"Effortlessly."

"Then, sir, the reports are true, and you are master of the greatest weapon the world has ever known."

"His Majesty Miltzin is master of all within Waterwitch," Nevenskoi murmured demurely.

"To be sure. Sire," Zelkiv commenced, "you realize that you hold the fate of all the world in your hand. My homeland of Rhazaulle stands in mortal peril. The Grewzian invaders lay waste to our land, our cities, and our lives. Their advance is inexorable, our defeat all but certain, unless Your Majesty prove the author of our salvation. Sire, I beseech your a.s.sistance. It cannot be an accident that Masterfire's creator is Rhazaullean. Send my compatriot Nevenskoi back home with his discovery, allow him to employ his remarkable abilities in the service of his country."

"It would seem, Landholder," King Miltzin observed with some distaste, "that you regard my Masterfire as an advanced but essentially conventional weapon of modern warfare."

"The phenomenon is anything but conventional, Majesty. It is in fact so remarkable that I-"

"You speak of loosing my Masterfire upon the Grewzian army. You speak of war and destruction. Understand clearly that this discovery-this delight, this boon to mankind-shall never be perverted to such ends. The bare suggestion offends me. We will speak of it no more."

The king's face and voice were cold as arctic midnight, but the n.o.ble landholder persevered, "Sire, you speak of this discovery as a boon to mankind, and so it may prove, according to Your Majesty's will. The Grewzian barbarians threaten to enslave the world, and in halting their depredation Masterfire surely serves all humanity."

"Wage war to serve humanity? Bah, there's warped logic for you. You have failed to comprehend our wishes, Landholder, and you presume too greatly upon our indulgence. The discussion is concluded. You may withdraw from our presence."

Zelkiv, remarkably, refused to be dismissed. Desperation must have inspired boldness, for he persisted, "Your Majesty must hear me. Sire, you shall shall hear me. For months now the rumors of an extraordinary arcane weapon capable of changing the course of the war have tantalized my ruler and his ministers. Few among us lent credence to such tales, but the nature of our plight obliged us to investigate all possibilities, and thus at last my master dispatched me to the Low Hetz. This afternoon's demonstration confirms the truth of the rumors. The weapon exists. It is all that we had heard, and more. This Masterfire discovered by a Rhazaullean will save Rhazaulle. It will-" hear me. For months now the rumors of an extraordinary arcane weapon capable of changing the course of the war have tantalized my ruler and his ministers. Few among us lent credence to such tales, but the nature of our plight obliged us to investigate all possibilities, and thus at last my master dispatched me to the Low Hetz. This afternoon's demonstration confirms the truth of the rumors. The weapon exists. It is all that we had heard, and more. This Masterfire discovered by a Rhazaullean will save Rhazaulle. It will-"

"Stop there." Miltzin IX folded his arms. "As I recall, your letter of introduction represented you as a private citizen-a master architect, builder, and city planner, here to observe Hetzian methods of construction."

"So I am, Sire. Yet I also serve as my sovereign's unofficial emissary-"

"You would not have secured an audience, had that been known." The king seemed almost amazed at the depth of the visitor's perfidy.

"Authorized to speak and act on the Rhazaullean ulor's behalf," Zelkiv continued. "Empowered to secure temporary use of the Sentient Fire, upon such terms as Your Majesty deems acceptable and appropriate-"

"Enough. I will hear no more. Your offers are unacceptable, and your behavior inappropriate. You have abused my hospitality, Landholder, and I must require you to depart my house at once."

"Your Majesty, in the name of justice, I ask but a quarter of an hour to state my case."

"Your case is lost, your time is up, and my patience is exhausted. Leave me," the king commanded.

"Nevenskoi, you are my countryman. a.s.sist me," Zelkiv attempted. Hetzian vocabulary failed him, and he lapsed into impa.s.sioned Rhazaullean.

Nevenskoi's mask of polite regret hid incomprehension. Presently Miltzin IX tugged a bellpull to summon a brace of liveried attendants, who escorted the n.o.ble landholder from the study. The flood of emphatic Rhazaullean ceased.

"Well." Mad Miltzin exuded virtuous indignation. "What an unexpected unpleasantness. What was the fellow saying to you just now, when he switched over to his northern lingo?"

"Just now? Oh-he was urging me to return to Rhazaulle with him, Sire," Nevenskoi improvised. "He promised rich reward from the ulor for the use of Masterfire."

"Did he indeed? Before my very face, too! There's insolence!"

"It is of no consequence, Majesty. You will note I did not trouble to reply."

"Quite right. Good fellow! I mean to deport that countryman of yours, though. Don't try to dissuade me."

"I would not so presume, Sire."

"He's lucky I don't order him thrashed. The impudence of that northerner! The hypocrisy, the deceit! He deliberately misrepresented himself to me. In fact, he fed me a plateful of lies, and I cannot forgive that. If there's one thing I can't abide in those around me-and I'm sure you sympathize with me on this, Nevenskoi-if there's one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate, it's dishonesty!"

"BETTER HURRY," Girays v'Alisante advised.

"I'm trying to aim." Luzelle squinted along the barrel of the Khrennisov FK6. She held the pistol high, gripped firmly in both hands, as Girays had taught her.

"Try harder. You haven't much time."

"I know. Don't distract me, you're just making me nervous."

"I don't want to make you nervous, but any second now-"

"I know!" Luzelle set her jaw, adjusted her aim infinitesimally, held her breath, and- Luzelle set her jaw, adjusted her aim infinitesimally, held her breath, and- The schooner-rigged paddle-and-screw steamship Revenant Revenant pitched, and the empty bottle set up as her target toppled from its precarious perch on the deck railing to hit the blue waters of the Jeweled Expanse. pitched, and the empty bottle set up as her target toppled from its precarious perch on the deck railing to hit the blue waters of the Jeweled Expanse.

She had been too slow again. Now he would lecture her, make her feel childish and stupid- But he didn't.

"Try again." Drawing another empty bottle from his seemingly inexhaustible collection, Girays balanced the new target on the railing. "In light of the impossible circ.u.mstances your progress is good."

Praise from M. the Marquis? Extraordinary. She threw him a surprised glance, then refocused on her task. Taking quick aim, she squeezed the trigger, and the shot sped out over the water. An instant later the Revenant Revenant rocked, and the untouched bottle tumbled overboard. rocked, and the untouched bottle tumbled overboard.

"Ruination." Luzelle frowned. "I don't seem to show much talent."

"Difficult to judge, in such a place as this," Girays told her. "In any event, natural ability counts for less than persistence. Work faithfully, and you're certain to improve."

"You really think so?"

"You've mastered the essentials. Now it's simply a matter of practice, preferably conducted on solid ground."

"I'll practice until I get it right."

"And when you do get it right-practice some more."

"I promise. Girays-" She hesitated. "I want to thank you for all your help. You've spent hours instructing and encouraging me, even though you disapprove of the whole endeavor. That's above and beyond."

"Praise from Miss Devaire? Extraordinary. But you already know my reasons. I only hope you'll never need to make practical use of your new accomplishment."

"I've already needed it, and I'm not talking about the exchange with Bav Tchornoi." In answer to his look of inquiry she continued, "I've never told you why I wanted to buy a gun in the first place."

"You're not obliged to explain yourself to me. You've made that abundantly clear."

"But I want to tell you." Concisely she described the incident in Glozh-the Grewzian soldiers on the station platform, their hands on her in broad daylight, the indifference of a.s.sorted witnesses. Ordinarily reluctant to confess weakness, she now acknowledged the terror, outrage, and the nightmare sense of helplessness filling her that day, and saw Girays's face change as he listened.

"And so there's no doubt at all what would have happened if Karsler Stornzof hadn't intervened," Luzelle summed up in conclusion. "There was nothing I could do to save myself, to escape or to fight back effectively-nothing at all. It was the most hideous sensation imaginable, and I promised I'd never let it happen to me again. I needed a weapon for self-defense, and a handgun was the best choice. You can see that, can't you?"

"Six years ago I would have answered that a beautiful woman need hardly concern herself with self-defense, as she will never lack for devoted protectors, and you would have flown into a righteous rage. But then, six years ago the question wouldn't have arisen at all, because you wouldn't have deigned to justify yourself. Why do so now?"

"I suppose because I wanted you to know and believe that I haven't been indulging some idle whim."

"I don't flatter myself with the delusion that you attach much importance to my beliefs or opinions."

"Because I'm not wholly ruled by them?"

"Because you consistently ignore them."

"What an absurd exaggeration. What about the time I was thinking of buying stock in Dr. Hoonachio's Universal Panacea, Inc.? You managed to talk me out of it."

"Only because you wanted someone to talk you out of it. What about the Stubi-Grosslinger Cash Pyramid? I wasn't able to talk you out of that one, and you haven't forgotten the result."

"That was nearly seven years ago! I was a child."

"That was only one of the countless incidents. What about the excursion to v'Availleur Falls? I pleaded with you not to go, you ignored me, and that one was almost fatal."

"Well, what would you expect, when you were so overbearing about it? You spoke to me as if I were a naughty infant. If only you'd tried treating me as an intelligent adult-"

"You just finished telling me that you were a child, back then. Or did I misunderstand you?"

"I meant I was inexperienced-not stupid!"

"No one ever dreamed of calling you stupid." Without awaiting reply Girays continued, "I haven't forgotten the Mystery Valise, the Fabeque Venture, or the Green Committee, and those are only a few. Each time I ventured to voice an objection, your determination only increased. At times you seemed to take a positive delight in demonstrating your complete contempt for my judgment."

No, only my complete contempt for your authoritarian att.i.tudes. I got enough of that at home from His Honor, and I wasn't about to take any more of it from you. But he had viewed things very differently, she inwardly conceded. Six years later she could see that he had only been trying to protect her, in cla.s.sic formerly-Exalted style. His paternalistic presumption might have invited rebellion, but his intentions had surely been good. She was all grown up now, and she could afford a little tolerance. Swallowing an acid reply, she answered with unwonted mildness, "Well, it was all a long time ago, and not worth quarreling about now. Particularly when the whole conversation began with me trying to thank you." But he had viewed things very differently, she inwardly conceded. Six years later she could see that he had only been trying to protect her, in cla.s.sic formerly-Exalted style. His paternalistic presumption might have invited rebellion, but his intentions had surely been good. She was all grown up now, and she could afford a little tolerance. Swallowing an acid reply, she answered with unwonted mildness, "Well, it was all a long time ago, and not worth quarreling about now. Particularly when the whole conversation began with me trying to thank you."

"So it did. Let's have done with quarrels, then-they're quite pointless now."

She nodded and smiled as if pleased, but found herself oddly saddened by his remark.

"Shall I set up another target?" he asked, with no suggestion of double meaning.

"Not here-the sun's glaring into my eyes. Let's go around to the other side."

He picked up the sack of bottles, she stowed the pistol away in her pocket, and together they set off along the deck. Their conversation was carefully neutral, and when they paused beside the railing to gaze out over the water, speech suspended itself altogether for a time. The Revenant Revenant was pa.s.sing close by Azure Tower, one of the most famous of the area's countless islands. Straight and sheer out of the water rose the celebrated mica-glittering cliffs, tier upon tier of scintillant stone thrusting ambitiously for the heavens. The mica cliffs supported luxuriant crops of the blue sea slime called false-welkin, which in turn fed vast colonies of Blue Aennorvermis, the sapphire worm of the Jeweled Expanse. The worms were out in force today, probably millions of them there gorging on slime, their bodies clothing the island from base to pinnacle in a moistly glistening mantle of blue. was pa.s.sing close by Azure Tower, one of the most famous of the area's countless islands. Straight and sheer out of the water rose the celebrated mica-glittering cliffs, tier upon tier of scintillant stone thrusting ambitiously for the heavens. The mica cliffs supported luxuriant crops of the blue sea slime called false-welkin, which in turn fed vast colonies of Blue Aennorvermis, the sapphire worm of the Jeweled Expanse. The worms were out in force today, probably millions of them there gorging on slime, their bodies clothing the island from base to pinnacle in a moistly glistening mantle of blue.

Luzelle stared, caught despite her revulsion. There was something almost irresistible in the ceaseless undulation of the Aennorvermis. In its own way it was rather beautiful. She could not tear her gaze away, and did not want to. Presently her vision faltered, and the rolling blue sea and the squirming blue island seemed to merge.

Girays's voice broke her trance.

"People have been known to leap overboard and swim for that great pile of bait," he said.

Startled, she turned to find him looking insufferably amused. Her cheeks burned. Without reply she moved away from the railing, and he fell into step beside her. Soon they came upon Bav Tchornoi, sprawled in a deck chair and clutching his flask to his breast.

"So." Tchornoi glowered at her. "Here is the dead shot dead shot, so very accustomed to handling firearms, she brags, who practices every day but cannot hit the side of a barn at five paces."

Lifting her chin, Luzelle swept by in silence.

"I can't wait to get off of this ship and away from that Rhazaullean drunkard," she complained in an undertone, moments later. "He gives me the evil eye every time he sees me. He looks as if he'd like to break me in two."

"He probably would," Girays agreed. "Can you blame him? You pulled a gun on him, as I recall."

"He deserved it."

"Perhaps Master Tchornoi views the matter in a different light."

"Well, wouldn't you have used force to stop him that day, if you'd been armed?"

"How do you know that I wasn't-that I'm not?"

"Oh, you aren't. That wouldn't be your style."

"Still so sure that you know my style, after all these years?"

"That sounds like a challenge."

"Would you like it to be?"

"I'm up to any challenge you could possibly offer, M. v'Alisante."

"Such confidence. But do you dare put it to the test? You're certain you can read me like a book. Out of the question, in your estimate, that such a conservative, staid, thoroughly predictable character as I would ever dream of carrying a concealed weapon. Absolutely impossible. Well, would you like to place a wager?"

"A wager! I've expressed my opinion, so you wouldn't be offering a wager unless you already knew you'd won. So obviously you must have a gun. Or maybe you don't, but you've taken this approach to make me think that you do. You know I wouldn't believe that the obvious answer could be the right one, and that way you could trick me into guessing wrong. Unless you foresaw that I'd think you're trying to trick me, and-"

"Difficult, isn't it? Not quite so sure of me as you thought?"

"Bah, I'm not about to let you tie my mind into sailor knots. You're bluffing, Girays."

"I am?"

"Yes you are, but you're quite transparent."

"Call my bluff, then. Place a wager."

"Fine! How much?"

"Let's make it entertaining. Ten thousand New-rekkoes-"

"What?"

"Or else an honest answer to the question of my choice."

"What question?"

"Whatever I wish to ask. You hesitate. Afraid?"

"Not at all. But what of M. the Marquis? Should I win, there'll be no piddling questions-I'll want those ten thousand New-rekkoes, preferably in bills of moderate denomination. Ready to pay up?"

"Upon legitimate demand."

"Very well. The wager is in place. I say you are unarmed. If I'm wrong, prove it now."

At once he reached into his coat pocket to bring forth a pistol almost indistinguishable from her own.