Maybe Farrier saw an aspect of her that he couldn’t control: young and vital, coiled with strength. Maybe Farrier saw her flesh as the dominion of his enemy.

“Hesychast’s here,” she said.

“I know.”

“He’s brought two warships.”

He looked up sharply, and did not look away. “Really? Interesting. Well, fear not. I have a way out. And until our reckoning is done, you are beyond his power.” He had already arranged the Great Game across the map rug. “Let’s discuss tactics as we play.”

She was surprised to see fleets and armies on the board, along with wealth, currents and storms, persons of power. The Oriati armies outnumbered Falcrest’s tenfold or more. What was he up to? Why include the military? He had said it himself: we never conquer anyone …

“Tell me about Hesychast,” she said.

“Oh, Baru, do you need what I know?” He threw her the booklet describing her position at the start of the game. “You’re past the point where you can depend on my advice.”

“Tell me anyway. What’s his real name?”

“Cosgrad.” His smile flickered up and died in his guarded eyes. “He’s Cosgrad Torrinde.”

“You wrote a book together,” Baru exclaimed, remembering Farrier & Torrinde (AR 113). “About giraffes, and other things.”

He laughed with more sadness than humor. “Yes, we’ve worked together. He’s right about a great many things. Eugenics, for instance. Behavior can be inherited, that’s certain.”

She was set to play the Oriati. She did not know what to do with her armies. Farrier’s fleets were gathered to guard his trade. Tentatively she began arranging her southern forces for a march into the jungle, on hope they would find something interesting or die (she needed their salaries elsewhere).

“Why are you so afraid of him?” she asked.

He had a playing piece in his palm. A broken stub. It was hers: the Agonist piece. He reached down to play it onto the capital, onto Falcrest-the-city. “Because he’s often right,” he said. His eyes snagged on her thigh. He looked away. “I wish you’d dress.”

“He’s often right, but he’s wrong about this?” She pointed to the map with her toes. “This game?”

“Exactly.” He tapped the broken Agonist piece on its point. “In the game, you’ve just gone before Parliament on 90 Summer. You’ve reported the result of your expedition. Go to the end of that booklet I gave you.”