“Oh kings,” Lindon said, in utter horror. Not now! Not with Svir away, with his arsenal of leverage and secrets out of play; not with Parliament eyeing the Navy like a fat foal, and the Oriati waiting for one loud voice to call them to their final war, and rumors, nightmare rumors, of a Kettle spilled out into the world, and of black blood leaking from a swollen eye.

With more urgency than he wanted to betray: “Did she resign? Did she leave a confession?”

“I don’t know,” Croftare lied. It was navy custom for the Empire Admiral to remain isolated from his Province Admirals, so he would not be tainted when they fell. But that gave the Province Admirals room to maneuver, room Lindon might soon regret.

He knew what he had to do. He had done it in all his nightmares. “You must denounce her. No matter what she intends she might be after Oriati, and we cannot take that chance. We cannot be blamed for a war. Get in front of Parliament and call her a traitor, before Parliament learns about her and does the same to you.”

“I won’t,” Ahanna Croftare said, with that look Lindon hated, the look of a woman who had a fire inside her which Lindon would never know. “You destroy her if you must. I won’t be part of it.”

“Don’t be proud,” he begged her. “If Ormsment goes down, you’ll fall with her—you and Maroyad and you too, Brilinda, you’re all too close—”

“I think she’s gone after Baru Cormorant,” Croftare said.

If he were not in his uniform, if the Empire Admiral’s maelstrom pins were not fixed cold on his collar, if he lacked that armor of authority, then Lindon would have staggered. Svir was out there seeing to Baru Cormorant. So if Ormsment went for Baru she would find Svir—

“You motherfucker,” he said, with appalled and genuine admiration. “You hope she wins. You’re waiting to see if she turns up with Baru dead and Apparitor in her pocket. And since you’ve told me, I dare not act against you until I know he’s safe from you. Is that right?”

Ahanna Croftare the Province Admiral of Falcrest declined to comment, except to hold his gaze, daring him to show a little fire, a little black-eyed shark-toothed aggression, daring him, in short, to go to Parliament and demand that his admirals be purged for their disloyalty.

But he couldn’t move against her. Not until Svir was safe beyond her reach. And somewhere out there right now Svir would be thinking, I cannot move against Ormsment too sharply, until I know Lindon is safe.…

“Damn you,” he said, with soft, respectful hatred. “Damn you both.”

Act Two: The Fall of the Llosydanes

ACT TWO

THE FALL OF THE LLOSYDANES

11. Scytales and Shao Lune

11

SCYTALES AND SHAO LUNE

HELBRIDE ran south on bright spring seas.

The mutiny followed.