Vaguely, Else heard a man ask, “Can you travel? We have to hurry. It isn’t working the way we were promised. It’s gone bad already. Oh, damn! What the hell is this.”
Else heard steel strike steel. A second, all-over blow hit him. After that, he heard and felt nothing for a long time.
***
REDFEARN BECHTER FOUND ELSE SPRAWLED IN THE STREET. Dried blood caked his lips, nostrils, and ears. His skin had turned a nasty, dark shade of pink, with blisters. His nails were cracked. His hair was a ruin. It looked like tiny embers had crawled through it in pursuit of fleas. His face was spotted with little red rings, like the signature of some strange pox.
Else asked, “What happened?” His words were an incoherent drone. “Oh, saints in heaven. I can’t hear. Talk slow. I’ll read your lips.” Assuming he could stay focused. His left eye felt arid. It itched.
His wrist felt like somebody had tried to hack through it with a white-hot iron bar. “All right. You getting me?”
“Yes. Go ahead.”
Bechter grinned. “Just guessing, mind, but I’d say you got your ass kicked.”
“Even my gums hurt. What happened? Enunciate carefully. Hey! I’m starting to hear something.”
“The neighbors have painted a picture that doesn’t make sense.”
“And? So?”
“You came running down that street there, dragging a woman. Presumably the witch. A band of pirates weren’t far behind.”
“I remember that. They wanted her back. I kept trying to lose them before I headed for friendly territory. They wouldn’t shake. Every time I turned back toward the Castella, they would get in my way. I decided to hole up until they gave up.”
“That would be over there. Where that house used to be.” Bechter pointed.
The place no longer stood. Smoke still drifted toward a sky clouding over, promising rain. Most of the afternoon had passed. “Sainted Eis and Heron!”
“No shit.”
“Keep it slow and loud. I can hear most of what you’re saying now.”
“Here’s what we have. You broke in there. You were seen. The neighbors didn’t do anything because you have blond hair. Later, a band of Calzirans arrived. They seemed to know where they were going. Their leader was a wizard.”
“Masant al-Seyhan. I think. That name came up when the piracy started.”
“Maybe. He used a couple of spells that must’ve been real potent.”
“Do tell. They knocked a house down on top of me.”
“No. That happened later. You’ll love this part. Two blond men showed up. It’s pretty clear they were the two we’ve been hunting. They didn’t say anything. They just walked up and started killing Calzirans. They were completely savage and totally unstoppable. Eventually, the fight moved inside.”
That did not jibe with what Else remembered. But his recollections were kaleidoscopic and vague and incompletely trustworthy. “I can hear pretty good, now. I could use some water.”
“Something terrible happened inside that house. But by then the neighbors stopped being curious and went into hiding. We’ve just started digging into the rubble. We’re finding a lot of dead pirates.”
“But no witches or wizards, I’ll bet.”
“Not a one. Nor any blond men, either. Did you get anything out of the witch?”
“She wouldn’t even admit she was a witch. Or that she understood me. I kept her unconscious most of the time. Anyway, I was too busy outrunning pirates to have time for questions.”
“That’s what I figured. Damn it all!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault You went above and beyond, just making that swim.”
“Wait a minute, now. How come you’ve got time and manpower to waste looking for me?”
“The situation improved. The Collegium weighed in while you were distracting the Calziran talent. Plus, a regiment of Imperial cavalry turned up and took the raiders by surprise.”
And everyone else, Else surmised. What was Hansel up to? He had seven or eight hundred regular soldiers handy, deep in Patriarchal territory, just when Brothe’s situation was most desperate? Else said, “I can’t get my brain to work. I hurt too much.”
“I’ll see if I can get you a ride home. But not yet. There’s still spots of heavy fighting. Most of the pirates didn’t get back to their boats. Those few that were left to be gotten to.”
***
“SO NOW YOU’RE A HERO,” PALUDAN SAID, WHEN ELSE Appeared before him the next day.
“Not a very successful one.” He ached all over, still. His eye and his ears were not yet right The red circles were worse. They were not restricted to his face, either. He felt old and tired despite ten hours of sleep.
“But one of ours,” Gervase Saluda said. “Out there making the Bruglioni name shine.”
Paludan scowled. He was not pleased, despite the positive reflection on the Bruglioni name. The whole city would now notice that one of its richest men had sent just a handful of men to help defend Brothe. And that neither Gervase nor Paludan, nor any of their handful of men, had become involved in the fighting. Only the name Piper Hecht would stand out.
Else replied, “I did what I could. I didn’t do it well enough. I lost the witch. I never saw the two blond thugs. Or the sorcerer who rescued the witch. Masant al-Seyhan could strut in here right now and I wouldn’t know enough to duck.”
Saluda sneered. “All that perishes before the fact that you were one of the rare few who actually fought the Calzirans. You were the one who distracted their mages long enough for the Collegium to break the pirates.”
“How is that going?” Else asked that rather than why Paludan was determined to be disgruntled by a Brothen success.
“Not good for the pirates. Groups are cut off all over. They just want to leave Brothe, now. But that isn’t working for them. There aren’t any boats left.” Paludan grumbled, “The Calziran wizards are frantic. They keep trying to salvage their manpower. But that isn’t going well, either.” Else asked, “We know that they survived, then?” A concentration on force preservation? Military thinking, that, Which ought to be alien to the pirates.
Paludan grunted. He was ready for a change of subject.
The Bruglioni properties had come through unscathed. Gervase and Paludan wanted to sit back and let someone else clean up. They had little idea of the reality out there in the Mother City. Men with no personal stake in Brothe, the Imperials and those squatters who had enlisted for the pay, had done and were doing most of the fighting. Neither group would take risks. They were disinclined to die for a city that disdained them.
Mr. Caniglia appeared. “Master Paludan, your uncle has arrived. He’ll be up in a few minutes.”
Saluda told Else, “They may have to carry him. He has trouble with stairs.” He did not seem pleased by the visit.
Divino Bruglioni arrived puffing, presumably due to the change of attitude. His footmen seated him in a chair the house maintained exclusively for the Bruglioni Principaté, then withdrew. “Stay, Captain Hecht,” Principaté Divino said when Else started to follow.
Paludan’s face darkened. But he controlled himself, a habit he had developed since the deaths of his sons. Principaté Divino told Else, “I hear you did quite well out there.”
“I managed to get myself beaten to a pulp.”
“You were in the right place at the right time. You distracted our most dangerous enemies at the critical moment.”
“I guarantee you, it wasn’t part of my grand scheme. I did what I thought needed doing. If those mystery blond men hadn’t turned up I’d be just another body to chunk in the river.”
“Possibly. Possibly. What can you tell me about those people?”
“The blond men? I never saw them. I just heard about them. I was unconscious when they got there. Sergeant Bechter told me they were there. Bechter from the Brotherhood.”
“How about the Calziran sorcerers?”
“I only saw the woman.”
>
“Any idea why they survived?”
“Had to be the timing. The blonds showed up before the Calzirans were done with me.”
The Principaté continued asking questions, moving to the Bruglioni household. He demonstrated a close knowledge of Else’s efforts. Closer than Paludan or Gervase. Paludan was unaware that some staff had been replaced.
The old man changed course. “Paludan. What are you doing to get family back from the country?”
Paludan looked vaguely bewildered. He had sent letters. Followed by threatening letters. “They’re stalling around, Uncle. But they’ll respond eventually.”
“Good. Good.” But Divino did not sound pleased. “Captain Hecht. I’m going to my chambers, now. Walk with me, please.” Else shrugged at his employer and did as he was told. Out of earshot, the old priest said, “I left before we got to fiscal matters.” Else waited. “What are you doing about the books?”
“Bringing in a Deve auditor. To look at everything. Household and business accounts both.”
“What do you expect to find?”
“I know what he’ll find. That somebody’s been looting the Bruglioni treasury. The magnitude of the theft is what I want to determine.”
“You have a suspect?”
“I have someone in mind. But he may be too obvious.”
“Gervase Saluda. Of course. I think Gervase is dipping his beak. In here. We have more to discuss.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” Else did not conceal his unease. “Gervase is a true friend to Paludan, Hecht. He’s Paludan’s only friend. And Paludan is Gervase’s only friend. I don’t see Gervase putting that friendship at risk by committing a crime too big to forgive.”
“The Bruglioni are supposed to have a lot of money.”
“The family is wealthy, yes. But not much of it is in the form of actual money. It’s mostly agricultural and mining properties. Sit. I have a proposition.”
Else remained nervous. Divino Bruglioni was a complete unknown.
“You’re bright. You’re skilled. You take action when it’s needed. Paludan let this place go to hell. His problem is, he doesn’t want to be bothered. And he doesn’t know how to manage people. He wasn’t taught. And hasn’t tried to learn.”
“I understood Freido never thought anyone but Soneral needed teaching.”
“Freido was an older Paludan. My brother wasn’t good for the family. He stopped insisting that our brightest youngsters stay here to tend the family fortune. His temper and drunken bad behavior made them all want to leave.”
Else sat quietly, wondering what the Principaté had in mind.
“These are difficult times, Hecht. The malaise afflicting the Bruglioni isn’t confined to this family. It afflicts all Brothe. It lies like a fog on the Episcopal world. A crusade might wake us up. But at what cost? The Patriarch is obsessed with making a mark on history. At a time when we have no tools to do the work. And a time when nobody wants to get involved in Patriarchal adventures.”
Else nodded. And waited, puzzled.
“Hecht, the whole world seems to be trying to thwart Sublime. These mad Calzirans have distracted him completely from his ambitions in the Connec.”
Else considered offering the opinion that a higher power was vetoing Sublime’s machinations.
Divino sighed, caught his breath, continued when Else said nothing. “Duke Tormond and a mixed delegation, including the queen of Navaya, who is authorized to speak for King Peter, is approaching Brothe. The Duke is offering the Connec’s support in punishing Calzir. Queen Isabeth says Peter would contribute warships to the campaign.”
“That’s a tit for tat? If the Patriarch leaves the Connec alone the Connec will rescue him from Calzir?”
“It hasn’t been said that way, but that’s what it amounts to. And Sublime, despite being a prime specimen of Benedocto weasel, can’t possibly slime his way around Tormond and Peter this time. Not with the Emperor peeking over everybody’s shoulders.”
“Which means he’ll never raise the money to finance an overseas adventure?”
“True. You do see past the end of your nose. I like that.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.” Else felt better, suddenly.
“I brought you here so I could get a better look at you. I liked what I heard. And now I like what I see. So. Can I hire you away from my nephew?”
“Your Grace?”
“Not right away. I may be a Prince of the Church but I’m still a Bruglioni. You’ve only just started whipping this place into shape. I want you to stay after that till Paludan’s jealousy, anger, and paranoia crush his good sense and he fires you. Then you come to work for me.”
Else gaped.
“What do you think?”
“I think I’m overawed. I think it’s too good to be true. It’s the hope of finding opportunity like this that brings men from the corners of the world to Brothe. Of course I’ll do it.” Of course he would do it. It was a dream come true. They would sing and dance through the halls of the Palace of the Kings when the news reached al-Qarn. “What would my duties be?”
“We’ll reserve that for now. I assure you, though that you’ll be doing what you’re best qualified to do.”
“Oh?” Else did not press. He would tread carefully now. It would not be his fault if this fell through. “Meanwhile, keep up the good work. Make the Bruglioni strong again.”
“Yes, Your Grace. And what about the current situation, Your Grace?”
“What about it?”
“What’s become of the Calziran sorcerers? What became of the blond men? Who are they? They sound like something more than just good fighters.”
“They’re what we call soultaken. Meaning they’re really only halfway alive. Soultaken are the tools of major supernatural entities. Soultaken haven’t been seen around here in a millennium. Which makes their behavior more odd. Soultaken are used to commit the highest crimes. Yet these two operate like common thugs.”
“You met them, didn’t you?”
“Once.”
“And?”
“The more I know about the Instrumentalities of the Night, the less I want to talk about them. I think we have reason to be afraid. We can’t fathom the motives of the entities using those two. We can’t discover their identities. It’s probably connected to a strange unrest among the Instrumentalities of the Night that has persisted for months, now.”
“I’m confused.”
“We all are. It makes no sense. Not in any way we can fathom. We being the Collegium. Our allies among the creatures of the Night, that are normally pliable, won’t help us. The Realm of Night is unanimous. You jumped. You had a thought?”
“Not really.” It was that Realm of Night remark. Was that an Episcopal Chaldarean concept? “I suppose time will let you know. When the mood strikes.”
“Of course. We’ll find those two. Eventually. But they’re of no moment to you. Just do your job here. When the time comes, I’ll see you well pleased with your rewards.”
Else did his best to look like a man whose only interest was exactly that. He promised, “If Paludan doesn’t interfere, I can get this place whipped into shape.”
“Paludan isn’t as stupid as he seems, Hecht. He knows what he’s doing, most of the time. I think he intends to let you run your course. Because that will save him having to do all that work himself. In the dark. Because he never learned how himself.”
Else grunted.
“My brother served his sons poorly. And now Paludan has no sons of his own. Nor a wife who can give him more. And I have none, even off the sheets. I fear for tomorrow.”
“I’m teaching Dugo what I can, Your Grace. But the truth is, that boy isn’t fit. And can’t be made fit. You Bruglioni need to strain every bone, joint, and muscle to make sure Paludan lives forever. Or finds himself another wife and stays away from Gervase long enough to get an heir or two on her. Dugo could be a disaster big enough to push the family over the brink into extinction. Begging your pardon for st
epping out of my place.”
Families had been important in Brothe since antiquity. But the Five Families of today did not include among them even one that had been powerful in Imperial times.
“Perhaps the man who isn’t as stupid as he looks will develop wisdom, Hecht. Given time. It can happen. A man confronted with powerful responsibilities, knowing there’s no one else to handle them, often does grow up. I’ve seen it happen.”
Else coughed. “That’s more the case when young people are involved, usually.”
“Oh, my! A sense of humor, too? Perhaps we are blessed.” That troubled Else. He was not comfortable with the notion that he could be an inimical god’s answer to its worshipers’ prayers.
***
DAYS PASSED. FIGHTING CONTINUED. TRAPPED CALZIRANS REFUSED to surrender. The pirates shared an abiding conviction that they would suffer agonizing deaths because of what had happened at Starplire.
“Call me an old cynic,” Else told Pinkus Ghort, slurring because his jaw was still swollen. The red circles and pink skin were gone, at least. He was down to ugly yellow and purple bruises. And a short haircut. “But I think I know why the pirates behaved badly at Starplire. They were incited to it. By Starkden and Masant al-Seyhan. So they’d be scared to surrender later on. The Brothe attack was part of a bigger plan.”
“What else could you expect from a bunch of barbarian Pramans?” Else did not argue. “You look like you’re coming down with the mumps, Pipe. You were going to say?”
“That people on our side will behave just as badly, given a chance. Like, say, Grade Drocker. Note that I express no disrespect by mentioning the Patriarch or the Emperor.”
Ghort chuckled. “You hang around with me, you’ll end up as big a realist as I am. Where’s your better half?”
“A realist? Is that what you call somebody who sees the worst in everybody? Gervase?” Saluda had accompanied Else everywhere the past few days. “He got bored, I guess. Short attention span.”
“Tell you what, Pipe. I’m never disappointed by people. When are you going to move over to the Collegium?”
“I don’t know. Not soon. Even assuming Principaté Bruglioni wasn’t blowing smoke. He wants the Bruglioni household shaped up first.”