An Ill Fate Marshalling

„Leave the one up top. She'll want to visit her kids."

„I did. I shut the others down. Radeachar is out looking for more."

„What about Maisak?"

„Took care of it last night. Found four."

„Think she was planning something?"

The wizard shrugged. „I'd guess they were for communi cation while she was getting her plot together. Not that she wouldn't use them later if they were still there."

„How's the baby?"

„Perfect. Nepanthe is up and around, too. We decided to call her Smyrena."

„That's an unusual name."

„It was my mother's. Nepanthe's idea."

„What about Ethrian? Anything?" Ragnarson stopped, startled by the wizard's sudden dark, dangerous look.

„I said let sleeping dogs lie. I've finally gotten Nepanthe off the subject."

Ragnarson decided to forget it. „I've got one problem you could help with. Mist's kids. Kristen has work enough with mine."

„Nepanthe mentioned them this morning. They're her brother's children. We'll take them as soon as she can handle them." He didn't sound enthusiastic.

„All right. What are your plans now?"

„There's Norath. And the treachery here. How I long for the peace of Fangdred."

„So go. Leave it to Michael. Once we cleanse the palace, Norath becomes moot. His interest should have ended when he delivered his assassins."

„I can give Michael a few hints. What about Hammad al Nakir?"

„Michael and I can handle that. My big worry is still Shinsan."

„Uhm. I'm done. Nothing to do but wait for Radeachar."

„Had breakfast? Come on over to Kristen's."

„Thanks. No. I'll get back to Nepanthe."

„See you later, then."

Varthlokkur nodded curtly, a gesture of dismissal. Irked, Ragnarson stamped outside. The guard exploded off the steps, raced to retrieve his king's horse. Bragi growled and grumbled and cursed till he was in the saddle.

Kristen waved from her porch. He turned in. „How're you this morning?"

„So-so. Weren't you going to stop?"

„Hadn't made up my mind."

„Somebody here you might want to see." She gave him a saucy smile.

„She's still here?"

„Sure."

„Isn't that a little... ?"

„I'm going to complain? She helps with the kids, helps with the house, and lends me a crying shoulder. I need one lately."

„I've got Derel and the Baron working on the succession thing, but don't get your hopes up. It doesn't look good. Think you could give the old man breakfast?"

„In bed?"

„I'm not in the mood."

„Figured you for a good mood. Look out there. Is that a morning for grouchy?"

Bragi admitted that it was a beautiful day. A change. It had rained most of yesterday.

„Sausage and eggs do you?"

„With fresh bread, butter, and honey on the side? You've got a deal."

„I'll start cooking."

„Cooking? What do I pay servants for?"

„I like to. I want to. This may not last. I have to keep in practice."

„Humph. I'd think you'd enjoy it while you can."

„Come on. You can break the eggs."

Sherilee found them in the kitchen. „I've got them playing out back, Kris. Bunch of savages." She looked at Bragi with a twinkling question in her eye.

„Morning," he said.

„He's doing his cranky bear imitation this morning," Kristen explained.

„I know a cure for that."

„What's happening to young people today?" Bragi de manded. „Women weren't this bold when I was your age."

„They probably were," Kristen said. „You probably were shy."

„Come on... ."

„Want to see the kids?" Sherilee asked. „I'll call them."

„Later. We have things to talk about."

„Give me those eggs," Kristen snapped. „Playtime after you eat."

Ragnarson returned to the palace feeling sated and self-satisfied. What a morning! What a man. Who'd believe he had that much left?

Gales had the duty. „Ho! Majesty. Your man Trebilcock is looking for you. Yeah. Trebilcock."

„Where is he?"

„His offices. Yeah. His offices."

Ragnarson scowled at the Itaskian. His response was gratifyingly nervous. He had been the messenger between palace and Thing while the Estates were pushing their succession law. Josiah Gales was one semi-plausible excuse short of the mercies of Trebilcockquestioners. He knew he was gone if he strayed far from the Queen's protection.

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."