“It’s important…”
Hecht said, “Stop.” He did not want to witness another round in an old dispute. “Did you have something to tell me? Or were you just looking for a picturesque place to squabble?”
The girls had discovered the view. They oohed and ahed. Heris said, “Mostly, we wanted to see you. An impulse, really, after we got back. The girls wondered how you were doing.”
“I’m fine, right now. But I’ll be off to the wars real soon.”
“Shartelle.” A statement.
“The first serious target.”
“It’ll be tough to take. It’s been fifteen hundred years.”
Al-Prama had gotten hold of Shartelle one household and one heart at a time. A quarter of the population was Antast Chaldarean, still, and there were quite a few Devedians. There was a Dainshau neighborhood and a Western quarter. The groups all considered themselves Shartellean first.
“I know. But I have the Shining Ones to help.”
“So you’ll succeed where so many greats have failed. Piper, don’t make Shartelle one of your bloody examples.”
“I…”
“I know how you think. You’ll want to save lives in the long run by being bloodthirsty to start. Make the example somewhere else. Shartelle will resist. They know they cannot be conquered. They’ll believe that Indala will come to help. But you’ll crush them because you have the Shining Ones and the falcons. Be merciful. People there were good to me.”
“I understand. I’ll do no evil that Shartelle doesn’t compel me to do.”
Meantime, Vali and Lila leaned on a balustrade, absorbing the view and trading nonsense about how marvelous it would be to live in a place like this. They sounded shallow beyond their years.
Noticing their father paying attention they began speculating about the romantic possibilities.
Heris whispered, “It’s all for show. Their suffering in Sonsa…”
“They’re grown women now, Heris. You all are. I try to remember that. But I can’t help being one overly protective son of a bitch.”
“I forgive you. I’m sure they do, too.”
“So you found a way into the world of the dwarves.”
“We wanted to go from there to Eucereme, to contact the Raneul and refugee Old Ones from the Realm of the Gods.”
“You failed?”
“Big time. Iron Eyes turned up right away. He ranted and raved. I ranted right back because his gang have been looting that Krulik and Sneigon manufactory.” She dipped a hand into a pocket, produced the communication pendant that he had lost.
“Where did you get that? I had no idea what became of it.”
Heris explained. “It was tangled up in some silk shreds. The old man thought…”
He watched as she decided not to carry on. He chose not to talk about it, either. “Does it still work?”
“The old man refurbished it. Not really likely to be useful since you have the Shining Ones hanging around.”
“Always handy to have an extra option. What is he up to? The old man?”
“I don’t know. Something with Grandfather, probably to do with the Construct. He’s always at that when he’s not helping me.”
“I thought you were supposed to be helping him. And learning the family trade so you can be the next Unknown.”
“I am. But that isn’t what I want anymore.”
“Oh?”
“I like this life too much.”
Hecht frowned, wondering what she meant. The Unknowns could do whatever they wanted. Cloven Februaren wandered more than Heris did. “You didn’t reach Eucereme.”
“I said.”
“Those people have no reason to help us.”
“A point Iron Eyes made with considerable vigor, though his opinion was honed by different emotions.”
“Uhm?”
“The Aelen Kofer have no love for the Old Ones.”
He knew. Still, he suspected that things happened inside Heris’s head that she failed to share. “The Old Ones can’t survive without Eucereme, right? They have to get through so Eavijne can plant a new orchard. We should keep that in mind.”
Heris nodded. “Those apples would be good for the Raneul, too.”
“They would. So when Iron Eyes is watching you he’d better have somebody else watching for Raneul coming up from behind.” He was sure the exiles in Eucereme knew about the trouble with the blessed apples.
Vali and Lila turned from the view, came over. Both hugged him briefly. Vali murmured, “Be careful. We want you back.” There were tears under her eyes when she stepped away. She turned to hide them.
What did that mean?
Lila seemed a little choked-up, too.
Heris said, “We’d better go before we’re noticed. We just wanted to see how you’re doing.” Which sounded like a half truth. “To bring you up to date. To say ‘love you,’ for Anna. And to let you know that Iron Eyes is watching.”
“Oh?”
“Take it into account. It might benefit you someday.”
Hecht nodded, though he did not understand.
“I’ll be watching, too. Especially at Shartelle.”
“I’ll be good to them if they’re good to me.”
“Thank you.” She hugged him, too, gave him a peck on the cheek, turned sideways.
The girls were gone already.
He stared at the harbors, baffled.
“What was that?” Hourli was back.
“I’m not sure. Is it possible to see the future?”
“Absolutely. Ordnan looked into it and saw that he had to kill you in order to avoid the Twilight. Or something like that. He wasn’t always completely logical.”
“It’s pretty iffy, then.”
“Not pretty, just iffy. The ugliest possibilities are the ones that really shine through. Why?”
“I got the impression they don’t expect to see me alive again.”
“Oh.” Startled, she reached out, touched his bare arm lightly. Crackle!
“Ouch!” The spark had been so sharp the hair on his arm now smoked. “That hurt.”
She started to respond, paused to peer into the darkness inside the villa. “Someone is coming.”
* * *
Pella appeared. “Hey, Dad. It’s rolling.”
Hecht told Hourli, “Time to go.”
Ambassador fon Machen awaited Lord Arnmigal, along with a crowd. He was put out and having trouble hiding it.
The Commander of the Righteous said, “Do it, then.”
Pella, Titus, and a dozen armed men relieved fon Machen and his companions of their personal arms. No one got hurt. The protests were loud but never violent. Hecht ignored them.
“Move them out,” Consent ordered.
Sharp steel encouraged sullen cooperation.
An hour later Hecht’s coterie, with the ambassador’s people, were aboard an Aparionese trireme named for some dead prince of the republic. The craft was large, lean, sleek, and fully modern. It got under way despite the darkness. Two Shining Ones, pretending to be sorceresses from one of the mystic isles in the White Sea, stood by the helm and ship’s master, piloting.
Ghebulli Resteino entered the Reach without incident.
Titus had begun making arrangements the day they reached Hypraxium. Disarming Ambassador fon Machen’s venom by taking him along seemed the easiest way of protecting the Enterprise’s supply line.
Fair winds and friendly seas followed Ghebulli Resteino. The Commander of the Righteous had gods helping, three of whom admitted being prone to seasickness.
The waters off the Antal were far busier than normal according to the ship’s master. “That is because of you, sir. Because of the Enterprise. People are coming to take part. Others are running away so they won’t get involved. But most of the ships we see are hauling cargo for your campaign.”
From the start Hecht had been impressed by the vastness of the undertaking. Coastal traffic only underscored that.
Two days out Ghebulli Resteino happened on a cluster of ships, half a dozen small vessels surrounding a fat merchantman wearing Dateon’s colors.
Hourli and the ship’s master approached Lord Arnmigal from opposite directions. The sailor spoke first. “Those are pirates. Normally I wouldn’t concern myself with Dateonese. This year, though, we’re pretending to be allies. I would like to assist them.”