Spereo observed, "You've been a hellish long time getting here."

"Such are the mercies of my supposed profession. I got locked up for half a year."

Stewpo said, "Your masters must've been cranky about that."

"They'll feel better when they learn about this war I hear is coming."

"Which will keep the Patriarch preoccupied."

"Are they behind it? What's really going on?"

The Deves exchanged puzzled looks. "What do you mean?" Stewpo asked.

"Somebody has to be putting the Calzirans up to this. They can't possibly be so stupid that they think the Patriarch will tolerate a wholesale plundering of Church property and the Episcopal States."

"Actually, I think they are that stupid. They know the mercantile republics are mad at the Patriarch and won't help him. And the first raiders went home in ships nearly foundering with infidel treasure. Gold fever is sweeping Calzir. Anybody with a boat big enough to haul booty is rounding up friends and old weapons to go get rich. Starplire may leave them bold enough to hit a really large, rich target."

Else reflected, “Too much success could make them forget to concentrate on Sublime and the Benodocto. If they bite Hansel or one of the mercantile republics …"

"They'll suffer," Talab said. "We understand that. But they don't. Calzir is hip-deep in stupidity these days. Not to suggest that bright is common anywhere, nor ever was welcome in Calzir. That realm's biggest problem is a lack of any real central control."

Stewpo said, "This situation has repeated itself every sixty to eighty years since the Praman conquest. Eventually an allied Chaldarean fleet will scour the Calziran coast. Piracy will stop – until the last old man who remembers how things went dies off."

Another Deve said, "They always think they have God on their side. They always think Firaldians are too soft to put up a fight."

Stewpo observed, "Perhaps if they were a more literate society?"

"Stewpo, I haven't heard why you're here in Brothe."

"Sure, you have. Just not from me. Things went to shit in Sonsa. The Brotherhood sent another gang of thugs from Castella dollas Pontellas to avenge that wizard."

"This will amuse you. That wizard led the company I joined. He has almost no powers left"

"Good," Stewpo snarled. "Someday …" He pulled himself together. "The Dainshaukin and Devedian communities decided to abandon Sonsa. After half the Devedian population died."

Else did not suffer a twinge.

Stewpo said, "Al-Qarn isn't happy with you."

"Anyone there who thinks he can do better is welcome to take over."

"They have no concept of the realities here. But that isn't the point Part of your job would be to make them understand. I've been reminded, recently, that you haven't reported yet. They know you're alive only through secondary sources."

"I was told to report when I had something to report. I haven't, yet." Ignoring Stewpo's point about the educational aspect of his mission.

"People in power want to know what's going on. They have decisions to make. They need information. They squeal like wounded swine when they don't have it. I'm not interested in making their lives easier, though."

"I understand," Else said. "The enemy of your enemy is your ally."

"But never a friend. Do you understand?"

"Perfectly. Before we worry about the shape of our end of the world we need to rid it of the threat of the west."

Gledius Stewpo said, "You might be too bright for our kind of work."

"No doubt. And here you are, a hound baying at the behest of a false god. Yet you show no shame."

"I hope these aren't the end times where we have to find out which one of us is the deluded devil-worshipper."

Else replied, "None of that matters. Not now. If Sublime preaches a crusade against Calzir…"

"The Collegium will approve a punitive expedition against the pirate ports because of Starplire, but that's all. Which is too bad. If Sublime bogged down in Calzir he'd be too busy to do any mischief in the Holy Lands."

"As long as I'm here, why don't I do a report that you can pass along?" Else did not mention that he had reported before. "If I can dictate it. It's a long story."

Later, report done, Else said, "I need one more thing. As a Bruglioni henchman. An accountant. A wizard with numbers who can ferret out bookkeeping deceits. The Bruglioni staff have been stealing their masters blind using bookkeeping tricks. I'm trying to make my name with them."

Stewpo nodded. "I'll see what can be done."

POLO SAID, "YOU FOUND PAPER. GOOD."

"In the Deve quarter. But they said, with war possible, the supply won't last. Big price increases are coming."

"War. Yeah. They want to see you about that. Right away."

"Why? They spend all their time hiding out. I can't ever get hold of them when I need something."

"And that's bad? Paludan is happy with you."

"Really? I'm making it up as I go, Polo. They never told me what to do, they just hired me to do something. So I'm doing what obviously needs doing. And wondering why the second richest family in Brothe lives in a dump. How do they stay feared and respected? There's nobody here to respect or fear. Is that a secret? You say they're waiting for me now?"

"Not as such. They're in the private audience. Playing chess."

"What are they up to?"

"Divino was here for a while. It might have to do with the pirate problem."

"Divino? That's the uncle who's in the Collegium?"

"Yes. Principatй Divino Bruglioni. You've probably met him without realizing who he was. He comes around here a lot."

“Take this stuff to our quarters. Then get Madam Ristoti to send me something to eat. In the private audience. I haven't eaten all day."

"You didn't see your lady friend?"

"I was looking for paper. And learning my way around that part of town."

"All business, eh?"

"Always, Polo. That's how you get ahead in the world."

GERVASE SALUDA HAD HIS BACK TO THE DOOR WHEN ELSE ENtered the private audience. The room was twelve feet by sixteen, big by peasant standards but small for a working room in the Bruglioni citadel. There were few furnishings. One chess table. Four chairs, two in use already. A fireplace, not lighted. Paludan Bruglioni sat opposite Gervase, scowling fiercely at the chessboard.

"Yeah, Hecht. You're here. You were out and around today, right?"

"I went to the Devedian quarter to get paper. For the boys' lessons. I took the opportunity to find out more about that part of the city."

"You heard what happened at Starplire?"

"Only the bare bones of the story. I have blond hair. People talk to me only as much as they need to, to separate me from my money. I didn't hear much war talk, though."

"You must not have been listening. There's a lot of war talk. Uncle Divino says the Patriarch may preach a crusade. And the Collegium will let him have it"

That startled Else. "Really?"

"Really. Most of them lost family at Starplire. But there're more pressing problems."

"Yes?"

"The Collegium, according to Divino, began tracking the Calziran pirates after the news from Starplire. The pirates are more numerous, more organized, and more centrally controlled than anybody suspected. The Starplire raid was a rehearsal."

"This is more disturbing by the moment."

Gervase Saluda said, "Indeed. Pull up a chair. Let's talk."

Else did as he was told. "Go ahead."

"The pirates are thinking about attacking Brothe next. They see no reason to expect much resistance. The only soldiers in town are the Brotherhood. There aren't a hundred of them, right now."

"The Calzirans know all that?"

"They do."

"Do they know we know they know? No. I take that back. Are their captains intimate with the Instrumentalities of the Night? Would they think that somebody here knows what they're doing?"