'You're in a feisty mood. He was not looking my way.'
'Got to do what I can to keep my spirits up, sir. This will be my longest day since we got back from Artecipea.'
'Take the rest off. I don't need a shadow.'
'How can you be bright about so much, yet persistently dumb about your own safety?'
Hecht started to argue.
'Sir! There are people and things who want to kill you. Wishful thinking won't change that.'
Hecht grumbled something to the effect that somewhere Anna Mozilla was cackling and rubbing her hands together. Anna had started hinting that he should consider retirement. He owed no one. And the Connecten campaign had brought wealth his way. Not a vast fortune such as Sublime had hoped to gain but enough to live comfortably.
He could not do that. He was not made that way. Chances were, he would follow Grade Drocker's example and die in service. Possibly equally miserably.
Hecht grumbled some more. Without point. It was unreasonable to expect the anonymity he had enjoyed when he, Ghort, Bo Biogna, and Just Plain Joe joined the first expedition into the Connec.
'Madouc, I understand. Intellectually. But I'll never like dragging a mob around.'
'We could solve that by letting you get got once. Not fatally. Just enough to get the message pounded into your soul.'
'Yes. That might do it.' Really? After the attempts he had survived already?
There was. only one way he could get what he wanted back. Rid the world of er-Rashal al-Dhulquarnen. Or pray that Nassim Alizarin would do so.
'Well, Madouc, I'll try to uncomplicate your life. I'll stay inside safe places as much as I can.'
Madouc did not appear mollified. Presumably because he recalled the firepowder attack on Anna's house.
'At least learn to delegate.' Madouc did not trust his own men to do their jobs without him watching over their shoulders.
'A shortcoming of my own.'
'Well, that's interesting,' Hecht said as he helped Anna board Principate Delari's coach.
'What's that?' She was ravishing. She had commissioned a new gown. Hecht wished he could parade her through the Chiaro Palace, just to make those cranky old men drool.
'Madouc. He found a way to compromise with his conscience and let his men do their jobs.'
'Does he have a family?'
'The Brotherhood. Come on, kids. Vali, you look stunning.' Vali had a new gown, too. She would be a beauty in a few more years.
'And you, Lila.' Lila wore a gown of Anna's that had been refit for her. Her idea. She loved the particular piece. It was the richest thing she had ever worn.
'Pella, you look like a young lord.'
'An' I itch like one, too.'
Pella did not want to go to Principate Delari's town house. He felt too self-conscious.
'It's the price you pay for the life you live. You want to be comfortable, you have to dress up and be uncomfortable. Look at me.'
Hecht was an adult reflection of Pella. Though Pella was heavy on green and Hecht wore dark blue. Both preferring one main color to the flash lately shown by Pinkus Ghort. 'I always feel silly in hose.'
Though he protested dressing in style, Hecht had grown accustomed to doing so. The west had seduced him thoroughly.
He climbed aboard the coach and settled beside Anna, opposite the children. Lila was terrified. Vali took her hand and tried to look bored. Hecht observed, 'We'll need to get Pella a razor pretty soon.'
Anna grumbled, 'Did you have to bring that damned sword?'
The hilt of his weapon pressed the outside of her thigh. 'I did. Yes. I'll move it.'
He had a bad feeling, suddenly. Like mentioning the blade might conjure a need for its use. Just when Madouc decided to take time off.
It was a tense ride. And for naught. They reached Muniero Delari's town house without misadventure. There was still some light when Hecht began handing the other passengers down.
Noting his stare, Pella said, 'That's where part of the house fell down. They got it almost all fixed.'
'You've been over here?'
'I go exploring. When there ain't nothing else to do.'
'Interesting.' Hecht was inclined to go look. He did not, despite being early. Nothing of the original disaster remained to be studied. And the lifeguards were getting that strained look.
Heris came out, followed by Turking and Felske. In case anything needed carrying, Hecht supposed. 'We're early.'
'Grandfather will be pleased. There'll be more time to talk.' She embraced Anna. Anna had no trouble with that. Her negativity had faded. 'Anna, you look like a queen. And the children like young lords and ladies. You didn't need to go to so much trouble.' She eyed Lila, plainly curious.
'Nor did you, then.'
Heris had made an effort. 'Grandfather's idea. He wants me to become more social. I'm starting small.'
Anna said, 'This is Lila. She lives with us, now.'
'I see.' Heris would know about Lila. Given her own history, she was unlikely to be judgmental.
They entered the house. Heris said, 'Make yourselves comfortable. Grandfather will show up whenever he can tear himself away from his sorcery.' She squealed. 'Damnit! Stop doing that!'
She had turned to follow Turking and Felske. And had bumped into an old man dressed in brown.
Cloven Februaren flashed a big grin. 'It's juvenile but it never stops being fun. So, Piper. Introduce me.'
Hecht was not quite sure how to do that. When he did nothing, Februaren stepped up to Anna. 'The boy must be tongue-tied. I, lovely lady, am Muno's grandfather, Cloven Februaren.'
Pella blurted, 'You can't be! Nobody is that old.'
Hecht said, 'Pella. Manners.'
Februaren said, 'He's right, Piper. Almost. Hardly anybody human is as old as I am.' To Anna, he said, 'You don't know about me.'
Anna shook her head. 'It seems like I should, though.'
'Admirably closemouthed, our Piper. I'm his guardian angel. I follow him around and protect him from assassins when he's too stubborn to listen to his bodyguards.'
Pella blurted, 'You were the Ninth Unknown!'
'Still am. You'd be the literary character, eh? Pellapront Versulius. Have you read
'There's only one copy in Brothe, Your Grace. Principate Doneto owns it. Colonel Ghort tried to get him to let me read it. He wouldn't let me, not even if I did it in his house.'
'Wish I'd known that this afternoon. Piper and I were there. I could've borrowed it.'
Hecht said, 'I'd bet it was in that room you couldn't get into.'
'I could have. But it would've made a mess. And would've gotten Doneto more upset than he is. Which is upset enough to launch an effort to trace back the true history of the Duarnenian sellsword, Piper Hecht.'
Anna betrayed herself with a sudden intake of breath.
'Not to worry. Duarnenia and the Grand Marshes are under the ice. Your friend Bo Begonia won't wrestle the Windwalker to find some dirt.'
'Biogna,' Hecht corrected. 'So. He's back with the City Regiment.'
'I imagine he became a Patriarchal because Bronte Doneto insisted. And to be around his friend Joe. Again, not to worry. Hardly anybody remembers you passing through, headed south. But he'll find your name in the pay books some of the places you worked.' The old man grinned.
'I need to talk to you about a couple of things. Privately.'
'They'll have to wait. Here's Muno. And he looks hungry.'
Hecht thought Delari looked distracted. He did not have much to say, then or during the prolonged dinner that
