“They’re being recruited in massive numbers. Pulling the same trick Duke Kaen does with his soldiers and disguising themselves as Joratese. So many villages were left deserted by the Lonezh Hellmarch that they’re just blending into the countryside, taking over farms. And training. And when the rebellion has seeded enough of these people into a banner, Janel’s people Censure the local ruler and put one of their own people in charge. Enough banners turn, and they can take over a canton…” Qown shook his head. “I know Kaen wanted to put Jorat in so much danger that it would be obvious to everyone that Duke Xun can’t protect his people, but Janel’s taking the opposite approach. Starting small and working her way up.”

Relos Var leaned back in his chair. “Janel? Our Janel is doing this?”

Qown winced. “Yes, sir. She’s been directing the Black Knights since the beginning.”

Relos Var looked surprised and then began laughing.

Brother Qown just stared. He looked around to see if someone else had slipped into the room or if a joke involving a morgage, a vané, and a high lord had appeared above his head.

“Oh, Qown.” Relos Var slapped his hand down on the table. “That is amazing. I couldn’t be prouder.” He raised his hand again, pointed with a single finger. “I give you permission to lie to Kaen. Don’t breathe a word of this to him. Falsify your next reports to him. Don’t tell him what’s going on.”

Qown blinked and stared harder. “What?”

Var smiled at Qown. “My boy, would I have invested the years I did into Janel Danorak if I had no plans for her?” Without waiting for Qown to answer, he continued, “Now I admit, when she challenged me back in Atrine, I thought she’d made a fatal error. And she’s been so … cooperative … since coming here, I thought she’d just given up. I should have known better. When has Janel ever given up on anything? Delightful!”

Qown felt numb. The pain of betraying Janel felt bad enough, but he had expected Var to be upset, angry. Happy? Pleased? He didn’t know what to do with Var’s satisfaction. “I don’t understand.”

Var leaned forward. “If you want to make certain you’ll win a horse race, bet on all the horses. I have pushed Kaen into uniting Yor and Jorat, because we’ll need that strength soon. But Janel has, right under my nose, taken important steps to unite Jorat and Marakor—a better result I hadn’t pursued because I hadn’t thought it practical. Or even possible.”

“Quur won’t tolerate that … as soon as Duke Xun asks for aid, the troops will come in.”