“Which leaves the Lady vulnerable,” Shale said. The Cardinals, particularly Nestor, squirmed in their chairs.

“Right. Alt Coulumb’s people back Kos, but they won’t support Seril yet.” She took a sip of bad coffee and grimaced. A scribe arrived at the door, bearing copied documents; she passed them out, though they were short one copy, so Cat had to share with the Blacksuit rep. “Ramp’s opinion of our side isn’t high. She sees a junior Craftswoman and priests she’s quick to dismiss. Since she thinks we’re weak, she’ll press Kos first—like inviting an idiot’s mate in chess. She’ll try to win quickly. If we don’t crumble, she’ll turn to Seril for the endgame.”

*   *   *

Ramp regarded each of her thunderhead clients in turn.

“Kos’s clergy’s faith is shaken. First we will strike their core operations, with accusations of mismanagement and undisclosed risk. If we succeed, we sweep the field: if found malfeasant, the priests will have to surrender control over Kos.”

A man who wore a mask of flesh showed green-flashed teeth. “Your chance of success seems low.”

“We don’t hope to win this round, just to force Kos’s clergy to retrench theologically. They’ll proclaim faith, affirm core principles, rouse the masses. Which, in turn, will undermine the moon goddess’s attempts to establish herself among the populace.”

*   *   *

“So we should let Kos take care of Himself, and focus on defending Seril.”

“No,” Tara said. “We use her feint as an opportunity.”

The skin around Nestor’s eyes crinkled like an apricot’s. “Because it gives us more time?” He was a man of gears and fans and belts, not thaumaturgy. Tara had to slow down, or lose him.

“Because chess is a bad analogy for an argument. We don’t start with an array of forces and remove them from the board one after another. We start with a blank board and build our position in the context of theirs. They’ll expect us to defend Kos so fiercely we’ll ignore Seril.”

“What do you mean?”

“How would you shore up faith in Kos, ordinarily?”

“Preach,” Abelard said. “Encourage prayer and reflection.”

“Using your current theology?”

“Of course.”

“Which sees Kos as the center of your faith, and Seril as an afterthought, or a rival.”

“Ah,” Abelard said.

“That’s her goal: her attack will push you into fundamentalism, exposing your flank. Then she’ll strike.”

*   *   *

The chaos beneath Ramp’s feet whirlpooled down and out to form a miniature of Alt Coulumb. Claws of light surrounded the model city, curved down, and pierced.