Calon sighed and turned to Anji. "As you saw yourself, we came by the water, hoping to escape detection, so we've had no view of the road until now. I would ask the ones who guard you, but since most of Olossi's militia dance to the tune played by the fiddlers of the Greater Houses, they would only march us straight to Assizes Tower and lower us into the dungeons besides."
In the distance a splash resounded, but the sound was quickly drowned by the relentless push of the river's current. From their vantage point Mai could see past Anji's head onto the dark reaches of the spreading delta. A light winked on and off, on and off, and her first thought was that this was a firefly bobbing in the curling breeze, but as her gaze adjusted to the distance she realized she was seeing an artificial light turned off and on as though a lantern's protecting veil was being shut and opened.
Someone was signaling, out there on a boat riding the river or hugging the shore of another low-lying island.
"Anji, look," she said, and he turned, but the light vanished as though her voice had warned it. "I saw a light blinking, like a signal. Think you it's related to the messenger?"
"That's only a fisherman," said Master Calon. "There's a good night catch to be had this time of the moon."
"Not just fish are caught this time of night," said Eliar with a laugh. "There's plenty who smuggle goods across the water so that Sapanasu's clerks can't demand their tithe. Not that I'd know of any such criminal behavior, being a law-abiding citizen."
"My attention is caught," said Anji, stepping back to face Calon. Priya set a pair of sticks on the fire, and the flames licked higher as Calon wiped his brow.
"My nose is itching," agreed Calon. "Many whispers have tickled my ears these last few nights. Listen!"
Mai listened, but she heard only the night sounds and the crackle of the freshly burning sticks, and when he went on she saw that this was a storyteller's punctuation, readying his audience for the meat of the tale.
"I cannot spin the whole tale to you now, for we haven't the time. But this is how it is."
"He doesn't even know the lay of the land!" said Eliar impatiently.
"Patience, cub."
"It's true enough," said Anji.
"Very well. It's rich country in the north. The two great cities-Nessumara and the crossroads of Toskala-lie in the north, along the River Istri. The fertile fields of Istria and Haldia grow rich crops. To the northeast lie the richer fields of Arro, where the delvings glean gold and iron from the mountain fastness. And many more places besides, all sung in the tales of the Hundred.
"Once we commanded a steady trade along West Track through the Aua Gap and to Horn, that road which leads to the markets of Nessumara and Toskala and the fields of Haldia and Istria, even to the mines of Arro. All this has wasted away these past few years, sucked dry. Merchants rode north, and never returned. We hear terrifying tales of fighting in the north like to the hundred wars of ancient days, before the Guardians came. No caravan has reached Olossi from Nessumara for over a year. Last year there was talk of Horn being overrun, but we never had any direct news. No one dares send their wagons and goods on that route.
"After all, here in the south we can always trade throughout the south and over the pass into the empire, so it never seems as urgent as it ought to be. It's also true that the roads into western Olossi, Sund, and Sardia are still open, although they've become more dangerous as well in recent months. There's some trade also into the far south, places like Farro and Ofria, but that trade passes along foot trails overland through the foothills of the Spires, a path expensive in both trouble and time. A merchant must have safe, open roads to make a living. We have sent many messengers to Argent Hall asking for them to investigate this matter, but we've heard no answer of any kind, only silence."
"Argent Hall? What manner of place is this?"
"It's the reeve hall with the obligation to patrol and protect this part of the country."
"You hope they will help you in what manner?"
"Have you no reeves where you come from?" asked Eliar with astonishment.
"They have not," said Calon. "There are no reeves outside the boundaries of the Hundred. The Lady tamed the great eagles and gave them to the reeves, so we might protect ourselves, but beyond our lands they cannot stray, for that is the law of the gods."
"So your priests tell you," said Eliar stubbornly, "but how can you know it to be true?"
"I have never seen anything like the reeves and their eagles in the lands I've traveled, nor heard any tale of them until I came here," said Anji.
"Old Marshal Alyon sat in authority over Argent Hall until a few seasons ago," said Calon. "He sent a representative to every one of our council meetings, as has always been customary. Then no representative came for two passes of the moon. After that, we heard that a new marshal sat in authority over Argent Hall, but we have never learned his name. Worse, it's rare to see reeves patrolling around Olossi any longer, although they fly into the Barrens regularly. Now and again we see one pass overhead on an unknown errand. The villages and farms of western Olossi have no one to preside over their monthly assizes, so they come to us to ask for help. That's why we sent so many emissaries to Argent Hall. But we are given no answer at the gates, not even when we beg for aid to patrol the roads against ospreys such as the ones you killed in the pass. I fear the shadows have crept long, and that we here in Olossi are being covered by their stain without our knowing."
"That's a sobering tale. So tell me, Master Calon, what do you want from us?"
"We, the Lesser Houses and our allies, seek your aid."
"You want us to overturn the Greater Houses and set you in charge of the council."
Calon met his gaze squarely. "We do. Not to harm them, only to force them to share the power they have gathered to themselves. We must be allowed to take our place as our numbers and our judgment warrant. If there's a truly open vote, and all are allowed to vote on council matters who meet the requirement, we will be content. Then if the vote goes against our proposals, we'll accept it."
"You do not expect that outcome, however. That an open vote will go against you, or your proposals."
"I do not. But the agreement I offer you comes in two parts. That is the first. The second is this: That once the council is under our control, you accept a commission to ride to Horn, and back. We sent a small group north recently, and have heard no word of them. We fear they're lost. Dead. What we want is a report on the condition of the roads and way stations, on the market in Horn, and on the prospects for travel north into Istria and Haldia and Arro, and east into Mar."
"Mar, by all means!" said Eliar. "Our supplies of kursi grow ghastly low, and I fear I shall waste away rather than eat bland food."
"It's no joking matter, cub," said Calon. "I am afraid of what we cannot see, and so should you be."
"If the bid to overturn the Greater Houses fails, what then?" asked Anji.
"Oh, to us, any manner of thing," said Calon carelessly. "They will vote to strip the conspirators-for such they will call us-of our right to run a business and sell goods in the marketplaces of Olossi. They may execute the leaders. As for Eliar and his people, they might exile them."
"These are serious risks," said Anji.
"Mostly for young Eliar here, because his people are exiles twice over according to their lore and have nowhere else to go," said Calon. "If I escape execution, I can always uproot my house and begin again in Sund, or Ofria."