“So Thurvishar is gaeshed, and Thurvishar is Gadrith’s spy.” Brother Qown turned the conversation back to safer territory.

“Yes. Now Thurvishar is even more magically talented than his father, so there’s no one better to help you with your studies. Except for that one tiny detail—he’ll follow Gadrith’s commands, no matter how horrifying or treacherous.” He scowled as he helped himself to several bean-paste-stuffed buns. “Sometimes it is useful to know where one stands with another person, whether they be allies, enemies, or, as in this case, both.”

“I’m sure they feel likewise,” Brother Qown responded, “but you all have a common enemy, right? Quur?”

Var chuckled. “I don’t play so small, dear Qown. Let the Iron Circle—Gadrith and Darzin and all those weak-minded folk—think this is about overthrowing Quur and its High Council. The real stakes are larger than they can comprehend.”

Brother Qown chewed at his lip for a moment. “So when you came in, the woman you said should die…”

Relos Var didn’t respond right away. He ate more steamed buns, drank tea, sipped at his own soup.

Finally, Relos Var said, “I’m fond of Azhen Kaen. That doesn’t mean we agree on all things. Sometimes you watch your friends make mistakes and there’s nothing you can do but let them.”

“You mustn’t think it’s so important a mistake, or you’d stop him.”

“He isn’t my only game piece, Qown. Not by half.”

“Is that how you think of us? Game pieces?” He couldn’t hide the heartbreak in his voice.

Relos Var reached out again, put his hand on Qown’s, and squeezed his fingers the way he used to when his name was Father Zajhera and not Relos Var. “No, not at all. But I have lived too long and seen too much to let any single person’s moral failures or bad choices stop me. What we’re trying to do is more important.”

Brother Qown wondered if the wizard would abandon that stance if Relos Var himself became disposable.

“‘What we’re trying to do’ makes it sound like you have a plan.”

Relos Var smiled at the priest. “Dear boy, I always have a plan.”

The list the Hon had given Brother Qown must have taken Senera quite some time to write out. And as predicted, Sir Baramon and Janel Theranon’s names were both listed.

So was Ninavis’s name. And Dorna’s.

And Dango’s. And Kay Hará’s.

In fact, many names didn’t belong to knights or to people one would expect to ever be knights. Brother Qown had a good idea what must have happened, even before he’d used Worldhearth to scry them.

His friends were muddying the waters.