true. They would sing and dance through the halls of the Palace of the Kings when the news reached al-Qarn. 'What would my duties be?'
'We'll reserve that for now. I assure you, though, that you'll be doing what you're best qualified to do.'
'Oh?' Else did not press. He would tread carefully now. It would not be his fault if this fell through.
'Meanwhile, keep up the good work. Make the Bruglioni strong again.'
'Yes, Your Grace. And what about the current situation, Your Grace?'
'What about it?'
'What's become of the Calziran sorcerers? What became of the blond men? Who are they? They sound like something more than just good fighters.'
'They're what we call soultaken. Meaning they're really only halfway alive. Soultaken are the tools of major supernatural entities. Soultaken haven't been seen around here in a millennium. Which makes their behavior more odd. Soultaken are used to commit the highest crimes. Yet these two operate like common thugs.'
'You met them, didn't you?'
'Once.'
'And?'
'The more I know about the Instrumentalities of the Night, the less I want to talk about them. I think we have reason to be afraid. We can't fathom the motives of the entities using those two. We can't discover their identities. It's probably connected to a strange unrest among the Instrumentalities of the Night that has persisted for months, now.'
'I'm confused.'
'We all are. It makes no sense. Not in any way we can fathom. We being the Collegium. Our allies among the creatures of the Night, that are normally pliable, won't help us. The Realm of Night is unanimous… You jumped. You had a
thought?'
'Not really.' It was that Realm of Night remark. Was that an Episcopal Chaldarean concept? 'I suppose time will let you know. When the mood strikes.'
'Of course. We'll find those two. Eventually. But they're of no moment to you. Just do your job here. When the time comes, I'll see you well pleased with your rewards.'
Else did his best to look like a man whose only interest was exactly that. He promised, 'If Paludan doesn't interfere, I can get this place whipped into shape.'
'Paludan isn't as stupid as he seems, Hecht. He knows what he's doing, most of the time. I think he intends to let you run your course. Because that will save him having to do all that work himself. In the dark. Because he never learned how himself.'
Else grunted.
'My brother served his sons poorly. And now Paludan has no sons of his own. Nor a wife who can give him more. And I have none, even off the sheets. I fear for tomorrow.'
'I'm teaching Dugo what I can, Your Grace. But the truth is, that boy isn't fit. And can't be made fit. You Bruglioni need to strain every bone, joint, and muscle to make sure Paludan lives forever. Or finds himself another wife and stays away from Gervase long enough to get an heir or two on her. Dugo could be a disaster big enough to push the family over the brink into extinction. Begging your pardon for stepping out of my place.'
Families had been important in Brothe since antiquity. But the Five Families of today did not include among them even one that had been powerful in Imperial times.
'Perhaps the man who isn't as stupid as he looks will develop wisdom, Hecht. Given time. It can happen. A man confronted with powerful responsibilities, knowing there's no one else to handle them, often does grow up. I've seen it happen.'
Else coughed. 'That's more the case when young people are involved, usually.'
'Oh, my! A sense of humor, too? Perhaps we are blessed.'
That troubled Else. He was not comfortable with the notion that he could be an inimical god's answer to its worshipers' prayers.
Days passed. Fighting continued. Trapped Calzirans refused to surrender. The pirates shared an abiding conviction that they would suffer agonizing deaths because of what had happened at Starplire.
'Call me an old cynic,' Else told Pinkus Ghort, slurring because his jaw was still swollen. The red circles and pink skin were gone, at least. He was down to ugly yellow and purple bruises. And a short haircut. 'But I think I know why the pirates behaved badly at Starplire. They were incited to it. By Starkden and Masant al-Seyhan. So they'd be scared to surrender later on. The Brothe attack was part of a bigger plan.'
'What else could you expect from a bunch of barbarian Pramans?'
Else did not argue.
'You look like you're coming down with the mumps, Pipe. You were going to say?'
'That people on our side will behave just as badly, given a chance. Like, say, Grade Drocker. Note that I express no disrespect by mentioning the Patriarch or the Emperor.'
Ghort chuckled. 'You hang around with me, you’ll end up as big a realist as I am. Where's your better half?'
'A realist? Is that what you call somebody who sees the worst in everybody? Gervase?' Saluda had accompanied Else everywhere the past few days. 'He got bored, I guess. Short attention span.'
“Tell you what, Pipe. I'm never disappointed by people. When are you going to move over to the Collegium?'
'I don't know. Not soon. Even assuming Principatй Bruglioni wasn't blowing smoke. He wants the Bruglioni household shaped up first.'
'And those boys can't do that for themselves?'
'They don't seem inclined to try. Too much like work.”
'Principatй Doneto is thrilled with your progress.'
'I was sure that he would be.'
'Here comes Joe. What's the word, Joe?'
Just Plain Joe rode up on an ambling Pig Iron. Pig Iron looked bored and put upon. Joe said, 'Don't go barking, boss. This old boy's only got one speed.'
Else asked, 'What happened to you?'
Joe's left leg was in a splint. It stuck out from the side of the mule at a strange angle.
'Got hit with one a them fish arrows with the barbed heads. The ones they ties ropes on and use to get sharks. Went in and bounced off the bone. Smarted some. They was able to push it on through and got everything fixed up before it festered. Cap'n Ghort, sir, I don't think you're gonna get much cooperation from anybody. Not even the pirates. They ain't giving up. They promise they'll go away, though. If you let them.'
'I'd let them if it was my call. But I'm not allowed. The mercenaries and the Imperials won't root them out?'
'Cap, even I ain't dumb enough to get myself killed trying to fix something that's just naturally gonna fix itself if I just sit around and wait.'
'And there you have it,' Ghort said. 'And guess who's fault it'll be if the whole city stays shut down because these idiot fishermen won't lay down and die? I didn't watch my back close enough. Doneto let me set myself up to be the perfect scapegoat'
'I doubt you're perfect at anything.'
Just Plain Joe said, 'Maybe instead of paying them mercenaries day rates you might oughta pay them piecework. Way it works now, sitting on their hands pays them just as much as fighting.'
Ghort said, 'The man may have a point. The money from the levy is going fast but there's enough left for some serious bounties.'
That would not matter, overall. Those Calzirans who had not yet escaped never would. The Collegium and the Patriarch agreed. Not one Calziran would be there to defend his home when war came to Calzir.
'Let you in on a secret, Pipe,' Ghort said, as they strode toward the Castella dollas Pontellas. 'This is one I'm not supposed to know. But I happened to be accidentally eavesdropping when I heard.'
'Accidentally, Pinkus?'
