But you, my friend, I know I can trust. We proved our mettle together in that fight against the fiends. You know my mind, my private thoughts, more than any other. Just as I know yours.

I beg you, Safarcome to me at once. To help speed you to my side I have deposited ample funds in your name with the Merchants Guild in Walaria.

I have great need of you, friend and oath brother.

May the gods look with favor on you and your dear family in Kyrania.

When the men had finished reading the letter Kalasariz said, I have verified the signature. Without question it's that of Iraj Protarus."

"This is most disturbing news, gentlemen, King Didima replied. Most disturbing indeed."

"Damned embarrassing for me, Umurhan said. Can you imagine how I feel? To think I've been nursing a viper at my bosom all this time."

"There, there, Umurhan, Didima said. No one's blaming you. How were you supposed to know? After all, the young man came so highly recommended."

The three men were gathered in the king's private study. They'd ruled together for so longequally dividing power and wealththat they were at ease in each other's company. They were accustomed to compromise and once a goal was set they worked smoothly towards its end. Didima was a stumpy man, with thick limbs and a barrel-like trunk. His face was round like a melon and shadowed by a dark thick beard streaked with gray. Umurhan was every inch a wizard, silver eyes glowing under a sorcerer's peaked hat. He had heavy, bat-winged brows and a beard of flowing white. And Kalasariz was the dark presence who made this unholy trinity complete.

"Thank you for your confidence in me, Majesty, Umurhan said. Although I must say I have become suspicious of young Timura lately. I wanted to dismiss him from the school, but I didn't want to offend his sponsor, Lord Muzine. Instead I was going to make sure Timura failed the upcoming exams. Then I'd be rid of him without controversy."

"I'll speak to Muzine, Didima offered. He'll be grateful we gave him a chance to distance himself from the little traitor."

"Let's not mention this to anyone just yet, Kalasariz cautioned. I want to see where this leads us."

"That's good advice, Didima said. Why seize one troublemaker when we might have a chance to sweep them all in. He absently combed his beard with thick, blunt fingers. These are dangerous times, gentlemen, as I've said many times before. Two years of poor harvests. Plague outbreaks among our cattle and sheep. More bandits stalking the caravans than we've seen in years. Which has done nothing to help trade. And this increasing reluctance, which I lay to poor upbringing, of our citizens to pay the increased taxes we require just to keep the kingdom whole and on the right course.

"Now this upstart, Iraj Protarus, comes along with his army of barbarians invading the realms of innocent, peace-loving kings. Why just last month my old friend, King Leeman of Shareed, had his head cut off by this Protarus fellow. After he'd sacked the city, of course, and burned it to the ground."

Didima touched his throat and shivered. It isn't right, he said, cutting off royal heads. It injures the dignity of thrones everywhere."

"I couldn't agree more, Majesty, Umurhan said. And I think we made a wise decision to ally ourselves with Protarus enemies, Koralia Kan and Lord Fulain."

"We'll have to raise taxes again, Didima warned, to pay for the mercenaries and arms we promised our new friends."

"It will be worth every copper, Umurhan said, if it stops Protarus once and for all. Someday our citizens will thank for saving them from that madman."

"Thank us, or curse us, Kalasariz said, they'll pay just the same. But that's old business and as much I'd like to talk politics with you two all night I want to set a proper course concerning Safar Timura. How shall we proceed?"

Umurhan indicated the intercepted letter. How did this fall into your hands?"

"I have an informant at the Foolsmire, Kalasariz said, which as you all know is a favorite meeting spot for the students. Safar is a close friend of the owner and has all his messages and post directed there."

"I know of this place, Umurhan said. The owner is a cranky but harmless old fellow who distrusts authority. Katal, I think his name is. I can't imagine him having a sudden change of heart and turning informer for the crown."

Kalasariz smiled thinly, making him look even more like a skeleton. It's the owner's grandson who is in my pay, he said. Zeman's his name. He's as dim-witted as he is ambitious. Full of cunning and all of it low. Zeman is anxious to inherit, but unfortunately for him his grandfather gives every sign of living on for many years. My emissaries have led young Zeman to believe that if he helps us we might hasten his grandfather's journey to the grave."

"Excellent, excellent, King Didima said. The blacker the soul the more willing the flesh."

Kalasariz chuckled. The sound was like a broken bone grating against itself. That's certainly true in Zeman's case, he said. He seems to particularly hate Safar Timura. I don't know whyto my knowledge Timura has never done anything against him. I think he's jealous because his grandfather holds Timura in such high affection. There's also a child at the Foolsmire, a thief named Nerisa, whom he appears to hate nearly as much as Timura. Once again, I can't say why. Nor do I care. Suffice it to say Zeman has been looking on his own for evidence against Timura for some time. We had no reason to suspect him, the gods know. And then this letter came along and Zeman contacted us immediately."

Kalasariz made another death mask smile. He managed to construct the accusations so they involved the child as well."

"My, my, Didima said. Two enemies at one blow. Zeman must be a very happy fellow."

"Not as happy as he's going to be if this works out right, Kalasariz said. I believe in keeping my best informants rich enough to dream large, but poor enough to keep those dreams just beyond their reach."

"What did Timura say when you confronted him with the letter? Didima asked.

"I didn't mention it, Kalasariz said. I let him lie. He claimed he'd heard nothing from Protarus since they were boys. He also said he doubted his old friend even remembered him."

Umurhan snorted. A likely story, he said. That letter is clearly one of several urging Timura to join Protarus in his evil adventure. And look here… he jabbed his finger at one phrase in the letter… Protarus says he's deposited funds for Timura at the Merchants Guild."

Kalasariz snorted. I've seized them, of course, he said. One hundred gold coins."

Umurhan's bat-winged brows flared up in surprise. So much? he said. Then, That's more proof, as if we needed it. No one would give away such an amount casually."

Didima leaned forward. Why do you think Timura has resisted Protarus pleas?"

"That's simple enough, Majesty, Kalasariz said. He's holding out for a greater share of the spoils."

Umurhan looked thoughtful. Then he said, I'm sure that's part of his game. However, I'm also certain he wants to steal my most important magical secrets to take along with him. I caught him in my private library the other day. That is why I nearly dismissed him. The books and scrolls there are forbidden to anyone but a few of my most trusted priests and scholars."

A long silence greeted this revelation. Then, from Didima, What of this battle Protarus refers to? The bit about the fiends? What do you make of that?"

"Some boyhood adventure, I suspect, Kalasariz answered. Exaggerated, of course."

Didima nodded. Yes, yes. What else could it be?"

He thought a moment, then asked, What shall we do about Acolyte Timura?"

"Nothing just now, Kalasariz said. Let him have his head. At the right time we'll make certain he pays a very public visit to our executioner to have it removed. He slipped a scroll from his sleeve and rolled out it out on Didima's desk, saying, And to that end, Majesty, I'll need your signature authorizing his execution and the execution of his fellow conspirators when the time comes to sweep them up. We don't want any messy trials or other delays that might give their supporters time to whip up public support."