“Probably the same people. Without the restraint of religious righteousness.”

“Whatever. The west can declare the threat of Hammad al Nakir a dead issue. The sleeping giant isn’t snoring anymore. He’s belly up and the maggots are about done with him.”

“That’s not good. If the Itaskians stop worrying about Hsung and El Murid, we’ll be out a lot of military aid. You have people in Al Rhemish?”

“Two good men.”

“And in Sebil el Selib?”

“One of my best people.”

“Send in someone else. Someone independent. Double check. I don’t believe a word you’re telling me. Maybe somebody is lying to you.”

“Sire!…”

“Watch your temper. Michael, I trust you when you do it yourself. Still, you’re a devious type. Maybe too devious for your own good. I think people lie to you and you believe them because you’ve gotten them to lie to somebody else for you. Damn! I lost something. I’m not even making sense to me. What am I trying to say here?”

“I think I understand. And maybe you’re right. I get too involved in the game side, and underinvolved with the people. It’s true. Just because I enlist them doesn’t mean they’re going to be my faithful eyes and ears. I can think of three or four who probably don’t know whose side they’re on themselves.”

“What about the rest of the world?”

“Aral could tell you more than me. I use his trader friends in the west. I get the feeling he edits everything before it gets to me.”

Ragnarson stared at the moldy forest floor. That had been, at best, an evasion. It might be an outright lie. Michael had scores of foreign contacts. His family’s business acquaintances. Old school friends. People met during the war. All glad to keep an eye on this or that for him. Some of the things he had deigned to pass on could have come from no other source.

Bragi let it slide. “How about here in Kavelin?”

“Your enemies are keeping their heads down. They’ll keep on that way as long as Varthlokkur and the Unborn wander through once in a while. They figure the only thing to do is wait for you to die.”

“Nobody planning to hasten my appointment with the Dark Lady?”

“Not that I’ve heard of. It’s a waste of time watching anymore.”

Ragnarson rose. He said, “There’s a couple Panthers trying to sneak past us in that gully down there. They’ve got one of our balls. Act casual.”

Trebilcock glanced once. He saw nothing. He had heard nothing. He believed his eyes and ears were better than the King’s. “Are you sure? How could you know?”

“When you’ve been playing these games as long as I have, Michael, you smell the tricks before they happen. If you get to be my age, you sit on a rock somewhere with somebody your age and think about that.”