The fact that the Inquisition had found it necessary to make examples of some of its own boded ill, he thought. And it did put an interesting twist on Wylbyr Edwyrds recall to Zion.
I wonder if that fool is feeling just a little nervous? The possibility that he was brought Rainbow Waters a modest glow of pleasure.
“I expect you’re correct about that,” he said, gazing down into his snifter for a handful of seconds. Then he looked back up at his nephew.
“And what do you make of the rumors we’re hearing out of Zion?” he asked much more softly.
Wind Song drew deeply on his pipe, filling his mouth with aromatic smoke. He held it for a moment, then blew a perfect smoke ring and watched it float upwards. The icy wind blustering about the eaves as another spring snowstorm dumped its burden on Lake City’s roofs and streets made a fitting background to that silence, but as the smoke ring kissed the ceiling and disintegrated, he lowered his gaze to his uncle once more.
“I don’t know what to make of them,” he admitted. “The fact that there’s been no mention of them in those broadsheets doesn’t make me feel any more inclined to doubt them, however. It should, I suppose, but the whispers are too persistent, and they’re coming from sources which are too highly placed to be readily dismissed. And, to be honest, our … friends in Zion seem too frightened by them.” He inhaled deeply. “We’ve seen enough evidence—those broadsheets are a case in point—that whether they’re truly demonic or not, these ‘seijins’ aiding the heretics are capable of what one can only call superhuman feats, Uncle. If something like that’s happened in the middle of Zion, then I fear much worse is to come outside Zion.”
Rainbow Waters nodded gravely. It was the first time he’d asked Wind Song’s opinion of the frightening rumors so frankly, and he was pleased by the boy’s willingness to answer honestly—at least in private. More than that, he shared the baron’s conclusions.
“I fear you have a point,” he said. “And I’ve also received some additional, very private reports, both on events in Zion and in Dohlar, which have disturbed my sleep of late.” Wind Song’s eyes narrowed, but Rainbow Waters shook his head. “No, I’m not going to share them with you, Nephew, or even with Silken Hills. First, they contain no information truly relevant to our responsibilities to the Mighty Host. Secondly, it will be far better if you can honestly tell anyone who asks that you’ve never heard of the individuals providing those reports to me.” He smiled, very briefly and without a trace of humor. “I promised your lady mother I’d try to get you home in one piece. I would prefer to have to worry only about the heretics where that promise is concerned.”
The eyes which had narrowed widened as Wind Song considered the implications of that last sentence. It wasn’t as if either of them had any doubt about the consequences if they failed Mother Church—or Zhaspahr Clyntahn, at least—but it sounded as if his uncle was becoming even more cautious.
Is it that, Wind Song wondered suddenly, or is it something else? What do those “reports” say? And who are they from? I can’t believe Uncle Taychau would ever actively conspire against the Inquisition or even Vicar Zhaspahr. Whatever else they may be, they speak with the full authority of Mother Church! I know how little he cares for the … aristocratic excesses Mother Church so often condones back home, if only by her silence, but he could never challenge the will of God’s Own bride on Safehold! Unless.…
A chill which had nothing to do with the snowfall outside the comfortable dining room went through him. Was it possible, he wondered, that his uncle was beginning to question whose side God was truly on?
“Well,” Rainbow Waters said more briskly, “there’s little we can do about matters in Zion, and Langhorne knows we have more than enough to concern ourselves with closer at hand. I’ve read your summary of Earl Silken Hills’ progress on the handover to Bishop Militant Tahrens. I could wish he was in a position to take more of his own artillery south with him, but I suppose road conditions would make that difficult even if the Bishop Militant had enough guns of his own to cover his new positions. There are a few points where I no doubt need to see the actual numbers and sketch maps from his original reports, but overall the movement seems to be going well. From your memo, I take it that’s your conclusion, as well?”
“It is,” Wind Song concurred. “The spring thaw will come more rapidly on our southern flank, of course. Indeed, as I mentioned in my summary, the Earl had anticipated that the heretics in Cliff Peak were likely to move against his forward positions in the next several five-days. That’s one reason he was so unhappy about handing them over to the Army of God on such short notice. On the other hand, he knew the terrain would still be bad for them, especially in light of the thoroughgoing destruction of the canals and high roads in his front, and he’s arranged for his local commanders to brief their Army of God reliefs very carefully before they pull out. He’s also had complete duplicates of all of his maps made for Archbishop Militant Gustyv and his staff.
“He’s obviously concerned that if the heretics realize he’s shifting so much of his strength south they may choose to move even sooner than he’d expected. Of course, if our spy reports are correct about the heretics’ actual intentions—and none of his own patrols have picked up anything to challenge those reports—they have no intention of attacking the frontage he’s handing over to Bishop Militant Tahrens, and the weather in western Westmarch and Sardahn isn’t a great deal better just now than it is here.” The baron waved the pipe in his hand to indicate the wind howling around the eaves and grimaced. “They’re getting more rain and less snow than we are, but he doubts the heretics will be able to exert a great deal of pressure upon Bishop Militant Tahrens until the ground dries and their mounted infantry is once more capable of free movement off the high roads. I’m afraid he also believes they’ve accomplished more in the way of repairing their communications behind their own front over the winter, however, and if he’s right about what they’ve managed opposite his current positions, it seems likely they’ve accomplished still more farther south. So once the ground does dry, they’ll be in a better position to bring heavy pressure to bear upon him—and the Bishop Militant—than we’d hoped.”
The baron shrugged ever so slightly.
“I won’t say the Earl’s delighted by his orders, nor do I think he’s completely convinced the heretics truly are looking to the south, but I don’t believe anyone could fault the fashion in which he’s carrying those orders out.”
His eyes met his uncle’s levelly, and, once again, Rainbow Waters nodded. He couldn’t really fault Silken Hills’ skepticism, but while the intelligence reports available to him remained less complete than those the heretics’ spies appeared to be able to provide to their field commanders, all of the Inquisition’s sources supported the same conclusion.