“The Stakhieczi invade Aurdwynn,” Baru whispered. That was the reason Falcrest had wanted a quick, clean civil war, to unite Aurdwynn as a shield against the threat. “Shit.”

Duchy Vultjag pressed up against the Stakhieczi Wintercrests. Tain Hu’s home would be the very first to fall to the invaders.

“Taranoke would be targeted by the Oriati,” Yawa said. “If that matters to you.”

Baru couldn’t say how very much it did. Her fear for Vultjag and for home roused her thoughts and two ideas struck like flint. She had to get control of this war, didn’t she? She had to turn the invaders on Falcrest and spare those who might otherwise be caught in the devastation. How better to do that than to complete this mission?

“I know how to find the Cancrioth,” she said. “I know how to follow their money.”

And if she found the Cancrioth, wouldn’t she have power over Farrier and Hesychast? Wouldn’t she be able to bend them to her will? They would both require what she had.…

Wouldn’t she have the power to begin a war which would scour the world clean?

“What money?” Apparitor demanded. “You think a cult will have account books?”

“Of course they will!” Baru rounded on him. “Remember your Cryptarch’s Qualm? To use your power, you must touch the world. To be touched is to be seen. Didn’t they send a fleet to help my rebels? Didn’t they act? They’ll have left traces.”

“We don’t know that! We don’t know they had anything to do with the Syndicate Eyota fleet!”

“But we can find out. We can trace where that fleet harbored on its way to war. We can sniff out the money they used to pay for water, for sweeps, for crew and weapons.”

Apparitor stared at her, breathing hard, eyes empty, throat bobbing. Baru was suddenly convinced she’d missed a vital clue. What had they called the art of knowing your enemy’s mind? Yomi? Baru’s yomi said: Apparitor here knows something I don’t. And it terrifies him.

“Where’s Iraji?” he said. “Iraji, are you listening?”

“I know where to go.” Yawa unbuttoned the hood of her gown. Her fingers did not tremble. She wore a bone comb in her silver hair. “We go to the Llosydane Islands.”

“Why?” Apparitor demanded. “The Llosydanes are nothing. Nowhere. You end up there if you’re trying to get to Aurdywnn without using the trade winds.”

“There’s a Morrow Ministry station there. A spy house.”

“So?”