The Radisha sent for me the third morning after Jahs death. It was a brief interview, of no consequence except that I left convinced that Smoke was more than a fakir. Hed penetrated the veil of time well enough to assure himself that Id had a hand in Jahs disappearance. He was more frazzled than ever. For the first time the Radisha was rattled.

She saw her control slipping.

That night she and Smoke and a few followers slipped over the Main and headed north. She left Swan and Mather to pretend she was secluded in the fortress. That deceit was useless. Narayan told me what was happening before the Radisha hit the water.

The day was noteworthy, too, because we enlisted our first nonveterans. There were just three of them. Two were friends of Narayans friends. But their arrival was a sign that word was spreading and there were Taglians willing to join the cause.

Drills and training continued, as intense as I could make them, always designed to strip each man of all loyalties but those to his comrades and commander.

Former slaves had become the most plentiful volunteers-and best students. They had nothing else. The Shadowmasters had destroyed their world. I thought it might be a good idea to send trusted men to roam the lands below the Main in search of more men without strong ties to Taglios.

Narayan and Sindhu told me the Radisha was doing her sneak. I listened, then said, Sit. The time has come.

They understood. They didnt look as distressed as Id expected. They had talked it over and had agreed to open up. Who are you? What are you doing?

Narayan took a deep breath. He did not look me in the eye. Mistress, we are Deceivers. Followers of the goddess Kina, who has many names and many guises but whose only truth is death. He went into a long-winded explanation about the goddess and how she related to the gods of Taglios and its neighbors. It was an improbable mishmash like that surrounding the genesis and attributes of most dark gods. Narayan plainly had not thought much about the doctrine. His explanation didnt tell me much except that he and Sindhu were devoted to their goddess.

It took some pressure but they admitted they worshipped Kina, in part, by committing murder.

Sindhu volunteered, Narayan, jamadar of the Changlor band, is famous among us, Mistress. Evidently he broke the silence because it wasnt good form for a man to brag about his own accomplishments. He has given the gift of paradise to more than a hundred souls.

One hundred fifty-three, Narayan said. That, apparently, was not considered braggery.

Paradise? You want to explain that?

Those whose lives are taken for the goddess are freed from the Wheel of Life and ascend to paradise immediately.