm calm. Your ass is covered. If anybody notices you're missing.'
'There you go. That's what I wanted to hear.'
Ghort went off to do his job.
Else did not want to participate in any meeting with a delegation that included men who had shared a meal with Sir Aelford daSkees in the Sonsan factor house in Runch.
The enemy in Al-Khazen could spy on the imperial camp, some. The Emperor had failed to enlist any major sorcerers.
The Patriarchal forces, though, enjoyed the protection of two dozen members of the Collegium. They kept turning up, determined to grab some of the glory.
The Pramans were intimate with the Instrumentalities of the Night. Their chieftains recognized a huge opportunity when they learned that a delegation had been sent to confer with Sublime's crusader commanders.
Hansel held just a quarter of the siege line. His works were not close to the city. They were not connected with the crusader works, nor were they as well developed. That despite the fact that his troops, with Vondera Koterba's contingent, substantially outnumbered those of the Patriarchy. But Hansel had had to leave numerous garrisons behind. The falls of al-Healta and al-Stikla were too recent for the troops there to break away and join the siege of the last Praman stronghold.
Starkden and Masant al-Seyhan, and the wickedness that stood behind them, were not discomfited by Johannes Blackboots. They were not worried by the surprisingly professional and competent force fielded by Sublime V. Nor were they rattled by the dramatic successes of the King of Navaya.
The sorcerers of al-Khazen struck where they were least expected.
'Pipe.'
It was the middle of the night. Nobody honest had any excuse to be up. 'What?' Ghort sounded stressed.
'Bad news from the Imperial side. No details yet but it sounds like some important folks got themselves ambushed and captured. Including the Emperor's daughters.'
Once that sank in, Else said, 'Makes me wish I was a swearing man. How do we know?'
'We seem to have Deves under every bed. I got it from the dwarf. His people overheard the delegation fussing about it. Messengers are coming and going. Drocker has demanded an explanation from the Imperials.'
'He hasn't interfered, has he?'
'Not yet.'
'That wouldn't be polite.'
'The Brotherhood aren't fond of the Empire. The Emperors won't put up with their crap.'
'And vice versa. Drocker isn't stupid. He won't anger the Emperor needlessly. If Hansel got mad enough he might create his own Patriarch, or bring Immaculate back from Viscesment.'
'How's your health?'
'Not getting any better.'
'Drocker wanted to come over and heal you himself.'
'I'll suffer a miracle recovery once the Imperials go away.' He did not ask how the conference had gone. He had had reports. The Deves did have an ear under every chair. Hansel had two things on his mind. How to get the Patriarchal troops to do most of the dying if any fighting took place and how to screw Peter of Navaya out of his conquests.
'Keep your ear to the ground. Come back when you get some real details.'
Else next wakened to the clatter of the Imperial delegation moving out, Lothar and his advisers grimly serious.
An hour later a groggy Pinkus Ghort reappeared, accompanied by Gledius Stewpo and Titus Consent.
'We been took, Pipe.'
'Huh?'
'Well, those guys. Lothar and his bunch. Those messages they got were fakes.'
'What?' Else tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. Somewhere, Polo was rattling pots.
'That business about the daughters. It was a hoax. By the guys in the city over there. Once the Principatйs got to work they found out that Johannes and his family are snoring happily in a castle fifteen miles southeast of here. There never was any problem. The messages were all fakes.'
'How long since the prince left? Any chance we can get help to him?'
'It's been over an hour. He was in a hurry. I sent riders but I don't think they'll catch him in time.'
Else pictured a map, tried to judge the crown prince's location and where the Pramans were likely to attack. 'You're right. But the Pramans will have to stray pretty far away from safety. Get the commando company ready. There's a good chance we can get between the bad guys and the city. What are the Brotherhood and the Principatйs doing?'
Ghort shrugged. 'The Principatйs are running in circles and yelling.'
'They should be trying to protect Lothar.'
'You'd think so, wouldn't you? But they're too busy worrying about how they'll look. As for the Brotherhood, I have no idea.'
Consent and Stewpo remained blandly silent.
'All right. Arrange the commando thing. I'll talk to Drocker.'
Titus Consent asked, 'Are you feeling better, then?”
'No. But this is critical. Polo. Is that coffee ready?” Coffee caches had been discovered in several captured towns.
Fifteen minutes later, still feigning intestinal discomfort, Else joined Grade Drocker. 'My Deves tell me there's huge mischief afoot Coffee?'
'No. Thank you. I don't indulge. That's probably why you've got the stomach problem. Can you do your
