Lord of the Silent Kingdom (37 page)

“Not so. Fate itself is determined to distract me.”

“Fate, Captain?” Though Az had regular congress with the Night he remained a faithful Praman.

“Poor choice of words. Hard not to pick up bad habits here. Especially when you have to fit in.”

Az took no position in response. But he would be familiar with the problem.

Hecht asked, “See anybody paying attention to us?”

Headshake.

“How did you get in here?”

“Had myself carried in. They’re still finding people out there.”

Hecht levered himself into a sitting position. He was feeling better, now. He would be doing no running, though.

“You were the target, you know.”

“What?” As though he had not heard it already, from Pinkus Ghort.

“The explosion was supposed to destroy you and the woman’s house. They’ve been waiting for weeks for the chance.”

“How do you know?”

“We know some of the people. We know who’s paying them.”

“Excellent. Why are you here?”

“To talk with my captain.”

“Here in Brothe? You don’t belong.”

“We weren’t given a choice, Captain. They wouldn’t let us on the boats that took the Sha-lug and Lucidians out of Calzir. Men we knew, some from our own schools, showed us the edge of their weapons and made us stay. We weren’t supposed to survive al-Khazen. Your attack, the Emperor’s, the Instrumentalities that appeared, and the intercession by the Collegium, all those kept us from being slaughtered. Evidently it was extremely inconvenient that we survived. People have been hunting us ever since.”

“Pretty much what I’ve suspected. But I can’t get it to make sense. Gordimer’s paranoia doesn’t explain it.”

“It isn’t Gordimer. It’s the Rascal. We’re sure. For some reason we can’t figure he’s afraid of everybody who got him his mummies from Andesqueluz. He’s determined to see us all dead. And you in particular.”

Hecht shook his head slowly, checking to see if anyone was interested. “How bad has it been?”

“We lost Agban, Norts, and Falaq. And Hagid. Which could be a huge mistake. For the Rascal.”

“I knew about Hagid. It happened …”

“He wanted to get to you. Some big secret. So big that he sneaked out of al-Qarn and came all the way here to tell you. You made an impression on that boy.”

“And er-Rashal killed him.”

“Not personally. He made it happen.”

“You know for sure? You’re not just speculating?”

“Half and half. The Rascal has a long, strong reach on the Night side.”

“What’s he up to?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to speculate. Maybe he’s just trying to conceal the facts.”

“That we plundered Andesqueluz? He’s wasting his time. It’s common knowledge in the Collegium. That it was done. Not who did it, specifically.”

“What?”

“I heard them talk about it. They know a lot we didn’t suspect they knew. You saw the firepowder weapons at al-Khazen.”

“I blamed that on you. I think everyone did.”

“They already had them when I got there. Why are you here in Brothe?”

“To watch over you. Here comes your woman.”

Charitable of Az. And he said it with no hint of disapproval.

Anna was paler than Hecht had ever seen. And looked immensely relieved. “I’ve been everywhere looking for you.”

“I’ve been right here.”

“Smartass.”

“Really, Pinkus was supposed to tell you. And the Urgent woman was supposed to, too. She said I should be ashamed, worrying you the way I was. But I passed out when I tried to get up to go find you.

The kids. What about the kids?”

To the side, where Anna would not see, Az made a tiny gesture when Hecht mentioned the widow Urgent. One little finger motion that meant, “Enemy.”

“They’re fine. Rattled at first. But now it’s an adventure. Vali even started to say something but shut up after a couple of words. They’re at the house. Making sure nobody helps themselves to my things. Two of Pinkus’s men are there, too. But they didn’t say anything about you. Except that I should come here to see if you were with the wounded.”

“Pinkus was here. He thinks the firepowder was meant for me but exploded before they could get it up against the house.”

Anna’s eyes became smoldering pools of dread. “No.”

“I’m sorry. That’s what he thinks. I don’t know why anyone would do that.”

“Can you get up?”

“I think so, now. You might have to help.” He did get his feet under him. He did not sway much. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Mr. Suppor. I’ll keep your advice in mind.” Ten steps away, he muttered to Anna, “Everyone wants to tell me a better way to do my job.”

“He looked foreign.”

“A Calziran Deve. Came to Brothe after the Crusade because he has family here. Told me all the ways I screwed up down there and how I could have done everything better. Give the Regiment credit. They’re taking care of everyone equally.” He stumbled. Anna caught hold before his legs went out from under him.

“You sure you’re ready to go?” The healing brother was staring their way.

“I’ll be all right. Let’s just go.” There were things he had to do because of this. Being Captain-General included huge symbolic obligations.

Hecht felt well enough until he saw the damage caused by the explosion. That was disheartening.

Part of the brick facing had fallen off Anna’s house. The shock had powdered the mortar between bricks.

Another half-dozen buildings had suffered as much. Or worse.

Amongst those, in the center of the street, there was a hole as deep as Hecht was tall. “Wow!”

He barely had imagination big enough to grasp the implications of that crater. That would require hundreds of pounds of firepowder, probably not the finest because the stuff was so hard to make.

That much firepowder represented a huge investment.

Much less firepowder had brought the hippodrome down.

His own stores, for use by all his forces, amounted to half a ton. His alchemists worked ten hours a day, six days a week. Finding the saltpeter was their biggest challenge.

There was a line of wagons in front of Anna’s house. “What’s this?” Hecht asked.

Anna said, “I don’t know.”

The teamsters were not there to help everyone in the neighborhood. They leaned against their vehicles, waiting. Looking disgruntled.

“Six of them. Ho. There’s a familiar face.”

Sourly, Anna asked, “Isn’t that the woman who was at Titus’s conversion shindig?”

The blond woman stood beside the first wagon, in front of the steps to Anna’s house. “Looks like her.”

He was not sure though. Osa Stile’s was the face he had recognized. Osa moved over beside the woman. “It is her. Herros? I’m not sure about the name.”

Osa wore his go-out-into-the-city disguise. Which made him look like a street kid of about Pella’s age.

This street kid was enjoying life. His rags were not completely awful. And were almost clean.

Up close, Hecht asked, “What’s going on?”

The woman said, “Grandfather wants you to move to his town house.” She was not happy about that.

Osa Stile added, “Captain-General, Principatè Delari hopes you and your lady will accept his offer of assistance.” He paused, beckoned. “Come here, sir.” Out of earshot of women, he said, “Here’s the deal.

Load up everything and move it over to the town house. He doesn’t use it. You can move back after this place is fixed up.”

Hecht did not respond. He was disoriented. He considered Anna’s house. Pella and Vali stood where the front door had been. He glanced at the guards Ghort had assigned. He knew both. They would do their job.

“All right. I understand.” He went back to Anna. “The Principatè says to use his town house till we get your place restored. The wagons are supposed to take away anything that you don’t want stolen.”

Anna betrayed several emotions, including anger, annoyance, and gratitude. She was not happy. But the situation was what it was. Pinkus Ghort could not protect the house forever. After fuming silently, she grumbled, “I’m grateful that the Principatè is so thoughtful and generous. All right.”

Hecht reported her acquiescence. The blond woman told him, “Have her show the teamsters what she wants taken away.”

Hecht shuddered. Her voice raised his hackles. But it was not a fight reflex. It was more like a reaction to the proximity of some unseen element of the Night.

He stepped back. Why should she disturb him? Was he sensing some subtle threat? His amulet was quiet. Nothing dark was stirring nearby.

He returned to Anna. Osa Stile regarded him closely.

Pinkus Ghort materialized. “What’s with the wagons, Pipe?”

“Delari sent them. He’s moving us to his town house.”

“Sweet deal. You really got yourself an angel.”

“Yes. I’m lucky. And it worries me.”

“Afraid he’ll bend you over in the bath?”

“No. That I could handle.” He realized Ghort was ribbing him. “Good luck makes me nervous. I never had much.”

“Good. Because you don’t worry enough. About the right things.” Shifting topic, he said, “We’ve made some arrests.”

“Already?”

“Already. A little luck, a lot of good old stupid, and a hundred men to find out where the firepowder came from, all help you move fast. Toss in a lot more stupid and you come up with people you can slap into chains.”

“A little more detail would help me understand.” He watched Anna confer with the blonde. Both seemed unusually wary.

“It took ten minutes to figure out that there’s only one private firepowder maker in Brothe. Wiggin Pinnska Sons in the Devedian quarter. It took them ten minutes to convince us that they hadn’t sold what went bang over here. They could account for every ounce they ever made. They sold it all to you. I looked at their facility. If they manufactured anything secretly, it couldn’t have been more than a few pounds. They have a hard time getting saltpeter. They get it from Shippen or Artecipea.

“Now, according to Wiggin Junior, two months ago somebody wanted to buy five kegs. The Pinnskas sent them to the Graumachi brothers. Apothecaries. They had some saltpeter. We visited them. They said they would’ve gone ahead and made some firepowder except for one technical problem. They didn’t know how.”

Interesting. Though firepowder weaponry had begun to proliferate, the secret of the powder’s manufacture remained closely held by those who had acquired it.

“So now it starts to get interesting,” Ghort said. “Hello, Lieutenant.”

Titus Consent joined them, as did Anna soon afterward. “Good afternoon, Colonel. Captain-General.”

“Titus. Go ahead, Pinkus. Interesting how?”

“The buyers told the Graumachis that they had to get permission from Artecipea to hand over the formula and instructions. They didn’t know how you make firepowder.”

“Artecipea?”

“Where Rudenes Schneidel supposedly hides out.”

“I thought he was in Viscesment.”

“Not anymore,” Ghort said. “I’ve been trying to hunt him down.”

“So have I,” Titus Consent said. “Anyone who knows anything says he went back to his home island.

I’ve had no luck finding out anything there. Sonsans and Navayans keep getting in the way.”

“Anyhow,” Ghort said, “I’ve got men working the waterfront now. They’ve already swept up some Artecipeans connected to the people we arrested here.”

“Impressive speed. Very impressive.”

“Not so much when you realize that all these people were too stupid to understand that there would be a bigass man-hunt after something like this happened. Who go around bragging that they were involved.

Titus, my man, you had something for Pipe?”

“Nothing helpful with this. I’m off early because Colonel Smolens wants me to find out what’s happening.

We’re behind schedule. He doesn’t want to fall farther back because he didn’t know the Captain-General was hurt too bad to work. The Patriarch seems serious about an expedition to punish Count Raymone Garete for his persistent defiance.”

Hecht blurted, “Stupid! Stupid! Can’t anybody make him listen?”

“No. He hears what he wants to hear. His cronies tell him what he wants to hear. And right now he wants to hear about disasters happening in the Connec.”

“This something new? More of his bandits get themselves butchered?”

“There’s that. And more. A chest of Arnhander specie arrived this week. Another chest vanished en route last month. He blames the Connectens. Rumors say the men moving the gold decided they needed it more than Sublime does. A more sinister rumor says Anne of Menand arranged the disappearance to finance her own mad ambitions.”

“Insanity,” Hecht said. “I hope they get into it with each other.”

“I don’t think you’d like it if they did. We might have to fight Arnhand.”

“I don’t want to think about it right now.” He needed to stop talking sedition.

“Another reason I’m here. I’ve found workmen to do restorations. They’ll start in the morning. If that’s all right with you, Anna?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Thank God everybody is so thoughtful and practical. All I’ve done is worry about Piper and the children.”

“You really moving to Delari’s town house?” Ghort asked.

“Looks like.”

“Lucky shit. My angel is a goddamned tightwad.”

“What’s he say about Delari? Especially lately?”

“He don’t like him much. So what? None of them like each other. Hugo Mongoz, whenever he wakes up long enough, hates the whole goddamned world. But you don’t see him in no hurry to leave it.”

“I heard them arguing a while back. It got pretty hot. Something about Doneto trying to sabotage Sublime.”

Ghort looked like someone had slapped him with a board. “That’s nuts.”

“Maybe I heard wrong.”

“You must have. Look. I’m gonna have those guys cover Anna’s place. What I want to tell them …

Here’s the thing. I’ve got to let a bunch more guys go come the end of the month. They’ll be a lot happier if they can get on with you than if they’ve got to wait for a spot to come up with the militia.”

“Sounds like I’m hiring, want to or not. Fine. Tell them. But they need to look out for all these houses, not just Anna’s.”

Anna rushed off to bark at a teamster for not being careful enough with her furniture.