Wed descend on the kingdom in full battle array, the abbot declared, forgetting that his choice of words clearly confirmed Sparhawks suspicions about the nature of his order.
And that would effectively remove the militant orders from the debate over the election in Chyrellos, wouldnt it?
Sephrenia looked at Sparhawk speculatively. What kind of man is this Elius?
Hes a petty time-server with little intelligence and less imagination.
He doesnt sound very impressive.
He isnt.
Then someone else would have to be giving him instructions, wouldnt they?
Precisely. Sparhawk turned once more to the abbot. My Lord, he said, do you have any way to get messages to Preceptor Abriel at your motherhouse in Larium? Messages that cant be intercepted?
The abbot gave him a frosty stare.
We agreed to be frank with each other, my Lord, Sparhawk reminded him. Im not trying to embarrass you, but this is a matter of the greatest urgency.
All right, Sparhawk, the abbot replied a bit stiffly. Yes, I can get a message to Lord Abriel.
Good. Sephrenia knows all the details and she can fill you in. Kurik and I have something to attend to.
Just what are you planning? the abbot demanded.
Im going to pay a call on Elius. He knows whats been going on, and I think I can persuade him to share the information. We need confirmation of all this before you send the message to Larium.
Its too dangerous.
Not as dangerous as having Annias in the Archprelacy, is it? Sparhawk considered it. Do you happen to have a secure cell someplace? he asked.
We have a penitents cell down in the cellar. The door can be locked, I suppose.
Good. I think well bring Elius back here to question him. Then you can lock him up. I cant let him go, once he knows Im here, and Sephrenia disapproves of random murders. If he just disappears, therell be some uncertainty about what happened to him.
Wont he make an outcry when you take him captive?
Not very likely, my Lord, Kurik assured him, drawing his heavy dagger. He slapped the hilt solidly against his palm. I can practically guarantee that hell be asleep.
The streets were quiet. The overcast which had obscured the sky that afternoon had cleared, and the stars were very bright overhead.
No moon, Kurik said quietly as he and Sparhawk crept through the deserted streets. Thats a help.
Its been rising late the past three nights, Sparhawk said.
How late?
Weve got a couple more hours.
Can we make it back to the monastery by then?
We have to. Sparhawk stopped just before they reached an intersection and peered around the corner of a house. A man wearing a short cape and carrying a spear and a small lantern was shuffling sleepily along the street. Watchman, Sparhawk breathed, and he and Kurik stepped into the shadows of a deeply recessed doorway.
The watchman plodded on past, the lantern swinging from his hand casting looming shadows against the walls of the buildings.
He should be more alert, Kurik growled disapprovingly.
Under the circumstances your sense of whats proper might be a little misplaced.
Right is right, Sparhawk, Kurik replied stubbornly.
After the watchman was out of sight, they crept on up the street.
Are we just going to walk up to the gate of the consulate? Kurik asked.
No. When we get close to it, well go in over the roof tops.
Im not a cat, Sparhawk. Leaping from roof to roof isnt my idea of entertainment.
The houses are all built up against each other in that part of town. The roof tops are just like a highway.
Oh, Kurik grunted. Thats different then.
The consulate of the Kingdom of Elenia was a fairly large building surrounded by a high, white-mortared wall. There were torches set on long poles at each corner, and a narrow lane running alongside the wall.
Does that lane run all the way around it? Kurik asked.
It did the last time I was here.
Theres a significant hole in your plan then, Sparhawk. I cant jump all the way from one of these roof tops to the top of that wall.
I dont think I could either. Sparhawk frowned. Lets go around and look at the other side.
They crept through a series of narrow streets and alleys that wound along the back sides of the houses facing the consulate wall. A dog came out and barked at them until Kurik shied a rock at him. The dog yelped and ran off on three legs.
Now I know how a burglar feels, Kurik muttered.
There, Sparhawk said.
There where?
Right over there. Some helpful fellow is doing some repairs on his roof. See that pile of beams stacked up against the side of that wall? Lets go see how long they are.
They crossed the alley to the stack of building material. Kurik studiously measured the beams off with his feet. Marginal, he observed.
Well never know until we try, Sparhawk told him.
All right. How do we get up to the roof?
Well lean the beams against the wall. If we slant them up right, we should be able to scramble up and then pull them after us.
Im glad you dont have to construct your own siege engines, Sparhawk, Kurik observed sourly. All right. Lets try it.
They leaned several beams against the wall, and Kurik, grunting and sweating, hauled himself up to the roof. All right, he whispered down over the edge, come on up.
Sparhawk climbed up the beam, picking up a large splinter in his hand in the process. Then he and Kurik laboriously hauled the beams up after them and carried them one by one across the roof to the side facing the consulate wall. The flickering torches atop the wall cast a faint glow across the roof tops. As they were carrying the last beam, Kurik stopped suddenly. Sparhawk, he called softly.
What?
Two roofs over. Theres a woman lying there.
How do you know its a woman?
Because shes stark naked, thats how.
Oh, Sparhawk said, that. Its a Rendorish custom. Shes waiting for the moon to rise. They have a superstition here that the first rays of the moon on a womans belly increase her fertility.
Wont she see us?
She wont say anything if she does. Shes too busy waiting for the moon. Press on, Kurik. Dont stand there gawking at her.
They struggled manfully to push a beam out over the narrow lane, a task made more difficult by the fact that their leverage diminished as they shoved the beam out farther and farther. Finally the stubborn beam clunked down on top of the consulate wall. They slid several more beams across along its top, then rolled them to one side to form a narrow bridge. As they were shoving the last one across, Kurik suddenly stopped with a muttered oath.
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