“Only the truth,” said Amirantha. “The questions he asked about my homeland were obvious, but it was equally obvious after a while that I knew little he would find useful. He asked about the Maharaja’s army, and I said it was big. I had no idea how big—which is true—just big.”

Jim grinned, and took a drink of coffee. “You have the makings of a good spy, Amirantha.”

“I gamble,” said Amirantha. “I expected anyone asking a lot of questions could read a lie, so I find limited truth works well in those situations.”

“Ah,” said Jim. “We must play cards sometime.”

“What are we doing today?” asked Magnus, already knowing roughly the plan, but not the details.

Jim chewed a mouthful of juicy melon, then swallowed. “I meet with functionaries until midday, at which time I dine with a few minor nobles—the Emperor and anyone of rank are done with me—and then I’ll come find you in the archives.

“You three will be about your business and someone will see to your midday meal. After we dine tonight, we’ll discuss the next day’s work.”

They all understood that meant stealing the Great Book of Demons should they locate it, but no one spoke of it.

They finished eating and when they were ready, servants came to escort them to their different destinations.

Pug, Magnus, and Amirantha were led through a series of long hallways and across several large galleries and gardens, until they started down a long tunnel which they took to indicate they were heading into a portion of the palace excavated from the very soil under the palace.

When they emerged into the sunlight, they could see they were now on the back side of the rolling hills that supported the palace, looking down at a far less populated portion of the city. There were still ample houses and estates nearby, but below there the jumble of merchant and poor houses was minimal. Instead they could see an ancient wall beyond which a vast rolling series of hills, atop tablelands, were dotted with farms.

They trudged down the long road to another entrance, this one into a long and low façade with a dozen large windows, but most of the building had been constructed back into the hillside. “Gentlemen,” said the servant, “we are here.”

He turned and left, and the three magic-users exchanged glances.

“We are here,” echoed Amirantha mirthfully.

Pug smiled, nodded, and indicated they should enter.

Once inside, Pug saw a long hall and off to the left a gallery illuminated by the sunlight streaming in from the tall windows. Two long tables trisected the room, and around them were arranged chairs. Opposite the windows were the end-caps of a half dozen shelves, each with books arrayed so that the spines were out.