“But who?”
“The Ferrans. Who else? With your father and Glendyl dead, and a huge debt owed by Glendyl, who would know that Glendyl hadn’t arranged for your father’s death? Especially since Glendyl would have known that he would become the acting head of the Council.”
“That would mean…”
“It could mean any number of things,” I said quickly. “Oh…I was wondering. Are there plans and specifications for Glendyl’s turbines where you can reach them?”
That brought another frown.
“I don’t need to see them. Glendyl almost died. I’d hate to think that all that work was only in one place.”
He did smile. “That was something Father insisted on, given how much Glendyl owed him. We have two sets in two very different and safe places.”
“Good…and thank you. I just needed to know about the debt before I did anything else. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention it to anyone for right now…except, of course, Maitre Dyana, if anything happens to me.”
That surprised him as much as anything I’d said.
“Of course…but…”
“We still need modern ships, but I don’t want all of this coming out until we can track down all of those who are involved. One way or another, it shouldn’t take that long.” Why I thought that, I didn’t know. The Ferran plot had been put in place years before, I suspected.
“Thank you.” I smiled again. “I do appreciate it…and give my best to Alynkya.”
“Oh…I will.”
With that, I left the study and a still-confused Frydryk.
In the coach on the way back to Imagisle, I tried to fit more of the pieces together. Glendyl hadn’t gone to the Ferrans. That was clear. They’d come to him, most likely not even as Ferrans, but as someone reputable, and they’d known about his debts, perhaps as representatives of a banque concern. They’d also known about his accepting bribes from Haebyn, and they’d threatened to expose everything unless he did a favor for them. That favor had likely been tied in some way to Suyrien’s death, further enmeshing Glendyl. Then they had suggested that the only way to avoid being discovered was to remove senior imagers, such as me or Rholyn.
Still…there had to be more. Or I was missing something? Or both.
Then I recalled the last Pharsi foresight flash I’d gotten. Had that been a vision of Glendyl’s massive manufactory at Ferravyl? Was that where I was supposed to go?
Even as I knew it was necessary, a part of me both resented and accepted the fact that I had no choice but to go on intuition…simply because neither the Collegium nor the Council had developed a unified and standardized system for handling information.
Seliora could come up with cards and card readers that could replicate designs for fabrics, but the head of security for the Collegium Imago had to piece together rumors, fragmentary and incomplete information, and old documents, and then rely on intuition and hope. I’d had more information when I’d been a District Captain of the Civic Patrol. That was an aspect of Ferlyn’s studies of patterns that, apparently, no one had yet understood. Just as the way of fabricating and building things was changing, so also was change needed in the means and systems of administering Solidar…and in gathering intelligence and data.
But…that would have to wait until after I visited Glendyl’s manufactory in Ferravyl and after I resolved the current crises…if I could.
Once I returned to the Collegium, I took full advantage of my position as a senior Maitre and had the duty staff arrange a sleeping compartment for me on the evening express to Ferravyl. While they were taking care of that, I wrote out a set of instructions for Anaxyr, the Collegium’s regional in Ouestan, and then took the sheet to Schorzat, who was in his study, writing out something himself.
“Does this make sense?”
He took the paper and read it. “It makes sense. Whether he can find out what you want is another question.”
“He ought to be able to discover if there are Ferran clients who’ve made recent transactions here in Solidar…or if there have been withdrawals on accounts that meet the parameters.”
“That’s possible,” he said.
“Good. I’d appreciate it if you’d take care of having a copy made and the original sent. I’m trying to get ready to take the night express to Ferravyl.”
“Ferravyl…something to do with Glendyl?”
“I hope not, but I’m afraid so.”
“Better you than me. Train travel isn’t all that marvelous for an imager.” Schorzat shook his head sympathetically.
“I can’t say I’m looking forward to it.”
I returned to my study, where I did some rough calculations. Then, once Beleart confirmed that I had passage, I headed up to see Maitre Dyana.
She just looked at me when I walked into her study.
“I’ll be leaving for Ferravyl on the evening express.”
“What’s in Ferravyl that requires your presence so urgently?”
I offered a pleasant smile. “I’m not totally certain, but I think it might be part of the answer to some of the problems we’ve had.”
“Which part? Geuffryt’s?”
“No. Why Glendyl and Suyrien were shot. Suyrien needed Glendyl’s engines and turbines, even for the merchanters he was building. So who else would be likely to loan Glendyl golds, in order to keep the engines coming? I guessed that the costs of developing and building the newer steam turbines for warships cost Glendyl far, far more than anyone knew, but since he had the sole rights to them, Suyrien didn’t have any choice. I checked with Frydryk, and they loaned him a quarter of a million golds.”
“That doesn’t explain why you need to go there.”
“I don’t think that was all Glendyl owed. He wouldn’t have taken what amounted to bribes from Haebyn if Suyrien’s funding happened to be fully carrying him. I can’t be certain, but I think the answer is in Ferravyl.”
“They may not let you in, you know?”
I smiled back at her. “They will.” I smiled back at her. “I’m still a Civic Patrol Captain, too. I never got around to offering a resignation, and Artois never asked for it.”
“No.” She smiled in return. “The Collegium hasn’t canceled your assignment there, either. How long will this take?”
“One way or another, I should be back by Solayi evening.”
“Be careful. You aren’t that indestructible, Maitre Rhennthyl.”
“I intend to be very careful.”
“Be more careful than that. If you won’t think about yourself, your wife, and your daughter, then think about what will happen to poor Schorzat if he has to pick up the pieces.”
“Yes, Maitre.”
I eased out of her study.
It took another two glasses to make the remainder of my arrangements, which included another visit to Draffyd and arranging for an obdurate to accompany me on the express. Then I hurried home to pack. I’d just finished when Seliora entered her bedchamber and took in the valise.
“You’re going where?” she asked. “When?”
“Ferravyl. I’m leaving tonight. I’m fairly sure that’s where that farsight flash took place…or will take place.”
“Why there?”
“Because it’s the only place that makes sense.” I gave her a quick and condensed version of what I’d found out and thought.
“Going there could be very dangerous.” Those were her only words when I finished.
“That’s possible. I think not going could be even more so. I don’t think anyone-including Maitre Dyana, the Council, and Sea-Marshal Valeun-really understands how much thought and resources the Ferrans put into this.”
“You don’t think Geuffryt…?”
“No. He has a very different agenda. The sad thing is that he ended up helping them.”
“What can you do about him?”
“I’ve been ordered not to do anything or to have anyone under me do anything.”
Seliora nodded thoughtfully. “You have another idea.”
“I may, but it will have to wait. Ferravyl is more important.”