Dujek nodded half-heartedly.
«One thing, High Fist, before Tayschrenn arrives. There was a Hound of Shadow here?»
«Yes,» the man said. «I wasn't here at the time, but I saw the mess the beast left behind. If not for Tattersail it would've been far worse.»
Lorn saw a glint of horror in Dujek's eyes and into her mind returned the scene from the coast road west of Itko Kan, two years ago. «I've seen the work of Hounds before,» she said, meeting his eyes.
In that moment of locked gazes they shared something profound. Then Dujek pulled his eyes away. «This Tattersail,» Lorn said, to hide a pang of regret, «Must be a very capable sorceress.»
«The only cadre mage to have survived Tayschrenn's assault on Moon's Spawn,» Dujek replied.
«Indeed?» To Lorn, that revelation was even more remarkable. She wondered if Dujek suspected anything, but his next words put her at ease.
«She called it luck, on both counts, and she might be right.»
«Has she been a cadre mage for a long time?» Lorn asked.
«Ever since I took command. Perhaps eight, nine years.»
The familiarity of Tattersail's name returned to Lorn then, like a mailed fist clenching her heart. She found herself sitting down again, and Dujek had taken a step towards her, genuine concern in his eyes.
«Your injury needs attending to,» he said gruffly. «I shouldn't have waited.»
«No, no, it's all right. Weariness, that's all.»
He studied her quizzically. «Would you like some wine, Adjunct?»
She nodded. Tattersail. Was it possible? She would know when she saw the woman. She would know then. «Nine years,» she murmured, «the Mouse.»
«I beg your pardon?»
She looked up to find Dujek before her. He offered her a goblet of wine. «Nothing,» she said, as she accepted it. «Thank you.»
As the double doors swung open both turned. In strode Tayschrenn, his face dark with fury as he confronted Dujek.
«Damn you,» the High Mage grated. «If you had a hand in this I'll find it, and that is a promise.»
Dujek raised an eyebrow. «A hand in what, High Mage?» he asked coolly.
«I've just been to the Hall of Records. A fire? The place looks like the inside of an oven.»
Lorn rose and stepped between them. «High Mage Tayschrenn,» she said, in a low, dangerous tone, «perhaps you could tell me why this matter of some fire in some bureaucrat's chamber should override all other considerations?»
Tayschrenn blinked. «I beg your pardon, Adjunct,» he said tightly, «but within the Hall of Records were the city's census lists.» His dark eyes swung past her to fix on Dujek. «Wherein all the names of Pales nobility could be found.»
«Unfortunate,» the High Fist said. «Have you begun an investigation? My staffs services are, of course, entirely at your disposal.»
«Unnecessary, High Fist,» the wizard drawled sardonically. «Why make all your other spies redundant?» Tayschrenn paused, then stepped back and bowed to Lorn. «Greetings, Adjunct. I apologize for this ungracious-seeming reunion-»
«Save your apologies for later," Lorn said levelly. She faced Dujek.
«Thank you for the wine and conversation,» she said, noting with satisfaction Tayschrenn's stiffening at that. «I trust there'll be a formal dinner this evening?»
Dujek nodded. «Of course, Adjunct.»
«Would you be so kind as to request Tattersail's attendance as well?»
She felt yet another flinch come from the High Mage, and saw in Dujek's gaze a new respect as he looked upon her, as if acknowledging her own skills in this brand of tactics.
Tayschrenn interrupted. «Adjunct, the sorceress has been ill as a result of her encounter with the Hound of Shadow,» he turned a smile on Dujek, «which I'm sure has been described to you by the High Fist.»
Not well enough, Lorn thought ruefully, but let Tayschrenn imagine the worst. «I'm interested in a wizard's evaluation of that event, High Mage,» she said.
«Which you shall have shortly.»
Dujek bowed. «I will inquire as to Tattersail's health, Adjunct. If you will excuse me, then, I can be on my way.» He turned to Tayschrenn and gave a curt nod.
Tayschrenn watched the one-armed old man leave the room, then waited for the doors to close once again. «Adjunct, this situation is-»
«Absurd,» Lorn finished hotly. «Dammit, Tayschrenn, where's your sense? You've taken on the craftiest bastard the Empire military has ever had the privilege of possessing and he's eating you alive.» She spun to the table and refilled her goblet. «And you deserve it.»
«Adjunct-»
She faced him. «No. Listen, Tayschrenn. I speak directly from the Empress. She reluctantly approved your commandeering the assault on Moon's Spawn-but if she'd known you so thoroughly lacked subtlety, she would never have permitted it. Do you take everyone else for fools?»
«Dujek is just one man,» Tayschrenn said.
Lorn took a large mouthful of wine, then set down the goblet and rubbed her brow. «Dujek's not the enemy,» she said wearily. «Dujek's never been the enemy.»
Tayschrenn stepped forward. «He was the Emperor's man, Adjunct.»
«Challenging that man's loyalty to the Empire is insulting, and it's that very insult that may well turn him. Dujek is not just one man. Right now he's ten thousand, and in a year's time he'll be twenty-five thousand. He doesn't yield when you push, does he? No, because he can't. He's got ten thousand soldiers behind him-and, believe me, when they get angry enough to push back, you'll not be able to withstand them. As for Dujek, he'll just end up being carried on the tide.»
«Then he is a traitor.»
«No. He's a man who cares for those he is responsible for and to. He's the best of the Empire. If he's forced to turn, Tayschrenn, then we're the traitors. Am I getting through?»
The High Mage's face was lined with a deep, disturbed frown. «Yes, Adjunct,» he said quietly. «You are.» He looked up. «This task the Empress has commanded of me, it weighs heavily, Adjunct. These are not my strengths. It would do well if you dismissed me.»
Lorn gave that serious consideration. Mages by nature never commanded loyalty. Fear, yes, and the respect born of fear, but the one thing a mage found difficult to understand or cope with was loyalty. And yet there had been one mage, long ago, who had commanded loyalty-and that was the Emperor. She said, «High Mage, we are all agreed on one thing. The old guard must disappear. All who stood with the Emperor and still cling to his memory will ever work against us, whether consciously or unconsciously. Dujek is an exception, and there is a handful of others like him. Those we must not lose. As for the others, they have to die. The risk lies in alerting them to that fact. If we're too open we may end up with an insurrection the size of which could destroy the Empire.»
«Apart from Dujek and Tattersail,» Tayschrenn said, «we've cleaned out everyone else. As for Whiskeyjack and his squad, he's all yours, Adjunct.»
«With luck,» Lorn said, then frowned as the High Mage winced.
«What's the matter?»
He rose. «I peruse my Deck of Dragons nightly,» he said. «And I'm certain that Oponn has entered the world of mortal affairs. Tattersail's own reading did much to confirm my suspicions.»
Lorn looked at him sharply. «She's an Adept?»
«Far more adept than I,» Tayschrenn admitted.