‘The Church declared a Crisis of the Faith during the Zemoch invasion. I looked into it as part of my study.’

‘Oh.’

As the two pages were distributing the counters, Dolmant rose and walked to the huge doors. He spoke briefly to the members of the Archprelate’s guard standing outside and returned to his seat. It was when the two boys distributing the counters were nearly at the end of the fourth row of the crimson-cushioned benches that the door opened, and the five nervous Patriarchs who had been in hiding filed in.

‘What’s the meaning of this?’ Makova was goggle-eyed.

‘The Patriarch of Coombe is not in order,’ Ortzel reminded him. Ortzel seemed to enjoy saying that to Makova. ‘My brothers,’ he began to address the five, ‘we are presently voting on –’

‘It is my responsibility to instruct our brothers,’ Makova said vehemently.

‘The Patriarch of Coombe is in error,’ Ortzel said in a clipped voice. ‘It was I who put the question before the Hierocracy, and, therefore, the responsibility is mine.’ He quickly explained the vote to his five fellow Patriarchs. He stressed the gravity of the situation to them, something Makova surely would not have done.

Makova regained his composure.

‘He’s counting votes again,’ Kalten muttered. ‘He’s still got more than we have. It all hangs on the neutrals now.’

The black box was placed on a table in front of Makova’s lectern, and the Patriarchs filed by, each depositing one of his counters in the slot on the top of the box. Some were quite obvious about which counter they were depositing. Others were not.

‘I’ll take care of the tallying,’ Makova declared.

‘No,’ Ortzel said flatly, ‘at least not alone. It was I who placed the question before the Hierocracy, and I will assist you.’

‘I’m beginning to like Ortzel more and more,’ Tynian said to Ulath.

‘Yes,’ Ulath agreed. ‘Maybe we misjudged him.’

Makova’s face grew more grey as he and Ortzel began to tally up the votes. There was a hushed, almost breathless silence as the tallying continued.

‘And done,’ Ortzel said curtly. ‘Announce the totals, Makova.’

Makova threw a quick, apologetic glance at Annias. ‘The vote stands at sixty-four yes and fifty-six no,’ he muttered almost inaudibly.

‘Say it again, Makova,’ Ortzel prompted. ‘Some of our brothers have failing hearing.’

Makova gave him a look filled with hatred and repeated the totals in a louder voice.

‘We got the neutrals!’ Talen exulted, ‘and we stole three of Annias’s votes as well.’

‘Well then,’ Emban said mildly, ‘I’m glad that’s been settled. We have much to consider, my brothers, and very little time. Am I correct in assuming that it is the will of the Hierocracy that we send immediately for the Church Knights – and the armies of western Eosia as well – to come to our defence with all possible haste?’