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‘You’re quick,’ he said adentleot an exploitable situation here, and it won’t last for very long How can we use it to our greatest advantage?’
‘We ht be able to identify real conspirators instead of dupes, your Majesty,’ Stragento have to subvert so out assorted fairy-tales – this story to soar or whore Then we sit back to see which of those fraudulent schemes the other side attempts to counter That will identify the turncoats in our own ranks, and we can squeeze useful na a little better than that,’ she fretted
‘We’ll work on it, your Majesty,’ Caalador proht with you, I’d like to follow up on soer’s been busy here in Matherion, but we don’t kno much information about our doet what use we can out of our ence service before it becomes totally useless I’ll pass the word to the criminals down in Arjuna I’d like to find out one way or the other if that silly scholar at the university has blundered across the real truth or if he’s just weaving a theory out of raphy of the fellon as Scarpa really fascinating reading If nothing else, whether or not our spies in Arjuna succeed will tell us how er really knows about the scope of our operations If he thinks it’s only localized, our apparatus hasn’t been too severely compromised’
‘Go after the others as well,’ Ehlana told him ‘See what you can find out about Baron Parok, Rebal and Sabre Let’s try to attach names to Rebal and Sabre at the very least’
‘We’ll do ‘er jist th’ way yer Majesty co in mud iffn y’would, Caalador,’ she replied
Caalador collapsed in helpless laughter
‘It’s probably the change in the weather, your Majesty,’ Alean said ‘It’s definitely getting chillier at night, and the days aren’t nearly as warrew up in Cies there much more markedly than it does here in Matherion’
‘It’s a different part of the world though, ht on the seacoast for one thing That could be what’s causing the probles like that than adults’
‘You’re bothtoo much out of it,’ Mirtai told them ‘All she needs is a tonic She’s not really sick, she’s justaround’
‘But she sleeps all the ti’
‘She’s probably growing,’ the giantess shrugged ‘I used to do the sa is very hard work, I guess’
The object of their discussions lay drowsing on a divan near the ith Rollo loosely clasped in her arenerations of intense affection He had been dragged about by one hind leg He had been laid upon, cranored at tiiven hihtly worried expression Queen Ehlana viewed that as a bad sign Rollo had never looked worried when he had been her toy Mmrr, on the other hand, seemed quite content An oho didn’t round When Princess Danae was dozing, she was not dreas to do to her cat M dressed up in dolls’ clothing was a good day She lay on her little mistress’s hip with her front paws sedately folded under her chest, her eyes closed and a soft, contented purr co disturbed her naps, Mmrr was perfectly at peace with the world
The Royal Princess Danae dozed, herwith Sparhawk and his friends on the Isle of Tega than with her mother’s concern over her health here in Matherion Danae yawned and nestled doith toy and with cat and drifted off to sleep
‘Dearest,’ the letter began ‘We’ve reached Tega, and we’ll be going out into the countryside for a while to see what’s afoot I’ll be out of touch for a bit, so I thought it ood idea to let you know that we’ve arrived safely Don’t be too concerned if you don’t hear fro we’ll be sub iet started There’s no real point to this letter – except to tell you that I love you – but that’s probably the most important point of all, isn’t it? Kiss Danae for me
‘All my love, Sparhawk’
‘Oh, that’s nice,’ Ehlanathe note fro in the blue-draped sitting room in the queen’s apartments, and the arrival of Caalador with Sparhawk’s letter had interrupted a serious discussion about what they were going to do about the Interior Ministry
Caalador, dressed again in sober brown and carrying a grotesque porcelain figurine froht want to reates of the compound that they’re supposed to let ain’
‘What’s this?’ E as ives hiathered a whole roomful of assorted bric-a-brac since I’ve arrived here’
‘That brings us right back to the issue ere discussing before you got here, Caalador,’ Stragen said Stragen wore black today, and Ehlana privately felt that the color didn’t really suit hian to pace up and down, a habit the Queen of Elenia found irritating ‘The Interior Ministry’s beginning to flex itson the Minister hi fro’
‘Interior has always liked to throw its weight around,’ Oscagne told theain, and he looked distinctly uncomfortable in the to make earlier, Ehlana,’ Sarabian said ‘Are you sure we shouldn’t dissolve the Interior Ministry right now?’
‘Absolutely,’ Ehlana replied ‘We’ve got Kolata buttoned up inside the castle here, and we’ve given the world a perfectly legiti – under our control – and that’s of enor for time, Sarabian We’re terribly vulnerable until Tynian and Ehts – or at the very least until all the Atan commanders have been advised that they aren’t supposed to obey the orders of the Interior Ministry anyon both sides if trouble breaks out’