An Ill Fate Marshalling

Ragnarson encountered Dahl Haas a minute later. Haas relayed the same message. „Dahl, what do you think of Sergeant Gales?"

„Crude, Sire. But a first-class field soldier."

„Not what I was wondering. More like how deep do you think his treachery runs?"

„Sire?"

„Never mind. Have the kitchen send up lunch. And a quart of apple juice. I'm dying of thirst."

„Yes, Sire. Will you need me there?"

„Not today." Bragi strode down the hall. After a half-dozen paces he halted, looked back. Something wrong with Dahl... . because he wasn't allowed into the inner coun cils? That seemed to upset him. Why? He was not that senior. Maybe it was time he gave Dahl something more. He was a man now, not just the child of an old follower. And King's adjutant was supposed to lead to better things.

„Mention it to Michael," he muttered. „We could send him to back-check Inger's people."

Michael was conferring with aides when Bragi arrived. He dismissed them immediately. „You look like hell," Ragnarson said. „What have you been up to?"

„Two days drunk. Aral talked me into visiting some of our old haunts the other night. I'm not as young as I used to be."

„None of us are."

„Did you know he's a big wheel in the underworld?"

„Smuggling. The difference between trader and smuggler is a matter of viewpoint."

„Not just smuggling. The whole spectrum. People on Arsen Street call him sir. People who wouldn't do that for us."

„Interesting."

„Certainly worth remembering."

„Don't let friendship put you in a compromising posi tion."

„No problem. Aral's more concerned about that than we are. He's really got his life divided into compartments."

„People say you want to see me."

„Yeah. Got an interesting report out of Sebil el Selib."

„So? Go ahead."

„El Murid has abdicated. Yasmid has taken over. The Throyes thing did him in. Yasmid came in with a roar. Big purge. Military reorganization. Stepped-up attacks against the Royalists. She reformed the Invincibles, disbanded the Harish, and started a cult of her own called Al Dawa. Means The Call. As in call to arms, Derel says. He says she's ignited a fundamentalist resurgence."

„That sounds like Derel. I thought they'd had that pounded out of them."

„A new generation. You can sell the same old snake oil forever if you change the label once in a while. My contact says Al Dawa will eventually replace the Invincibles."

„What'll it mean to us?"

„You've got a bond with Yasmid. Stronger than that with Megelin, now Norath is in Al Rhemish. Derel and I think it should be nurtured."

Ragnarson thought a moment. „All right. Send her every thing we know about Norath, Megelin, and Throyes. Any luck getting somebody back into Throyes?"

„Aral will cover it. Some of my sources survived the riots, but I want to husband them. They could get more impor tant."

„Sleepers?"

„Yeah. I don't want to waste them. Hammad al Nakir is our main interest now anyway. Right? Shinsan should be no trouble till they settle accounts with Matayanga."

„You're doing better, Michael. I'm more comfortable with you this way. Try to relay that package through Habibullah. He's a friend of Ravelin, more or less."

„Sure. Sire?"

„What?"

„Never mind."

„What is it?"

„Nothing. Forget it."

The match with the Panthers had been on Ragnarson's mind since he'd conned the judges into a postponement. „What're they saying about the Guards-Panthers match?"

Trebilcock was baffled by the switch. „People are mad about the delay."

„How about the betting?"

„What betting? Nobody will go Guards. Not unless you give them three goals."

„How about to win?"

Michael looked more baffled. „Name your odds. You could get ten to one anywhere."

„How come?"

„The word is, Charygin Hall took steps. I hear they've paid off some of your players."

Bragi grinned. „Aral into gambling?"

„It looked like it."

„Here's what I want. I'll have Derel release a hundred thousand from the treasury. Sneak it to Aral. Have him pass it to his people and get all the bets he can against us. Have him hold the bets. None of this word of honor I'll pay if I lose. I want him to go after the high rollers in the Estates and get every crown he can."

„Are you sure? Our finances are so bad ... the whole Thing would turn on you. That's betting the longest shot... ."

„If he needs more to cover all the bets, let me know. I'll even make loans if I have to."

„Why? Why risk everything on a ball game?"

„We're going to win, Michael. The take will retire a few debts. We owe almost two hundred thousand nobles. If we average five to one return on a hundred thousand crowns, less say five percent to Aral as commission, we'd retire a quarter of it. If we drive it higher, and get the barons to bet big, we can strip them of a lot of their wealth. And wealth is power."

„In other words, you're going to backstab them for what they pulled when we weren't looking."

„There. You're starting to see it. Another debt we're going to pay."

„How can you be so sure you'll win? The experts say you'll be lucky to score two goals. The Panthers are taking this one like it's the match of the century."

„I'll win because I have to."

„Suppose word gets out and the odds plunge?"

„That's what Aral gets his commission for. If we win. The more we win, the more he makes. Right?"

Michael smiled. „I like it. Basically. I'll work on it. Though it hardly seems meet work for a secret service."

Ragnarson scribbled a note. „Give this to Derel. Your first hundred thousand. And authorization to draw more. Tell Aral to keep his pigeons from talking to each other. I want to hit those bastards hard."

He was angry. He hoped some deep-seated, unrealized rage was not compelling him to undertake totally foolish risks. There was no guarantee his plan for winning was not subject to prior detection.

„One more thing, Michael. Find out who was paid off."

„You'd better believe. I'm riding this one with you."

Prataxis read the note a fourth time. „He's out of his mind."

„I want to talk about that," Michael said. Derel gave him a hard look. „Really. He's getting weird. Playing too many long shots."

Prataxis leaned back in his chair, folded spidery fingers under his chin. „Tell me about it."

„Look. The thing with Mist. We lucked out."

„He's a lucky man."

„He's been a lucky man. Luck turns. Then there's this girl. He's making no secret of her. She's staying at his country house."

„An ancient and revered custom."

„I know. I'm a little prudish. But so are these Kaveliners. They won't care that he's got a leman. Who doesn't that can afford one? What'll shock them is, he's keeping her there where his kids can see it. That's a big deal here. We're from farther west. We don't see it that way. But... ."

„Enough. I agree. I've dropped a few hints. He doesn't listen anymore."

„Now there's this. Betting the whole treasury on a ball game. It's plain crazy. There's no way he can win. It's like he's trying to destroy himself."

„He's cagey. Some ways, he has fewer scruples than a Tervola. Captures is for cheaters. My guess is, he'll outcheat the Panthers."