“Scryers will see the six of us gambling,” he said. “So everyone can speak freely. We have a big job ahead of us, and we need to figure out how to do it without anyone even guessing what we’re up to. Tomorrow down in the cavern, every mage in this place is going to help build the water-Gate and the land-Gate. The first, obviously, will be for barges, and the second for foot traffic. We’re having bedding brought down there, because when we’re done, most of you will be about to pass out.”

There were groans.

“Quit your bitching,” said Sai. “We’re also cracking open the best wine in the Valdemar cellars and drinking it afterward. Wine doesn’t take Gating well, so we might as well drink it now.”

The groans died away.

“I’ve already crafted the four pillars,” said Jonaton. “As big as I could manage, and I think we’ll be able to pass more than one barge or person at a time. There might be a rush on the Gates at the last minute, so—” he shrugged.

“Once the pillars are across the Foothold Gate, that’s the easy part. Jonaton is going to activate and attune them. I don’t envy him that.” For once, Ponu gave Jonaton a nod of respect. “Alberdina, we’ll need you on the other side for that, because he’s going to be flatter than a sheet of paper and about as much use after. Gates aren’t meant to be attuned by one person, but these are pulling Gates, and that means only one person can attune them.”

“I can do that,” the Healer said. “I have some ideas that might make it easier on him.”

“Once they’re attuned and they have the right resonance, anyone with the right talisman can use any other Gate in the entire Duchy to get there. And that’s the best plan; ideally, we want to use common, short-journey Gates that don’t need Keepers, but we don’t want to keep using the same Gates either. And we want to make it possible for people to travel short physical distances to the Gates rather than long ones. Is everything clear so far?”

Murmurs of agreement.

“All right. The last thing is the talismans. You will all know the resonance. You all know how to make them. We’re going to need a lot of them, but we plan on reusing them by sending a couple of you across to the destination, where you can temporarily neuter them and send them back in bunches.”

“How do you neuter a talisman?” someone asked.

“Carry it in a mule’s nutsack!” Ceri yelled out, and Sai smacked him, while everyone else laughed.

“Sorry, sorry,” Ceri snickered. “I meant to say, carry them in Sai’s nutsack.”