‘Good. I’ve been off with the army of the King of the Thalesians, and one of my men from back home caught up with me here. When you ride out to take those steps you were talking about, don’t concentrate too much on Lamorkand. The Zemochs are marauding into eastern Pelosia as well. My tribesmen have been gathering ears by the bale. I thought the Knights of the Church ought to know about that.’

‘We’re in your debt, Domi,’ Sparhawk said. ‘Why don’t you show friend Tynian here where you’re camped? We’re a bit involved with the Kings of Eosia at the moment, but just as soon as we can break free, we’ll pay you a call.’

‘I’ll make preparations then, Sir Knight,’ Kring promised. ‘We’ll take salt together and talk of affairs.’

‘Indeed we will, my friend,’ Sparhawk promised.

Tynian followed Kring back down the corridor and Sparhawk and Kalten took Krager back into Nashan’s study.

‘Very well, Krager,’ Patriarch Dolmant said quite firmly. ‘We’ll agree to your terms – provided that you’ll agree to confinement in a monastery until it’s safe to release you.’

‘Of course, Your Grace,’ Krager agreed quickly. ‘I need some rest anyway. Martel’s had me running back and forth across the continent for over a year now. What would you like to hear first?’

‘How did this connection between Otha and the Primate of Cimmura begin?’

Krager leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs and swirling his wine glass thoughtfully. ‘As I understand it, it all started shortly after the old Patriarch of Cimmura fell ill and Annias took over his responsibilities in the cathedral there. Up until then, the Primate’s goal appeared to have been largely political. He wanted to marry his doxy off to her brother so that he’d be able to run the kingdom of Elenia. After he got a taste of the kind of power the Church could put into a man’s hands, however, his horizons began to expand. Annias is a realist, and he’s fully aware of the fact that he’s not universally loved.’

‘That may be the understatement of the century,’ Komier muttered.

‘You’ve noticed that, My Lord,’ Krager said dryly. ‘Even Martel despises him, and I can’t for the life of me understand how Arissa can bring herself to crawl into the same bed with him. Anyway, Annias knew that he was going to need help in reaching the Archprelate’s throne. Martel got wind of what he had in mind, and he disguised himself and slipped into Cimmura to talk with him. I’m not sure exactly how, but at some time in the past, Martel had made contact with Otha. He wouldn’t ever really talk about it, but I sort of gather that it was in some way connected with his being expelled from the Pandion order.’