But Brigeda's red lips curled in a smile before she spoke. That smile didn't take the edge off Blade's alertness.

«You are not really an escaped slave of Durkas's, are you?»

Blade found it easy to decide that lying to this woman would be a bad move. Perhaps a fatal one.

«No, I am not.»

«In fact, you are not any kind of escaped slave from anybody's household, are you?»

«I am not a slave at all, Sister Brigeda.» Blade made his voice as flat and menacing as possible.

Brigeda ignored the tone. «I thought so. You have the mark of someone's trusted henchman. Not Durkas or Tymgur, I hope.»

Blade's training held. He let the remark pass without showing any sign of surprise. But he noted the unmistakable hostility in Brigeda's voice when she said the Duke's name.

Then he shook his head.

«Good. Do you serve the Emperor?»

Blade was tempted to say yes. If Brigeda was loyal to the Emperor, as seemed likely, she would never dream of touching an imperial agent. But balanced against that chance of safety was the chance of being caught out in a lie. Once more Blade decided against lying to Sister Brigeda.

«I do not.»

That apparently stopped the courtesan in mid-thought. Her high forehead wrinkled into a puzzled frown, which Blade watched with interest, almost with relief.

«Who-who is your master, then?»

Blade did not hesitate. It was the right moment to add to his psychological edge, and the best way to do that was to tell the truth.

«Krodrus, the Autocrat for Finance of the Sea Cities of Talgar.»

That not only stopped Brigeda's thoughts, but nearly stopped her breath. There was another long silence. Blade thought of also mentioning the Sea Masters, but decided against it. It would certainly further amaze Sister Brigeda, but the Sea Master-Talgaran alliance was too important a secret to reveal right now.

Besides, Blade wanted to keep his escape route open.

The silence went on and on, until Blade wondered if Sister Brigeda was ever going to speak again. Finally she shook her head and raised one hand to her immaculately coiffed hair. It was the first nervous gesture Blade had seen her make.

«How-how does Talgar send- spies — into Nurn?»

«Through a newly discovered wisdom. They suspect plots against them among the nobles of Nurn, seek to discover who is plotting, and how to foil him.»

Brigeda's calm sagged a little further. Her hand went to her mouth, and her eyes widened. «You-suspect anyone?»

«We do.» Once again Blade made his voice as flat as possible.

«Who?» Brigeda's question was almost a sob.

«Why should I tell you?» said Blade. This time he put a deliberate chill into his voice, intending to shock.

If it shocked at all, it shocked Brigeda back into a more sober mood. «To avoid being taken down into my cellar and-asked-who it is, until you will beg for the opportunity to tell me and my Sisters.»

«I will die before that happens. You may, and many of your household certainly will.» Blade put a bantering note in his voice. «There will be blood and bodies all over your house, your business will be wrecked, and I will be as dead as an iron spike. What good will that do you, Sister?»

Brigeda had apparently expected her cool threat to intimidate Blade. When it didn't, she was once again at a loss for words. Blade decided to take a small risk to improve his position. It was only a small risk, for he had made plans against this sort of situation before parting with the four sailors.

«In any case, what can you do without my men?»

«Your men?»

«Yes, my men. Do you think an Autocrat of Talgar is such a fool as to send a man against the nobles of Nurn alone? I will need my comrades with me if I am to help you against your-enemy. If that is what you want, of course.»

«Oh yes.» There was no mistaking the eagerness in Brigeda's voice.

«Good. Then I will tell you where my men may be found, and you can send your most trusted servant to them with a message. The message will be in a code, so there will be no danger to your man. But it will assure my men that I am safe and tell them to cooperate with you.» It would tell them a few others things as well, but those were better not mentioned. «Can you do that?»

Brigeda swallowed, then nodded. «My steward will go forth this very night.» She swallowed again. «Is there anything else I can do for you?»

«Yes,» said Blade. «You can leave me alone to get some sleep.» Nothing was going to happen for at least twelve hours. After that a lot might happen very fast, and Blade wanted to be ready.

Brigeda nodded and left on silent feet.

She was back again only a little more than the twelve hours later. She was not silent as she stormed through the door, waving a bloodstained piece of paper, but cursing like a fishwife. Her eyes blazed and her finely chiseled nostrils flared. Blade could see her breast heaving under her tight bodice as she sucked in air.

Then she burst out furiously at Blade.

«You wretched, slimy traitor! Do you know what your men did? They took Jeshorn prisoner, and they're holding him and torturing him and-oh gods! They sent this message back, and-what are you doing? What-you-mmmmfggggg!» as Blade rolled out of bed, scooped her up with one arm, and slapped the other hand over her mouth.

He carried her to the bed, clasped both her hands in one of his, and kept the other over her mouth. «Do you promise not to move or speak until I've finished?» Silence. «If you don't, I'll have to bind and gag you, and that would be silly.» She nodded. «Don't play any tricks, either. If you do, you'll certainly never get my support even if you live long enough to need it.» Brigeda moaned, and nodded frantically.

«Good.» Blade let her stretch out on the bed, then stepped over to the door, locked it, and stood with his back to it.

«Now, Sister. Let's put an end to this playing of children's games. You must have thought me a fool, if you thought I would blurt out my plans simply at your little threat. But you made me wonder what you might be planning. So I had to arrange for your steward to be captured to provide for my own safety-just in case. I would have been just as big a fool if I had not done that. All this has taken nearly a day, a day that's been practically wasted. I don't think we have that much time to waste.

«You want to do something to-or about Duke Tymgur and Durkas, don't you?»

«Only Durkas,» said Sister Brigeda quietly. «We know Duke Tymgur is beyond our reach. But Durkas-«She broke off and clenched her fists until the knuckles were white.

«Very well, Durkas.» Again Blade decided a part of his plans should remain secret. «So do I-so do we, in Talgar. I think you want my help. In fact, I think you desperately need it, otherwise you would not have threatened me. And if you could have found anyone to work against Durkas before this, he would not be troubling either of us.»

Sister Brigeda's face was working as she listened to Blade strip her plans and schemes naked. Before he had finished, he saw tears glistening in the corners of both dark eyes.

«So why play any more games?» he finished. «I think we have a common purpose and a common enemy. If you will tell me why the Sisters of the Night call Durkas their enemy, I will tell you the same for the Sea Cities. Then we can begin planning.»

Brigeda's mouth dropped open. «You want to see-hear — why we hold Durkas an enemy?»

«Yes.»

She hesitated. «May I call one of my household?»

Blade nodded. «Certainly. But no tricks.»

«I promise.» Brigeda rose and went to the door, opened it, and called down the stairs.

«Send Sister Clarda to the Fourth Chamber.» Brigeda closed the door and turned back into the room.

«Durkas-«She swallowed. «Durkas is a man of-strange tastes. He loves-pain, and women screaming. Sister Clarda went to him some years ago on a contract. She came back, but no other Sister has ever gone since. He must make do with girls from the slave pens or kidnapped from other households.»