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‘Perceptions can be y,’ Brys said

‘Spoken as a duellist,’ Nisall said ‘But the advantages to the queen granted by Gerun’s absence perhaps outweigh any advantage we ht fashion Besides, we know Buruk the Pale proceeds under directions from her camp, so his loss will not hurt us’

Brys considered this, uneasy at such a cavalier dismissal of a man’s life ‘Hoell does Buruk sit with his burdens?’

‘We have a spy close to him, of course,’ the Preda said ‘The man is tortured by his conscience He escapes hite nectar and drink, and dissolute sexual indulgences’

‘The queen…’

‘Wants war,’ Nisall finished with a sharp nod ‘The irresponsible, greedy, short-sighted sea-cow A fine partner to the stupidest chancellor in the history of Letheras And a thick, easily led prince waiting impatiently to take the throne’

Brys shifted unco him, he can be swayed to another course’

‘Beneath the hawk gaze of Moroch Nevath? Not likely’

The Cha to sohed ‘Gerun needs to add a name to his list’

‘Moroch Nevath?’

‘And that will be difficult’

‘It will The inable Incorruptible, with a history to match’

‘And to whom is the man sworn?’

‘Why, the prince, of course But the King’s Leave does not include killing royalty’

‘Yet his history is far less pure’

Nisall added, ‘Gerun would not be able to act directly against the Prince He would need to attack obliquely’

‘First Concubine, I have little understanding of Gerun Eberict’s motivations I do not comprehend the nature of his cause’

‘I do,’ the Preda said ‘I know precisely what he’s up to And I believe we can see that he adds to his list’