'But…'
'I get news from a hundred sources, Brother. This tale of an awakening Instrumentality isn't unique. It's happening all over, wherever there are old stories about hauntings. I think there must be some truth in all the reports.'
Brother Candle asked, 'Why didn't you send troops to Caron ande Lette?'
'Because Sublime's villains have kept me too busy here. These are some nasty churchmen. They adapt every day, finding ways to be irritating without offending temporal law to the point where I can round them up. And more and more keep turning up. I don't know where they find them all.'
'The monastic orders are turning applicants away. You don't go hungry when you belong to the Church. And a certain sort enjoys having petty power over the rest of us.'
'Not what I want to hear, Master. But I don't get the good much anymore. Just yesterday I heard that the new Empress, Katrin, was crowned by Sublime himself. In return, she bent the knee to the Brothen Patriarchy.'
'That could mean civil war inside the Empire.'
'It could. It definitely means that the Empire won't shield the Connec anymore. Which leads to the other bad news. Sublime is ready to preach a crusade against the Maysalean Heresy.'
Brother Candle shuddered and sighed. Seekers could be found everywhere but the Connec was where they were most open, numerous, and in control. The Connec would be where the main blow fell.
'One way or another, the false Patriarch will plunder our land.'
The Count said, 'He'd better hurry. Before it's all eaten up in our little country wars.'
The Society received instructions from Brothe. The latest Brothen Episcopal Bishop of Antieux issued an order for Count Raymone to present himself. But the Bishop's messengers could not find him. And several messengers failed to return.
Count Raymone had handled two problems with one quick sidle, summoning those who were willing to join a small army he took north. Bernardin Amberchelle and his betrothed stayed to deal with the importunities and expanding arrogance of Brothe's agents. Then Amberchelle, in turn, disappeared. But rumor saw his savage hand behind the killings and disappearances that continued to plague Antieux. Fewer and fewer Society brothers came to the city. Those already there began wearing disguises and moving around in groups.
And still there were casualties. Some quite gruesome.
Amazing how much Church blood could be let when those doing the bloodletting were neither afraid of excommunication nor intimidated by their own consciences.
Socia caught Brother Candle several weeks into what she called her regency with her in charge. 'It's all a big damned conspiracy, Master! These people tell me I'm the lady of the city, now! They go through all the motions, asking me for orders. Then they go do whatever they want!'
'Raymone set it up that way, dear girl. So he can't be blamed for the wickedness. He isn't here to stop it And, of course, you can't because you're only a woman.'
After a pause during which she fought her anger, Socia said, 'I can honestly say I understand that. It's clever enough. What I can't get a handle on is all the foreigners involved in the struggle with the Society.'
That baffled the old man. Count Raymone had hired no mercenaries. 'Foreigners? You lost me, child. What foreigners?'
'Being a girl I guess I'm supposed to be too dim to notice. Before he disappeared Bernardin was chummy with some outlanders who spoke a dialect harder to follow than Firaldian. Men who looked like they'd butcher and roast their own mothers if they missed a meal. Bernardin disappeared but those men are still around.'
'I haven't been paying close enough attention, obviously. I haven't noticed them.'
Naturally, when Socia tried to point them out not a one could be found.
But the war on Sublime's running dogs never abated.
11. Brothen Homecoming
'Well?' Anna Mozilla asked as Piper Hecht collapsed onto a couch. 'How bad is it?'
'It's awful. It's beyond awful. Sublime is a raving lunatic. The whole west will go up in flames if he has his way. He's determined to invade the Connec. Anne of Menand seems to be in complete control in Salpeno. She takes the crusade idea seriously. She has people in the Connec already. She's so focused on the south, you
'No more politics, Piper.'
'How are the kids?'
'Getting fat. And in bed. Bechter sent word you were coming.'
'I don't know what I'd do without him.'
'What was the coronation like?' With a sharp edge there. The Captain-General's mistress had not been invited.
Hecht said, 'That was weeks ago.'
'And you haven't been home since.'
'Uhn? I didn't realize… We really are working hard.'
'You're the man in charge, Piper.'
He sighed. He would not be able to keep much from Anna, anymore. Titus Consent had had to leave the Devedian quarter. He had moved in not far away. Noe and Anna vere getting chummy.
Neither woman had an extended family to give her support.
Anna had become uncomfortably domestic. She was older than Hecht. Maybe the adventure had gone out of her.
She did have plenty of domestic adventure left.
Lying in the post-prandial glow, half asleep, Hecht tried to get the coronation out of his head. It was stuck like a song that would not go away. Like the latest love song from some Connecten jongleur. Princess Helspeth had stared at him throughout the ceremony. It was so obvious that several people asked about it. He explained that he had saved her life at al-Khazen.
He hoped he was more subtle than she.
The girl fascinated him.
But it was only a fancy. Helspeth Ege was Princess Apparent of the New Brothen Empire. He was a sword in the pay of her father's favorite enemy.
The Imperial party still had not left Brothe. But the Captain-General had seen nothing of those people since the ceremonies.
Nor would he have had time.
Sublime wanted to send an army through Ormienden into the End of Connec. He had more backing than Hecht had thought possible. Many supporters, disappointed by the Calziran Crusade, were willing to throw more wealth down another rathole hoping they could fatten up in the Connec.
Titus's reports made it sound as though there would be little left to take. Bad things were happening out there.
Sublime still had received only a quarter of the money promised by Anne of Menand. As much more was supposed to have disappeared in transit. And there were rumors that Anne was financing Arnhander incursions to the Connec using the rest of Sublime's bribe as security for loans for her own warmaking.
Brothen moneylenders had become reluctant to deal with the Patriarchy.
Sleep came. Helspeth haunted his dreams. She did so every night. He had gotten no chance to speak with her. Then, or since. The Imperial party would leave soon. The Empress Katrin wanted to cross the Jago Mountains while the passes were in their best possible state.
Anna rolled over and buried her face in his chest. Her hot breath wakened him. 'Can't you relax?' she murmured. 'Can't you just push it all out of your head for one night?'
