“That was before! The dragon is ”
“Dead, yes!” Flayh continued aggressively, leaning down the table toward Klaph and emphasizing his points with a shaking finger. “But what happens if this worship-crazed Prophet should choose tomorrow to throw you out? Do you think you would survive the night? I doubt it!”
Flayh turned to the assembly and thundered in a voice strangled by rage, “Be reminded, you merchants from Lamath, that this new Prophet is but a pawn of the dangerous Pelmen, who brought this entire problem on all of us!”
The hall rang with agreement, and Klaph sank back into his seat under the weight of the crowd’s abuse.
“I repeat!” Flayh trumpeted. “What are we going to do? Before anyone else speaks,” he went on quickly, “I’d like to offer a suggestion that I feel will meet with your unanimous approval.”
“That’s yet to be seen,” Tahli-Damen put in quickly, and Flayh made a great show of ignoring him.
“What is needed,” Flayh said, “is, quite simply, a replacement for Vicia-Heinox.” Stunned silence greeted him.
After a moment, a lesser merchant of Ognadzu meekly began: “You mean we need to seek out another dragon ”
Flayh cut the man off with a sharp look. Then he surveyed his audience and explained: “I have taken the liberty of inviting an old friend to attend this gathering. Though you may not know his name, you all will surely recognize him as **
“By my face, Flayh?” Admon Faye asked sharply from his seat to Flayh’s far right. Bronwynn suddenly felt trapped in the wash of eyes, as everyone turned to look at the slaver seated next to her.
“I meant nothing by that, my friend. I refer only to the fact that you are as widely travelled as a merchant as any other merchant,” Flayb amended carefully. He turned back to the delegates. “My brother merchants, I give you the dragon’s successor in Dragonsgate: Admon Faye.” Flayh pointed at the slaver, and once again Bronwynn shifted in her seat, wanting to hide from the eyes that turned toward her. She could see them associating her with the hideously vis aged slaver his girl friend perhaps, some of them were thinking. Bronwynn didn’t feel at all flattered.
Admon Faye rose in his place and bowed courteously. Then he sneered, and the assembled merchants, for the most part, quickly found something else to look at.
“What… exactly…” Brab mod Crober began, and Flayh nodded to him politely and went on:
“Admon Faye is an expert slaver. Of all those who ply his unpopular but essential trade, he is the best. Or was. The death of Vicia-Heinox has caused the demand for slaves to drop drastically. He is in need of a new line of work.
“We are all familiar with the continuous sword-rattling that passes for diplomacy between our several nations. With Dragonsgate clear, no nation can feel safe. I predict that we will soon see a build up of troops in every mouth of the Gate a build-up that will continue unabated, sapping the economic strength of each land, until the inevitable war results. We cannot have that not least because those border lands closest to the pass have always belonged to us! We don’t want soldiers building barricades across our farm lands!”
“No!” roared the assembly in one mighty voice.
“However. If someone occupies the pass someone non-threatening to national security, but powerful enough to resist all but the severest of raids my guess is that rulers of security in all three lands will be able to relax, and life will soon return to normal. I propose that Admon Faye and his horde of henchmen be installed in Dragonsgate to form such a buffer and to discourage passage to anyone save merchant houses recognized by this Council!”
A round of cheers broke out then, lasting for several minutes. Flayh actually smiled an honest smile of pleasure, something Pezi couldn’t remember ever seeing on Flayh before. The cheering was interrupted by Klaph of Harm, who jumped to his feet waving his burnt-orange sleeves.
“A moment! A moment please!” he cried, and the merchants quieted to hear him. “Just what does Admon Faye want in return?” he asked. He didn’t hide his suspicion.
“Very simple,” Flayh replied. “A tribute from each caravan something each of us should feel quite comfortable with, since that was our arrangement with the dragon as well and a secret seat on this Council.” Flayh gauged the reactions of his audience and decided that he was home free. Protests were few. He continued: “It must be a secret seat, for if it became, known that Admon Faye formally belonged to the Council, public sentiment might force one regent or another to move upon him and chase him from the pass. As long as the general populace remains convinced that he’s acting only in his own interests, each regent can publicly deplore his presence, while privately offering him every incentive to continue.”
Flayh turned toward Admon Faye and smiled. “You surely don’t mind being deplored, do you?” he called.
“Mind it!” Admon Faye hooted. “I’ve made a career of it!” The comment brought a hearty laugh, and Flayh confidently moved for an immediate vote. The response was unanimous approval. Even Tahli-Damen endorsed it heartily, admitting to himself that Flayh’s genius had produced the perfect solution. Besides, his argument was not with this.
Tahli-Damen braced himself for the next item on the agenda to be announced. Flayh cleared his throat. “Now to the matter of other seats on the platform.” Flayh spun around to face Tahli-Damen and drilled his eyes into those of the young merchant “I demand that you vacate that positionl”
Tahli-Damen came out of his chair ready for a scrap. The adrenaline pumped through him with such force that he felt no fear at all. In fact, he felt strangely elated.
“And I refuse!” He turned to the crowd and announced, **I have been deputized to this chair by Jagd of Uda, who refused to attend on threat of assassination!”
“Your patron’s paranoia is none of our concern!” Flayh screeched, but the young merchant kept on talking.
“My Lord Jagd has refused to attend in person, but has authorized me to challenge Flayh to produce the two pyramids he holds in his possession!”
“What are you talking about?” Flayh shrilled, and he grabbed Tahli-Damen’s shoulder and tried to wrench him around.
The Udan merchant winced, but continued talking to a sea of rapt faces.
“Flayh knows very well what pyramids I refer to, though he’s conspired to keep them secret from all but a chosen few of the merchant Elders—”
“I must protest!” shouted Brab mod Crober, pounding his hand on the head table. “This knowledge is privileged, reserved only for those seated on this daisl”
“No!” shouted some younger merchants in the back of the hall, and Tahli-Damen was forced to scream to make himself heard over the heckling.
“No longer will these magic objects be hidden! If you would hear Jagd himself endorse an open and free discussion of these precious crystals, then help me to force this man to produce the two pyramids he holds in his possession! Then Jagd of Uda will himself speak to you, from his sanctuary in the Imperial House of Chaomonous!” Tahli-Damen pointed at Flayh, but did not look at him. He did well in that, for the merchant power shaper was livid in his wrath and glared at his young accuser with every intention of crushing the young upstart under the weight of his own terror. But he needed to grip the lad’s eyes!
Flayh was oblivious to the bedlam the young man’s words had unleashed.
Fist fights had broken out in three sections of the room, scuflSers clothed in blue and lime against those in scarlet and purple, Admon Faye shook his head in disbelief, a grin traced on his hideous lips, while Bron-wynn tucked herself behind his body, fearing the benches would soon start flying. Gradually everyone became aware of a heavy pounding on the table, and order was restored. Surprisingly, the pounder was none other than Pezi, who had been so seized by the excitement of the moment that he’d acted with an uncharacteristic authority. He even earned his uncle’s attention. But when he noticed Flayh’s peering eyes, his courage faltered, and he shoved Flayh’s ale-cup back into his uncle’s shrivelled hand and sank into his seat.