Prataxis said, „Same here."
„You three have somewhere else to go. I don't. This is my homeland." Abaca rose. „So be it, I guess. If I'm outvoted, I'm outvoted." He strode toward the door.
Liakopulos rose, said, „We'll have to see the Queen before the news breaks. Get her braced for the shock when it hits."
Michael said, „I'll take you to her, General. I'll meet you here in an hour. I have some things to do first. Derel, you bring Credence and Cham."
Abaca asked, „Why not just tell us where she is and we'll all meet there?"
„I don't think so," Michael replied. „The fewer who know, the less chance of trouble."
Abaca gave Trebilcock a hard look. „All right. Whatever you think." He departed.
„He's going to cause trouble," Prataxis said.
„Maybe," Michael admitted. „General, look for me with in the hour."
Liakopulos extended a hand. „Trebilcock, it's been nice. We had something here. I'm sorry it has to die this way. Prataxis, you too."
Derel shook hands and muttered, „Why did he do it? There was no sane reason for him to attack them."
Liakopulos said, „He had his neurotic streak, same as the Tervola. Let's hope he didn't die in vain, that the Tervola are satisfied for now."
Trebilcock grumbled, „That's all we need. Shinsan start ing a push. Well, later."
Prataxis said, „I'd better find Mundwiller," and followed Michael.
Liakopulos sat down again, closed his eyes, and tried to imagine what Kavelin might have become had the King not gone after his wild goose. He ended up shedding tears.
25
Year 1016 AFE
In their dragon's Teeth fastness Nepanthe and Varthlokkur followed events in Vorgreberg without speak ing. They saw the first small riots blossom, fertilized by a wildfire rumor that Inger and Fulk had been murdered by the King's cabal. They saw Abaca give too harsh orders for suppressing the riots, and witnessed the flight of the Marena Dimura members of the army.
Varthlokkur turned his back on the mirror. Choked, he said, „You were right. I was wrong. I was a fool."
„What are you going to do about it?"
„Now? I can't do anything. It's too late. It has to run its course."
„A lot of people will get hurt."
„I know. That's the way of these things. All I could do is make it worse. It'll be a purging of the national spirit. Every nation goes through them. They're horrible for individuals, but the kingdom comes through tempered and unified."
„Spare me."
„All right. Just understand, I admit my culpability. And it's now too late for me to contribute anything positive."
„If you say so."
One large tear dribbled down the wizard's cheek. He thought, don't tear at me now, woman. I have trouble enough living with myself.
Mist had been so long without sleep she was seeing double. „Lord Ssu-ma?"
„Report on affairs in Kavelin, Princess. If you're inter ested."
„Of course I am. Go ahead."
„I'll be brief. I know you're pressed. Basically, the old order is doomed. Ragnarson's people have very little support left. Looks like civil war coming."
„So. The noble experiment dies. And not the brave death, but ignominiously, with ghouls and jackals squabbling over the corpse. A sad ending."
„Sad indeed, Princess. May I return to my duties?"
„Please do, Lord Ssu-ma. And thank you for having humored my orders out there."
Shih-ka'i did not respond. Mist turned her attention to Matayanga once more, Kavelin out of her mind. Shinsan would not turn westward again for a long time.
Trebilcock and Liakopulos swung into the track to the Dalthin manor. Michael looked for signs betraying the Queen's presence. He saw none, and was pleased. He said, „Gods, I hate this. And I can't see any alternative but Credence's."
„I'm resigned."
„At least she didn't wrestle it away from us. She got it by default."
„Maybe. Maybe she was the reason the King did what he did."
„It's moot now."
„You sure they're here? The place looks dead."
„It's supposed to." Michael had a vile thought. He kicked his mount forward.
„What is it?"
„Maybe Credence found out. He sent his Marena Dimura out of town as soon as he left us." He and Liakopulos had been delayed while he studied reports on the sporadic rioting. „In any case, Derel should be here now. Though I can't picture him and Cham controlling Credence if Cre dence doesn't want to behave."
He'd planned to arrive first, then had been too preoccu pied to worry about Abaca. He reined in before the manor house, jumped down, ran.
All for naught. A perfectly healthy Inger greeted him at the door. „What're you doing here? I didn't expect you till tomorrow."
„Didn't Derel explain?"
„Derel? I haven't seen him."
Michael exchanged glances with Liakopulos. „He was supposed to meet us here. We're way late. Some rioting. Your friends are claiming we've killed you."
„I looked over the papers. I can sign them. Why did you bring the General? I thought he was at Baxendala on maneuvers."
„He was. He came back. Let's don't worry about the papers. Damn it, Derel, where are you?"
„What's wrong?"
„Have you been comfortable enough?"
„As comfortable as one can be in a ruin. I'll be glad to get out of Kavelin. It's been nothing but heartaches. I was a fool to want to make Fulk King."
„There you go, Michael," the General said. „Antedate the papers."
Inger's eyes narrowed. „What is going on? Why are you here? Why is Derel coming? To give those rioters something to scream about?"
Michael laughed weakly. „Far from it. It's a big confab. You. Me. The General. Derel. Mundwiller. Abaca. Only I'm beginning to wonder if the rest are going to show. Maybe the riots turned worse, or something. General?"
Liakopulos shrugged. „The word could have gotten through. You know what that would mean."
Inger said, „Michael, you'd better get to the point."
Michael looked at Liakopulos. The General nodded. „All right. The straight of it. The King is dead. Fulk is King."
„What? How? Are you sure?" Inger became very pale. Her hands fluttered aimlessly.
„He tried to sneak up on Lord Hsung. While he was out of touch with us, Hsung was assassinated, replaced, and his invasion of Hammad al Nakir called off. When Bragi got to Throyes the legions were waiting for him. Only a few men got away. The General brought the word today."
„Let's go somewhere where I can sit down." As she led them into the house, she muttered, „He's dead? Bragi is dead? I can't believe it."
„It's true, Your Majesty," Liakopulos replied. „It was a great bloody slaughter, and he was among the last to fall."
„Spare me the gory details," she breathed, „He's dead? I don't believe it. How could that be? He was always so lucky.
I didn't even believe he'd go through the pass. I thought he was up at Maisak waiting for the Estates to do something so he could come down and hang a few Nordmen." She wheeled on Michael. „This is another of your schemes, isn't it?"
„No, Inger. No scheme. We talked it over this afternoon. It got hot, but we decided to come out as a group and tell you. Your son is King. You're Regent. We want to take you back and get the government into your hands before the news gets out and Kavelin begins tearing itself apart."
„He's not dead. I don't believe that. It's some kind of a trick." She looked at each man. „Oh. You really believe it. But it isn't possible... . Why are you even telling me? You were finally getting rid of me."
„That was when you were intriguing against the Crown," Michael said. „Now you are the Crown. What it boils down to is, we decided to stick with the law. The law was on our side then. Now it's on yours. We don't agree with you on much, but our duty is to the Crown. We came to take you back."