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‘The conservatives won’t like that’
‘They never do Conservatives wouldn’t even change their underwear if they didn’t have to’
‘That’s extreal standpoint, your Majesty,’ Oscagne said ‘I’ your word, Anarae,’ he added quickly, ‘but I think we can all see the problem here All we’ll have in the way of evidence is Xanetia’s unsubstantiated testi Even the es is likely to choke a bit on that These are going to be very difficult cases to prosecute – particularly in view of the fact that soreat fao ahead and tell the to carry out your plan anyway, and they’ll worry over legal niceties for weeks if you don’t tell theht it up, old boy,’ he said in a pained voice ‘Their Majesties are official personages, and they’re ed to observe the strict letter of the law They’d both be much more comfortable if they didn’t know tooabout building iron-clad court cases is wasting ti on other probleen and Master Caalador are conteal shortcuts, your Majesty – in the interests of expediency Do you want to tell theo ahead It en leaned back, still brooding over his two gold coins
‘Their plan’s very simple, your Majesty,’ Sparhawk told the E up all these conspirators, spies, informers and the like, we just have them murdered’
‘What?’ Sarabian exclaien coed ‘Actually, your Majesty, I sort of approve of the notion Vanion’s having a little trouble choking it down, though’ He leaned back in his chair ‘Justice is a funny thing,’ he observed ‘She’s only partly interested in punishing the guilty What she’s really interested in is deterrence The idea is to frighten people into avoiding cris – publicly – to the crien pointed out, ht, so all the police and the courts are really doing is justifying their continued eests that we bypass the police and the courts and send out the , everybody even reade Styrics would be found with his throat cut If ant a deterrent, that would really be the most effective one There wouldn’t be any acquittals or appeals or imperial pardons to confuse the issue If we do it that way, everybody in all of Tahtmares about the fruits of treason for years afterward I approve of the idea for tactical reasons, though I’ll leave justice to the courts – or the Gods I like the idea because of the dae it would do to Zalasta He’s a Styric, and Styrics usually try to get what they want by deception and ain his ends without a direct confrontation Stragen’s plan would destroy that apparatus in a single night, and onlyto join Zalasta after that Once the apparatus is gone, he’ll have to coood at that, but we are This would give us the chance to fight this war on our own tere’
‘And we can pick our own ti would be very i,’ Itagne noted
‘There are rules, Itagne,’ his brother objected ‘Civilization’s based on rules If we break the rules, how can we expect others to follow theht now, the rules are protecting the crile around and coalistic justification for it afterward About the only real objection I have is that these – ah – agents of govern’ He frowned for aMilord Stragen to the post of Minister of the Interior and Master Caalador to that of Director of the Secret Police’
‘Real secret, your Excellency,’ Caalador laughed ‘I don’t even knoho ne smiled ‘Those are the best kind, I suppose’ He looked at the Eality on the whole business, your Majesty – in the event that you decide to go ahead with it’
Sarabian leaned thoughtfully back in his chair ‘I’m tempted,’ he said ‘A blood-bath like this would insure domestic tranquility in Tamuli for at least a century’ He shook off his expression of wistful yearning and sat up ‘It’s just too uncivilized I couldn’t approve of so like that with Lady Sephrenia and Anarae Xanetia watching s, Xanetia?’ Sephrenia asked tentatively
‘We of the Delphae are not over-concerned with niceties and technicalities, Sephrenia’
‘I didn’t think you would be Good is good, and bad is bad, wouldn’t you say?’
‘It seemeth so to me’
‘And to en’s massacre would hurt him I don’t think either of us would object toothat would cause him pain, would we?’
Xanetia smiled
‘It’s your decision, then, Sarabian,’ Sephrenia said ‘Don’t look to Xanetia andobjectionable in the plan’
‘I’m profoundly disappointed in both of you,’ he told theet me off the hook You’re my last chance, Ehlana Doesn’t this monstrous notion turn your blood cold?’
‘Not particularly’ She shrugged ‘But I’et caught with bloody knives in our own hands, we can alriggle out of it’
‘Won’t anyone help ave his E look ‘It has to be your decision, your Majesty,’ he said ‘I personally don’t like it, but I’ive the order’
‘Is it always like this, Ehlana?’ Sarabian groaned
‘Usually,’ she replied quite cal at the wall for quite soen,’ he said finally ‘Go ahead and do it’
‘That’sboy,’ Ehlana said fondly
Chapter 25
‘No, Caalador,’ Sparhawk said, ‘as a matter of fact, it won’t take three or four weeks I have access to a faster way to get froood, Sparhawk,’ the ruddy-faced Cammorian objected ‘The people in the Secret Govern the orders, Caalador,’ Sparhawk told him ‘You will’
Caalador sed ‘Are you sure it’s safe to travel that way?’ he asked doubtfully
‘Trust et word to?’
Caalador threw an uncolance at Sarabian ‘I’m not at liberty to say’
‘I won’t use the information, Caalador,’ the Emperor assured him
‘You and I know that, your Majesty, but rules are rules We like to keep our nuue’
‘Generalize, Caalador,’ Ehlana suggested ‘A hundred? Five hundred?’