The Primate Annias was suddenly confronted by a group of Church Knights beaming at him from across the nave of the Basilica. His face darkened, and he began to gnaw nervously on one fingernail.

At long last the funeral ceremony wound to its conclusion. The throng in the nave rose to its feet to file along behind the body of Cluvonus to its resting place in the crypt beneath the floor of the Basilica. Sparhawk took Talen and dropped back to have a word with Kalten. ‘Where did you learn how to spell?’ he asked.

‘Spelling is the sort of thing with which no gentleman ought to concern himself, Sparhawk,’ Kalten replied loftily. He looked around carefully to be sure he wouldn’t be heard. ‘Where is Wargun?’ he whispered.

‘I haven’t any idea,’ Sparhawk whispered back. ‘Maybe they had to sober him up. Wargun’s sense of direction isn’t too good when he’s been drinking.’

‘We’d better come up with an alternative plan, Sparhawk. The Hierocracy’s going back into session just as soon as Cluvonus gets laid away.’

‘We’ve got enough votes to hold Annias off.’

‘It’s only going to take about two ballots to prove that to him, my friend. He’ll start getting rash at that point, and we’re badly outnumbered here.’ Kalten looked at the heavy wooden beams lining the stairway down into the crypt. ‘Maybe I should set fire to the Basilica,’ he said.

‘Are you out of your mind?’

‘It would delay things, Sparhawk, and we need a delay very badly just about now.’

‘I don’t think we have to go that far. Let’s keep those five Patriarchs under wraps for now. Talen, without those five votes, where do we stand?’

‘One hundred and fifteen voting, Sparhawk. That means sixty-nine to win.’

‘That makes him one vote short again – even if he can buy the neutrals. He’ll probably hold off on any kind of confrontation if he thinks he’s that close. Kalten, take Perraine and go back to the chapterhouse and get those five Patriarchs. Put them in bits and pieces of armour to disguise them and then form up fifty or so knights to bring them here. Take them into an antechamber. We’ll let Dolmant decide when he needs them.’

‘Right.’ Kalten grinned wickedly. ‘We’ve beaten Annias, though, haven’t we, Sparhawk?’

‘It looks that way, but let’s not start celebrating until there’s someone else sitting on that throne. Now get moving.’