I let the current carry us down toward the waiting sea. Kutulu went limp, and I wondered if he was drowning.

I saw a dark bulk, swam toward it, and reached a drifting log, uprooted somewhere far south in the uplands and now on the final stages of its journey to the sea. I pulled Kutulu across it, and then lifted myself aboard our rescuing raft.

The warden started coughing, and I thumped his back. He vomited water twice, then gasped for air.

His breathing became normal after a while.

"Thank you," he managed. "Now youare my friend, Damastes."

"The h.e.l.ls with it," I said. "You would have done the same for me if you were a swimmer."

He thought, seriously. "Yes," he said. "Yes, you're right. I would have." He looked about him. "Now what shall we do?"

"Since I've no plans to go avoyaging on this somewhat uncertain craft, we'll be swimming again, as soon as I see something to swim for."

A few seconds later I saw a long pier jutting toward us. The current swept us close, and when we were a few yards away I took Kutulu in the rescuer's hold, and we abandoned ship. There was a rickety ladder that extended down into the water, and we made our way up it.

We were in the worst part of Nicias, a part of the city where the wardens patrolled in squads, so, once Kutulu had bis bearings, we went directly to the nearest warden's post and he ordered a team to escort us out of the area. They looked curiously at our sodden clothes, and wanted to ask questions, but Kutulu told them nothing. Thank several G.o.ds my boil had come unstuck during the swim and the spray-on smell had been washed away, so I wasn't as disreputable as before.

As to what happened to Thak's demon, and Tenedos's ani-munculi, I have no idea and less curiosity, other than that I heard no reports of monsters abroad the next day. I hope they dragged each other down into some inescapable dark h.e.l.l.

We reached Tenedos's apartments only to find them deserted, even though it was only a few hours before dawn.

"Could he have gone to see Rasenna?" I wondered, men realized my question was foolish-he'd promised to wait, and he was a man of his word. We decided to do the same.

While we waited, we used Tenedos's bath to wash and, in my case, change, since I'd been keeping a couple of sets of somewhat forbidden civilian clothes at his place. Kutulu toweled himself off and started to pull on his wet clothes again.

"If the seer were here," I said, "it'd be a simple matter for him to cast some sort of clothes-line spell and they'd be dry as toast." I went to one of Tenedos's closets, and hunted through it until I found a dark set of pants and overshirt I thought suited the warden. "Put these on," I said and tossed them to Kutulu.

"But-" Kutulu looked appalled. The warden had the worst case of hero worship I'd ever seen. It would be some incredible breach of his private ethics to dream of touching, let alone wearing without permission, something of his idol's. But I did not josh him about the matter.

"Don't be absurd," I said. "He'd tell you the same thing if he were here. You'll probably have to find a belt and punch a new hole in it. Our esteemed sorcerer is a bit more fond of the dining table than you."

*Reluctantly, Kutulu obeyed. In the kitchen I found canisters with tea leaves, and made hot drinks for us, although I wondered if I'd gotten the wrong container and created a concoction to change us into frogs or something.

Two hours before dawn, an angry and worried Tenedos returned.

"My apologies," he said. "But I was summoned not an hour after you left by the Rule of Ten. Or, perhaps, I should now call them the Rule of Nine. Farel and his mistress were found dead late yesterday afternoon. Strangled by the Tovieti."

"s.h.i.t!" I said. I couldn't remember when one of the Rule of Ten had died by anything other than sickness, accident, or old age, let alone murder.

"Naturally, the Rule of Ten wanted to hear, immediately, everything that I knew about the stranglers, as if they'd paid no attention when we testified last year. Incidentally, the Nician Council sat in on the meeting, and provided leadership fully as thrilling and competent.

"Now, did you two uncover anything as shattering?"

"We did," I said. "I'll let Kutulu tell it, since he's experienced at precise reporting than I am."

Kutulu told Tenedos exactly what had occurred, adding nothing, leaving nothing out. He made no judgments, but provided a perfect image of events. He even told Tenedos, unemotionally, as if it had happened to someone else, how he'd panicked in the water. He was about to continue when Tenedos held up his hand.

"Enough, my friend. Does your tale include anything more of either the monsters or the Tovieti?"

"No, sir."

Tenedos nodded, and Kutulu obediently said no more. He got up and paced back and forth for a while.

"I will return to the Rule of Ten, and inform them of what happened," he said. "But I do not think it will make a difference."

"What?" I was incredulous.

"Let me repeat what they said after I finished telling them more what we know of the Tovieti. They admitted the Tovietiare probably a threat. But we have a very efficient force of wardens, who can deal with the situation. Perhaps we should consider giving them some emergency powers."

It was Kutulu's turn for surprise.

"May I interrupt, Seer? How can they think that? We've yet to take one single Tovieti to prison. But what powers are they speaking of?"

"Setting up teams of crack officers to go after the menace, which of course they believe is quartered in the slums where our foreign workers live. No true Nician would listen to such garbage, or so Farel's ex-hamess-mate Rask said. A magistrate to accompany the teams, so the proper orders can be issued on the spot for searching any house or business immediately.

"The Tovieti are to be added to the list of forbidden organizations.

"Scopas suggested that mere membership in the organization should be cause for the death penalty. But since they don't appear to have convenient tattoos, uniforms, nor membership tokens, how this would be proven went unmentioned. At any rate, the measure went undiscussed and therefore was forgotten. No doubt too radical.

"Those were the only specifics. But, my good Kutulu, you can rest a.s.sured the Rule of Ten hold you wardens in thehighest esteem."

Kutulu's lips worked.

"You may say anything you wish here," Tenedos said. "Even if it borders on the treasonous."

"This is nothing! They can't just sit there and wait for the threat to vanish! Chardin Sher will be marching into Nicias and they'll still be talking. Or else all of us will be lying dead with silk nooses cutting into our gullets! Those men," the little warden spat, "are fools! Fools and worse!"

"Such is what I've been saying for some years now," Tenedos said.

"What else?' I wanted to know. "What about the army? We heard no details about the Tovieti's future plans, but I a.s.sume they'll be escalating their murder campaign. Are we, too, going to just sit with our thumbs in our b.u.ms?"

"The army is to be ordered to full alertness, although the Rule of Ten did not think it necessary to declare martial law.

"All mention of this matter is to be kept from the public, so there'll be nothing in the broadsheets.

Instead, rumor will be permitted to run riot.

"Some other, smaller things, might amuse you. "I was appointed to a special position, privy adviser to the Rule on the Present Emergency. I was ordered to use all of the magical powers I have to determine whether there is sorcery behind this organization."

"What the h.e.l.ls do they think Thak is? A wisp of sewer gas?"

"I'm not sure they believe Thak even exists." "What was your response, sir?" Kutulu said. I could see how angry he was, and how hard he was trying to hold it back. "Like you, I lost my temper. I'm afraid I shouted at this point that we don't need sorcery, we need order.

"Again, I was told that the wardens could handle the matter. "After all, Nicians will instinctively obey the law. There is no cause for panic." Tenedos shook his head sorrowfully. "Now you see why I'm not at all convinced reporting the small matter of a country-wide conspiracy bankrolled by one of their own subrulers would matter a beggar's fart?" "So what dowe do?" I asked.

Tenedos started to say something flippant, then turned serious. "First, we must guard ourselves carefully, and ensure we aren't the next victims of the Tovieti. If Thak knows of us, and of course he does, then he'll communicate that knowledge to the Tovieti leaders.

"I'd a.s.sume that means we'll be at the top of their murder list.

"Second, try to ensure that anyone either of you holds close finds a place of safety. I'm not sure what that might be, but suggest somewhere beyond the city, perhaps even outside Dara."

f, "I've no such person," Kutulu said, and there wasn't even a touch of regret in his voice.

I was wondering how I'd tell Maran, and how she would convince her husband.

"The final thing I'd suggest is keep a war bag packed and your weapons handy. Be ready for anything.

Anything at all."

Tenedos got up and went to the sideboard and unstoppered a brandy decanter. Then he looked out the window at the lightening sky.

"No. I'm afraid that's another weakness to be set aside until better times," and he restoppered the container.

"That's all, gentlemen." We got up to go.

"Thank you," Tenedos said. "You've not only proven yourselves worthy servants of mine, but Numantians of the most n.o.ble sort."

His words meant more than a medal.

Bugles were sounding the troops awake as I rode into the cantonment. I shouted down a lance, threw Lucan's reins to him, and told him to take my horse to the stables and feed and water him.

I ran for my quarters, and hastily changed into uniform in time to be at the head of my troop for the reveille formation.

After roll was taken, the day's orders given out by Captain Lardier, and Domina Lehar had taken the salute and dismissed us for breakfast, the adjutant called my name. I marched up, and saluted him. He handed me a small envelope.

"This was delivered late last night to the officer of the watch, with a request it be given to you personally. Since you weren't to be found in the cantonment, he gave it to me when I relieved him this morning."

I saluted him once more and walked off.

Inside the envelope was a second one, this one with my name on it. The handwriting was Maran's.

Inside that, a brief note: * My dearest I wish I could tell you this in person, for it might give me a chance to hold you and to feel you in me. But my husband came to me only this noon, and told me that due to the present unsettlements, he feels it best if we leave Nicias until the situation clears.

We will be sailing aboard his yacht this morning, before dawn. He told me we 'II be cruising in the Outer Islands and off the Seer's home island of Palmeras for at least a month, most likely longer.

I am so sorry, and wish that you could take me in your arms and make me stop crying. But I shall be brave, and think of you every minute of every hour.

O My Damastes, you cannot know how much I love you and want to be with you, even though the times am dangerous. Be good, be well, and dream of me as I shall dream of you.

I love you MaranMaran would not have been pleased; the first feeling that came was overwhelming relief. She was out of the line of fire. Yes, I'd dream of her, and yes I'd think of her, when duty did not demand full attention. But I'd have few spare minutes in the near future.

I changed into fatigue uniform, went to the stables, and was currying Lucan when the gong clanged alarm across the parade ground. Like everyone else, I dropped what I was doing, as the emergency alert sent me, and everyone else in the Helms, scurrying for our battle gear.

The standby troop should have been formed up and ready to ride out in ten minutes, the rest of the regiment in an hour.

I was ready in that time, as was Lance Karjan, but we were two of a handful.

I heard shouts, curses, and saw confusion as men went here, there, and everywhere looking for their fighting gear, which should have been instantly at hand but instead was "turned in to Supply for fixing," "loaned to a Mend a mine, I think," "I dunno, sir," "Guess it don't fit right," "th"

straps broke an' th' saddler never give it back t' me," "I was never issued that item, sir." Battle garb had been ignored for polished leather and shiny bra.s.s.

It was two and a half hours before the Golden Helms of Nicias were in formation.

Perhaps if we'd ridden out when we should have the catastrophe wouldn't have happened. But I doubt it.

There'd been a brawl in Chicherin, one of the city's poorer districts, that began when three shops on a single street simultaneously doubled their price for flour. As it turned out, the three shop owners had formed a syndicate to prevent compet.i.tion. There'd been an argument with some outraged customers that became pushing and shoving, and then blows were exchanged.

Someone pulled a knife and there was a body in the street. Moments later, rocks pelted one of the shop owners and he, too, went down. His shop was looted, and the mob had the scent.

They milled about, then decided to punish the other two shops as well. In one the owner fought back with a spear and was killed, but both stores were ripped apart.

The lunacy spread to other streets and other stores that hadn't the slightest involvement, until half the district was a raging madhouse.

At that point someone in authority panicked and sent for the army.

This was not the proper response. Squads of wardens should have moved into the district, isolated the ringleaders, and arrested them. If that couldn't have been done, solid walls of law officers should have gone down the streets and by a combination of fear and brute force the mob would have been quelled in this early stage.

Instead the wardens in the area were dispatched in ones and twos. A few of them were attacked, others fled, and the mob had control.

The army should have been used only to seal Chicherin off, and wardens used to calm the district.

Armed soldiers in the streets signify to everyone, pa.s.sersby as well as madmen, that order has broken down and the state itself feels threatened.

But someone overreacted at some headquarters. Whether this was deliberate or not, I do not know.

Later it was claimed the Tovieti were responsible for the events, which I doubt, but if there were any of the stranglers involved I would believe it to be that unknown official.

Also, the Golden Helms should not have been the unit called out, for several reasons. Its incompetence at soldiering can be ignored, since no one was aware of that until far too late. But cavalry should not be sent into crowded streets against ma.s.sed civilians. Not only can panic erupt, and cause more deaths than the worst riot, but it's entirely too easy to maim a horse or pull a rider out of his saddle. Foot soldiers should have been used instead, or else added as reinforcement to our hors.e.m.e.n, but that did not happen.

Instead, C Troop, under the command of Captain Abercorn, was sent in. They weren't even given proper weapons, but rode in with lances held high and their sabers sheathed. The point column was led by Legate Nexo.

They rode into a square filled with shouting Nicians. About half the civilians were drunk on wine, the other on the rage they not incorrectly felt about the mismanagement of politicians. The mob slowly formed an idea: They wanted to meet with someone from the Nician Council, to meet immediately, and air their grievances. They were hungry, they were dest.i.tute, their children were in rags, and it was time the city helped them. All of their plaints were certainly true.

The square had only three entrances. One of them had been barricaded by the mob against the wardens, the second was very narrow, and Legate Nexo's column blocked the last.

The highest-ranking survivor, a very junior lance-major, said Captain Abercorn had been working his way to the head of the column when Legate Nexo took it upon himself to pro-

claim that the gathering was illegal, forbidden by the Rule of Ten, and the people in the square were ordered to disperse immediately or face the wrath of the Golden Helms. Why Captain Abercorn wasn't at the front of his troop, and why the legate, even though he was the next-highest-ranking officer, chose to usurp authority, is unknown. I believe that Nexo, an arrogant and foolish man from a very wealthy family, was appalled that working swine-peasants-would dare demand anything from their superiors, and should have fallen on their knees or at least stood respectfully out of the way when the famous Golden Helms appeared.

Suddenly the front ranks of the mob wanted to get out of the way of the solid line of cavalry, and a shouting struggle began. But there were other, braver men in the throng, and rocks and filth pelted the soldiery.

That was enough for Legate Nexo. He ordered lances lowered and the Helms to attack at the walk.