me out. What time is it?'
It was noon of the day following Else's last clear memory. The inquisitors had interviewed prisoners all morning. The tenor of the interviews had changed. The Imperials wanted the prisoners to talk about their comrades.
Ghort said, 'I just had my third round. My head's still fuzzy. You're right about that smoke. They asked me about everything but Pig Iron. They're definitely looking for something.'
Just Plain Joe said, 'They've got the Principatл in there, now. You better eat somethin' while you can, Pipe. In case they jump your ass when they find out you're awake.'
Ghort agreed. 'Sound advice. The way they worked on you yesterday, they'll be right back at you. What's that all about, anyway?'
'I told you. They want me to be a spy.'
'Eat,' Joe said.
'And suck down some more water,' Ghort told him. 'A lot of water.'
'Did they drug you guys?' Else asked.
Joe shrugged.
Ghort replied, 'I told you. They're putting something in the air.'
Else described the man who had interrogated him alone. 'You know who I'm talking about? Is he the one you said you thought you'd seen before?'
'The very one. And I remember where, now. It was six years ago. I was new at this stuff. I was working for the Duke of Clearenza. That's up north, in the foothills. They call it a Duchy but you can throw a rock across it. Johannes was just getting going. He kept his people distracted by pushing the Empire's claims in Firaldia. Clearenza owed allegiance to the Grail Empire but that wasn't being enforced. The Dukes were related to the two Patriarchs before Sublime. They thought that would protect them.'
Else chuckled. 'Evidently it didn't. So what does that mean to us?'
'When Hansel's troops showed up Clemency III didn't do anything. He was about a hundred years old and too busy croaking. The Duke decided to shut the gates and sit tight. Then this guy who'd been with us about two months went down to the gatehouse in the middle of the night, killed the guard on duty, and opened up. They say it didn't look intentional. That he just wanted to choke the old man until he passed out. But he broke the old man's windpipe.
'It turned out the killer was the Grail Emperor's man. He called himself Lester Temagat but his real name was Ferris Renfrew. They say he pulls tricks like that all the time.”
'And you put him on your grudge list?'
'The guard in that gatehouse was my old man. My father.'
Just Plain Joe shoved food into Else's hands, 'You got to eat, Pipe. Come on. Don't be a dope. They're going to nab you again.'
Else ate. And reflected on Ghort's story. It was interesting. But was any of it true?
The Imperial interrogators sent for him half an hour later.
Osa Stile was in the interrogation room. Else acknowledged the boy with a glance. He took the seat that Renfrew indicated, facing the table.
'Captain, I think you know this young man.'
'He was Bishop Serif's boy whore. Armand. I expect he's found himself a new bed to bounce in. He disappeared when we got to Plemenza.'
'Osa is an agent of the Grail Empire. One of our finest. He was a gift to us from your master, Gordimer the Lion. But you know that already.'
Else said nothing. He maintained his baffled expression and waited for the situation to show him the way to go.
'You'll remain stubborn to the end, won't you?'
'No. I told you already. I'll be anyone you want me to be. If I can just get out of here. Tell me about this Captain Tage and I'll do my best. As long as you don't put me anywhere where there's somebody that already knows him.'
Rage flared behind Renfrew's eyes. For some reason he had a lot of emotion invested in getting Else to confess his true identity.
Osa Stile smiled thinly. Renfrew did not see him do so.
So. The boy might belong to Renfrew but he did not love the man. Good to know.
Renfrew turned. 'Tell me, boy. Is this the man you knew as Captain Else Tage of the Sha-lug?'
'He looks a little like Tage. But with an awful lot of wear and age on him. If he is, I don't how you'd prove it. Anyway, I think he's too tall.'
Amusing. Osa was giving Renfrew nothing.
Ferris Renfrew stared at Osa Stile for half a minute. The boy did not flinch. He was Sha-lug on the inside.
Renfrew rose and patrolled the circumference of the room, as though hunting the little night things rumored to be used as spies by sorcerers and such. He completed two full, careful circuits before he resumed his seat.
'All right. We'll do it your way. You'll be Else Tage, Dreangerean spy, for me, because that'll help get you out of confinement.'
Else sat quietly. He waited.
'But from now on you're going to be an agent of the Grail Empire, too. It shouldn't be long before the Emperor releases Principatй Doneto. It looks like the Patriarch will give up trying to wait us out. Things aren't going well for him. He needs Doneto's support in the Collegium.
'I understand that the Principatй plans to keep all of you as part of his lifeguard. With you near him the Emperor could have someone close to one of the men closest to the Patriarch.'
Else said nothing.
'Well?'
'And if I decline?”
'Then you'll never leave the Dimmel Palace. You'll never do your Dreangerean masters a lick of good.'
Else grunted, unsurprised.
'So you won't forget us as soon as you get out of here, we'll have you sign a contract. We'll give it to the Principatй if you fail us.'
Else grunted again. 'Tell me about the pay. I won't do it just because you twist my arm.'
'You want to get out of here?'
'I told you I'd be your foreigner so I can get out. Once I'm out, I need to make a living.'
'The Principatй will be …'
'He'll pay me for working for him. There has to be balance. The workman must be given his due.' Was he being too clever? Although common to most religions, that notion was a pronounced favorite of the Maysalean Heresy.
Osa Stile said, 'Don't be such a damned skinflint, Renfrow. It isn't your money.'
They argued. Was that for show? Was Osa Stile diverting Renfrew from thoughts of Dreanger, Gordimer, and the Sha-lug?
Had he been able, Else would have slipped away. He muttered, 'Being a prisoner does limit one's choices.'
Ferris Renfrow turned to Else. 'Tage. I'm finished with you. For now. You know where we stand. I'll see you again. Be prepared to sign on with the Grail Emperor. You'll be paid well.' Renfrow rang a bell.
Else made sure no one could eavesdrop. He told Principat Doneto, 'They're trying to force me to spy for them against you and the Church.'
“Tell me.'
Else left out little but Renfrew's insistence that he be Else Tage.
'Here's what we'll do. You go ahead and agree. I'll get you a job outside my own household. Cooperate. Build their trust. And someday we'll use that.'
