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‘Soerajin and Zalasta,’ Xanetia agreed ‘They had, however, reckoned not upon the nature of Cyrgon They soon found that he would in no wise consent to the secondary role they had in on doth coh priest, one Ekatas, over his new allies, telling thes Zalasta did secretly laugh at the God’s sih Priest Ekatas would, like all the Cyrgai, die with the step which took him over the unseen line in the sand Ekatas, however, had no need of crossing the line With Cyrgon’s aid, did he travel with his mind, not his body, and could he observe and direct without leaving Cyrga Truly, the mind of Ekatas can reach across vast distances, not only to convey the will of Cyrgon, but to advise the diverse cohorts of what hath occurred elsewhere’

‘That explains how the word that ere coa to the other so fast,’ Bevier said ‘We sort of wondered how they were keeping ahead of us’

‘Now,’ Xanetia pressed on, ‘though they are outcast and despised, Ogerajin and the others are still Styrics, and the Styrics are not a war-like people Their efforts had concentrated on deception and on, however, is a war-God, and he did command the arm of the Eon gave the couidance Zalasta, who had traveled ht deceive the Trolls and bring theon did readily consent Still he demanded more Ynak of Lydros, who doth ever carry that cloud of dissension with him, could fan the fires of discontent in all of Taly follow hiifted in that profession I do not say this to give offense, Sephrenia,’ she added quickly Both Xanetia and Sephrenia were being very careful about that

‘I’m not offended, Xanetia I like soldiers, mind you…’ Her eyes flickered toward Vanion ‘Soht be a nicer place without theue,’ Ulath told her ‘If we couldn’t be soldiers, we’d all have to go out and find honest work’

Xanetia srow impatient – that Zalasta did journey to Arjuna to enlist his son Scarpa in the enterprise Now Scarpa was unlike his father in that he did willingly – even eagerly – resort to violence His years as a perfor crowds of people by eloquence and by his co presence His profession, however, was held in low regard, and this did pain him deeply, for Scarpa hath an exalted opinion of hireed ‘If what the thieves of Arjuna tellaccurate, Scarpa probably believes that he could fly or walk on water if he just set his reed ‘He hath, moreover, a deep contempt for the Gods and a profound hatred of women’

‘That’s not uncoen said clinically ‘Some of us blame our mothers – or our Gods – for our social unacceptability Fortunately, I never fell into that trap But then, I’ that I didn’t have the usual inadequacies to try to explain away’

‘I hate it when he does that,’ Baroness Melidere said

‘It’s only a plain fact, rinned at her ‘False , don’t you think?’

‘Be clever on your own tien,’ Ehlana chided ‘Did Zalasta tell his son all the details of this conspiracy, Anarae?’

‘Yes, your Majesty Given the nature of the two, there was surprising candor between theerated notion of his own cleverness, although Zalasta did quickly realize that the rudi his infrequent visits to Arjuna ht serve to deceive rural bumpkins, but they would scarce be adequate for the business at hand Therefore, took he his son to Verel to place hierajin’

‘When was this, Anarae?’ Caalador asked curiously

‘Perhaps five years since, Master Caalador’

‘Then it fits together e found out It was alo that Scarpa disappeared from Arjuna Then a couple of years later he ca up trouble’

‘It was a short education,’ Xanetia said, ‘but Scarpa hath a quick , for Ogerajin was ance’

‘This Scarpa sounds like the sort you have to stand in line to hate,’ Talen noted ‘I’ve never met him, and I already dislike him’

‘Zalasta was also taken somewhat aback by his son’s abrasive nature,’ Xanetia told the to awe hia that heman closely, and then, evidently satisfied, did he instruct him in the task before him Scarpa caai than he had felt ‘ere they ard he previously had for his son It is now in his mind that should their conspiracy succeed, Scarpa will not long survive the victory’ She paused ‘An it please thee to view it so, Sephrenia, thy vengeance hath already had its beginning Zalasta is a hollow man with no God and with none in all the world to love him or to call him friend Even the scant affection he had for his son is noitherèd, and he is ereat tears welled up in Sephrenia’s eyes, but then she angrily dashed theh, Anarae,’ she said adamantly

‘You’ve spent too much time with Elenes, little mother,’ Sarabian said That startled Sparhawk just a bit He could not be sure if the brilliant, erratic Tamul Emperor used that affectionate terue

‘Who recruited the others, Anarae?’ Vanion asked, shtly touchy situation

‘It was Scarpa, Lord Vanion,’ she replied ‘Cyrgon had directed him to seek out confederates to stir rebellion in western Tamuli, thus to bar the way should Anakha coly pit his cherished Cyrgai against such as ye Now Scarpa did know a certain out-at-the-elbows Dacite nobles of his creditors to settle accounts, did flee from Daconia and conceal himself for a time in the very Arjuni carnival where Scarpa did practice his dubious art This scruffy nobleman, Baron Parok by naa Parok, desperate out of all ly fell in with his former associate, for the induce Consulted then the unscrupulous pair with the debauched Styrics at Verel and followed their counsel to seek out the merchant A much taken with themselves and resentful of the station in life which fate had assigned the ‘We’ve encountered both of them, Anarae, and neither one strikes me as a natural leader Were they the best Scarpa could find?’

‘Their selection was deterht The ability to swaypresence which doth draw all eyes to the one in question can be elevated by certain Styric spells Unih they are, it was the quality of desperation in theonies by reason of their insignificance, and both illing, even eager, to go to any lengths to exalt themselves’

‘We see it all the time in Thalesia, Bevier,’ Ulath explained ‘We call it "the little unsson’s a perfect exanored’

‘Amador’s not all that short,’ Talen pointed out