Lord of the Silent Kingdom

a book. He wanted to show off his reading skills. Hecht allowed him to do so, certain he could not have improved much in just a few days. He had not. 'Good job with the tea, Vali.'

Vali did not stumble. She shot him a look that said he would have to be more clever than that. He smiled and winked. Vali winked right back.

Hecht told Anna, 'I'm worried about what Delari is up to.'

'Meaning?'

'When we found him he told me he caused the cave-in by exploding a keg of firepowder. Which he blew up in order to kill the monster.'

'And? You don't think he could carry a powder keg? Or that one keg wouldn't cause that much damage?'

'It could do the damage. The stuff is amazing. When it's made right, by skilled artificers. No. My problem is what he didn't explain. Which is all that sorcery we saw happen. After the hippodrome fell down.'

'Oh. I see.'

'If the explosion killed the beast, then why was there a lot of sorcery?'

Hecht glanced at Vali. The girl looked like she was about to explode. She grabbed the tea service and headed for the kitchen, dragging Pella.

Anna chuckled. 'You're about to hear an interesting theory.'

So. Maybe the way to lure the girl out was to engage her intellect.

Someone knocked on the front door. Hecht asked, 'You expecting somebody?'

Anna shook her head. 'It'll be for you. Or the kids.' Even so, she went to see who was there. Pella returned from the kitchen and leaned on the back of the chair Anna had just quit.

The boy said, 'The thing that died in the underworld would've been almost a god. Right?'

'A seriously powerful Instrumentality, yes. But a demon. There is only one God.'

'So what you saw happening coulda just been it dying? Right?'

Death throes? All that? 'Maybe.' Impressed.

He tried to recall what had happened with the Old God who died outside al-Khazen. And found a hole in his memory. One that made itself evident by the fact that he knew it was missing when it ought to be there. But there remained a vague recollection of a dramatic conclusion.

Was that what happened when gods died? Even their memory fled the world? But there were a lot of ancient gods still around, lurking in myth and old stories.

Maybe remembered because they were not yet dead.

Anna called, 'Piper. This must be for you.'

Hecht had been easing toward the door already. He peered out the gap allowed by the heavy security chains. 'It's all right. I know him.'

Bo Biogna stood on the stoop, short, wide, dirty, and a bit scary.

Anna whispered, 'I'm not sure I want that man inside my house.'

'It's important.' Though why Biogna would turn up here was a puzzle. 'I'll see him in the kitchen.'

'You can't take care of it outside?'

'No, darling. There might be eyes out there. I'll make sure he doesn't put anything in his pockets.'

Anna was not amused.

'In,' Hecht told Ghort's man. 'Follow me.' He led the way to the kitchen. 'Pella. Find us a couple of stools. Vali. Get Mr. Biogna a cup. Assuming you'd like tea, Bo.'

'Tea is fine. But I didn't come to socialize.'

Anna joined them. She took over the tea preparation. While keeping a wary eye on the visitor. Biogna sensed her discomfort and suspicion. He seemed more amused than offended.

'What's up?' Hecht asked.

'Colonel Ghort sent me. Said you need my help. That you need me to get on something right away.'

'It isn't that critical. You can work on it while you're doing what you're doing already. There's a man I need found and identified. He was out there in the Closed Ground right by you.' Hecht described the man he had seen in the mob.

'I know the one you mean. Surprisingly enough. I noticed him because he was creepy. And he smelled bad.'

'Find out whatever you can. Who he is. Where he lives. That sort of thing.'

Biogna studied him from beneath shaggy brows. He had grown stocky. He looked much more like a prosperous thug than the starving refugee Hecht had met on the road to Brothe. 'You got somewhere for me to start? Brothe covers a lot of ground.'

'I don't. I've only noticed him a few times. At a guess, spying. My man Bechter noticed him before I did. He seems to be keeping an eye on me and my staff.'

'Imperial?'

'That would be my first guess. If not that, then Connecten. Or possibly Arnhander.'

'Or maybe our big boss is keeping an eye on you?'

'He has people on the inside to handle that.'

'Probably. You asked for me on account of you want to keep this quiet. Right?'

'Yes.'

Biogna nodded. 'You got it. Good tea, ma'am. Thank you. I'll be shoving off.'

Hecht did not argue. He accompanied Biogna to the door. As the man stepped out, Hecht asked, 'You still see Just Plain Joe?'

'All the time. He's easy to be around.'

That was true, Hecht remembered. Just Plain Joe was not much smarter than the animals he cared for but he was a comfortable companion. 'Sure is. Next time you see him, tell him hello from me. And ask if he's happy where he is.'

'Hell, Pipe. Of course he is. He's Just Plain Joe. Joe is happy. Wherever he's at, that's the best possible place to be.'

'I could use a man who's good with animals.'

'He'll be looking for a job before long. We all will. Unless something scares the Five Families so bad they figure they've got to keep us on.'

'You find yourself out of work, come see me.'

Biogna bobbed his head, glanced around to see who might notice him leaving, then took off.

Hecht watched him go. How much could he be trusted?

The better positioned he became the more vulnerable he felt.

'We are being watched,' Hecht said when he returned to the kitchen. Where Anna seemed to be taking inventory in case Bo was a thief with illusionist's skills. 'And I won't ask Biogna in again if he makes you that uncomfortable.'

'Good. And next time one of your henchmen turns up, ask me before you let them in.'

There it was. The root of it all.

'Absolutely.'

'What about us being watched?'

He had seen a familiar face on a man lounging against a wall a hundred yards toward the sunset. A face he had not seen in years. The man's name was al-Azer er-Selim. He had been the Master of Ghosts of the special company once commanded by the Sha-lug captain Else Tage. Az was an old hand. He would not be spotted easily unless he wanted spotting.

Az wanted to make contact.

Later, though. When there would be fewer witnesses. There's a man out there who doesn't have any business around here.'

'Who sent him?'

'That would be the grand question. That's the off side of being Captain-General. Everyone-including the man paying my salary-wants to track what I'm doing.'

Anna nodded. She had completed her inventory. Now she dug amongst her pots and pans as she got ready to