There’s a great deal of unrest in Cammoria right now,’ Sparhawk went on. ‘The central kingdoms are all infested with Zemoch agents, and they’re trying to stir up as much trouble as they can. Not only that, Annias is fairly certain to guess at what we’re trying to do, so he’ll try to interfere.’

‘Borrata’s a long way from Cimmura, isn’t it?’ Tynian asked. ‘Does Primate Annias have so long an arm?’

‘Yes,’ Sparhawk said, ‘he does. There’s a renegade Pandion in Cammoria who sometimes works for Annias. His name is Martel, and he’s likely to try to stop us.’

‘Only once,’ Ulath grunted.

‘Let’s not go out of our way looking for a fight, though,’ Sparhawk cautioned. ‘Our main task is to get Sephrenia safely to Borrata and back. There’s been at least one attempt on her life already.’

‘We’ll want to discourage that,’ Tynian said. ‘Are we taking anybody else with us?’

‘My squire, Kurik,’ Sparhawk replied, ‘and probably a young Pandion novice named Berit. He shows some promise, and Kurik’s going to need somebody along to help him care for the horses.’ He thought a moment. ‘I think we’ll take a boy along as well,’ he said.

‘Talen?’ Kalten sounded surprised at that. ‘Is that really a good idea, Sparhawk?’

‘Chyrellos is corrupt enough already. I don’t think it’s a good idea to turn that little thief loose in the streets. Besides, I think we may find use for his specialized talents. The only other person going with us will be a little girl named Flute.’

Kalten stared at him in astonishment.

‘Sephrenia won’t leave her behind,’ Sparhawk explained, ‘and I’m not sure she can be left behind. You remember how easily she got out of that nunnery in Arcium.’

‘You’ve got a point there, I guess,’ Kalten conceded.

‘A very straightforward presentation, Sir Sparhawk,’ Bevier said approvingly. ‘When will we leave?’

‘First thing in the morning,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘It’s a long way to Borrata, and the Archprelate isn’t getting younger. Patriarch Dolmant says that he could die at any time, and that’s when Annias will start to move.’

‘We must make our preparations then,’ Bevier said, rising to his feet. ‘Will you gentlemen be joining me in the chapel for evening service?’ he asked.

Kalten sighed. ‘I suppose we should,’ he said. ‘We are Church Knights, after all.’

‘And a bit of God’s help wouldn’t hurt, would it?’ Tynian added.

Late that afternoon, however, a company of church soldiers arrived at the gates of the chapterhouse. ‘I have a summons from the Patriarch Makova for you and your companions, Sir Sparhawk,’ the captain in charge of the soldiers said when Sparhawk and the others came down into the courtyard. ‘He would speak with you in the Basilica at once.’