It was about then that Hecht caught his first glimpse of the old man in brown moving amongst the onlookers. He needed to talk to the Ninth Unknown. His amulet had not warned him that danger was so close.
Over a late meal Februaren remarked, “It wasn’t a full-fledged baron of the Night. But near enough. Your problem with the killing thing should ease up, now, Muno. This thing had been spinning off bits of itself to become foci for that monster parade.”
Hecht did not understand. Principat? Delari did. That was good enough. Hecht said, “This morning may have exposed a problem. My amulet provided no warning.”
Februaren frowned. “None?”
“Nothing but a persistent itch. Which started after Rhuk shot it.”
“They’re adapting. I’ll have to adjust. Maybe the ascendant can help.”
Hecht asked, “How’re you doing with my pet Instrumentality?”
“The soultaken?”
“Only one I have. I don’t even know where you’ve moved him.” The old man had insisted that the soultaken be taken out of the Castella, away from the nosy Brotherhood. Especially the Special Office and its Witchfinders in particular.
“He’s bricked up inside a tower. No doors. No windows. And nowhere you need know about. He’s teaching me about himself. And working on a plan to… But you don’t need to know that, either.”
“Why not?”
“You’ve shown a terrible inability to keep your mouth shut lately.”
Everyone fell silent. The whole table stared at Hecht.
He awaited an explanation.
“And you don’t even know it. Who swore an oath not to reveal what he discussed with the Empress inside her quiet room? Who has, since, told almost everyone who will listen?”
“There was a crack?”
“There are a dozen cracks. In the ceiling. In the floor. The place is old. It’s settled. They don’t keep it up. Why break your word?”
“I’m sorry. I never thought about it. It wasn’t that big a thing.”
“For you. For you, it’s a feel-good. Look at me! The Grail Empress herself wants me to be her Captain-General. But for her it could be crippling. She has enemies everywhere. Luckily, for both of you, I made the people you told forget. I hope. I don’t know what they might have written down.”
Hecht felt like a small boy caught red-handed in a shameful act. He had promised. And should have had the sense to see the implications for Katrin. In fact, he had. But just had not thought about it.
“Maybe I’m not equipped to operate in so rare a political atmosphere.”
“You’ll be fine,” Februaren said. “If you focus on your work. And don’t get distracted by thoughts you shouldn’t be thinking.”
Time to change the subject. “Have you seen my brother yet?”
That got looks, all round.
“No. I’m working dawn to dusk trying to put enough more hours into the day so I have time to do the things I have to do along with everything everyone wants me to do.”
Heris demanded, “What brother are we talking about?”
Hecht said, “A soldier in Grumbrag is masquerading as Piper Hecht’s brother Tindeman. Bo Biogna found him. He convinced Bo. My guess is, they didn’t have a lot of language in common.”
Pella said, “I thought all your family was dead, Dad.”
“So did I. I still think so.”
“Then who…?”
“An imposter.”
“But…”
“No point speculating till we talk to him.” He could think of several explanations, all of evil intent.
The Ninth Unknown said, “I’ll find him. After I deal with more pressing matters here. The transition to Bellicose has to go smoothly. And I want all of us to come out the other side healthy. Piper in particular.”
Heris said, “I could go.”
Februaren and Delari scowled ferociously. Both shook their heads.
Heris grumbled, “You said I’m ready to manipulate the Construct.”
“Not that ready,” Februaren said. “Not to go somewhere you’ve never been. Not somewhere that far away.”
Principat? Delari, not unkindly, asked, “What language do they speak in Grumbrag?”
Heris seemed even more deflated. “Probably several. Including Church Brothen.”
“Could be. If you were going to interview a bishop, or someone educated, you’d manage.”
Februaren said, “There’s plenty you can do here, Heris. But you have a long way to go, romancing the Construct, before you can go places you haven’t already been. Muno can’t do it.”
Delari said, “Muno can’t do much of anything with the Construct. There’s something lacking in the man.”
“If you tell the Construct you can’t connect with it, Muno, it takes you at your word.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Both old men checked their audience. This ancient dispute probably antedated the births of everyone in the room.
It did not need airing now. It should not have taken place in front of the children. Hecht thumped the table.
Februaren said, “You kids don’t repeat anything you hear in this house. Understand?”
He got wide-eyed nods from Pella, Lila, and Vali, none of whom had seen the ancient this intense before.
“Lives could depend on your silence.” He told Hecht, “Bragging is how criminals get caught and men with deep secrets deliver themselves to their enemies. It’s bonehead human nature. We all want to look special. Knowing something is one of the best ways.”
Februaren glared at the children some more. “It would be your own lives, most likely. If somebody wicked decided you knew something he could use against Muno or Piper.”
Hecht suggested, “That being the case, why not take steps?” He caressed his left wrist.
“There may be hope for you yet, boy. Only, that means it’ll be even longer before I go take a look at your brother.”
Anna was subdued in her lovemaking that night. She understood that she had slipped deep into the struggle with the Night. And those she cared for had been drawn in as deeply, or deeper.
“Piper, the children don’t deserve this. They’ve already suffered too much.”
“I know.” He did not remind her that all three had, already, enjoyed more good fortune than did the run of orphans.
The Captain-General summoned Krulik and Sneigon to what Kait Rhuk bemusedly called a “Come to the Well of Atonement” meeting. It did not last long. Neither Krulik nor Sneigon had leave to speak. Rhuk, backed by Brothers from the Castella, confiscated their sales records.
The excitement was meant to prod the Deves into talking to one another. A man who turned sideways could eavesdrop and discover what secret sales contracts had been accepted off the books
Hecht would not confiscate firepowder or weaponry sold on the sly. He lacked authority. But it might be useful to know where it had gone.
The vast majority of what Krulik and Sneigon had sold behind the curtain had gone into the Grail Empire, to people who did not hold their Empress in high regard.
Katrin was fortunate that her malcontents disdained one another too much to join forces. Internecine warfare was an ancient sport amongst the Imperial nobility.
Johannes Blackboots had kept the peace. Lothar had not lasted long enough to make mistakes. Katrin’s peace was holding because every villain knew Ferris Renfrow was watching from the shadows.
Would adding falcons make much difference?
Unlikely. Even the best weapons were of little use against anything but the Night. Their battlefield value was psychological rather than practical. They made loud noises and a lot of smoke.
When the end came for Boniface VII, despite the Ninth and Eleventh Unknowns, there was no dislocation. Bellicose was in the chamber, praying over Hugo Mongoz. As were physicians and key Principat?s. History demanded witnesses.
Also present were Hugo Mongoz’s children, fathered before the old man began to prefer boys to women.
Two score more people waited outside the dying room, among them the Captain-General of Patriarchal forces. And Boniface’s toy, Armand. Who seemed wary of the Captain-General. And very worried.