Forging the Darksword - Margaret Weis [119]
“Why not indeed,” Blachloch repeated. “You are of little use to me now, though you may be when you are older. Whether you grow older will depend upon you and those who take an interest in you.”
“What do you mean, ‘those who take an interest in me’?” Joram glanced at him.
“The catalyst.”
Joram shrugged.
“He is here for you. Why?”
“Because I am a murderer—”
“No,” Blachloch said softly. “Enforcers hunt murderers, not catalysts. Why? What is he here for?”
“I have no idea,” Joram replied impatiently. “Ask him … or ask Simkin.”
Blachloch’s eyes stared searchingly into Joram’s. The warlock began speaking words of magic. He saw the brown eyes glaze, the lids droop. Moving his hand up to touch Joram’s face, the warlock raised an eyebrow. “You are telling the truth. You don’t know, do you, young man. What’s more, you don’t believe Simkin. I’m not certain I do either, and yet—How can I risk it? What is Simkin’s game?”
Irritably, the warlock dropped his hand.
Feeling as though he had awakened from a disturbed and fitful sleep, Joram blinked and glanced quickly around the forge. He was alone.
10
The Spy
“Bishop Vanya has retired to his private chambers for the evening,” was the message the Deacon who acted as secretary gave to all who asked to see His Holiness.
These were not many; everyone living in the Font, and a good majority of those who did not, being very familiar with the Bishop’s habits. He retired to his chambers to have the evening meal in private or with those few fortunate enough to be invited as guests. While in his chambers, he was not to be disturbed for anything short of the assassination of any of the Emperors. (Death of the Emperors by natural causes could wait until morning.) Duuk-tsarith stood outside the Bishop’s chambers, their sole task to make certain that His Holiness remained undisturbed.
There were several reasons for this well-guarded privacy, reasons both public and private. Publicly it was known all over Thimhallan that Bishop Vanya was something of a gourmand and refused to allow any sort of unpleasantness to interrupt his dinner. Guests at his table were carefully selected to provide interesting and noncontroversial dinnertime conversation, which was viewed as important to the digestion.
Publicly it was known that Bishop Vanya worked extremely hard during the day, devoting himself completely to matters of the Church (and state). Rising before the sun, he rarely left his office until it had set. After such a rigorous day, it was important to his health to have these hours of unbroken rest and relaxation in the evening.
Publicly it was known that the Bishop used these quiet hours in meditation and discussion with the Almin.
These were the public reasons. The real reason, of course, was a private one, known only to the Bishop. Vanya used these quiet hours for discussion—but not with the Almin. Those to whom he talked were of a more worldly nature ….
There had been guests to dinner this autumn night, but they had left early, the Bishop indicating that he felt unusually tired that evening. After the guests had gone, however, Vanya did not proceed to his bedchambers as might have been expected. Instead, moving with a swiftness and an alacrity that accorded ill with pleas of exhaustion, the Bishop removed the spell that sealed off a small, private chapel, and opened the door.
A beautiful and peaceful place, the chapel was built along ancient lines and traditions. Its dark interior was illuminated by stained glass windows conjured up many centuries ago by the most skilled of artisans whose speciality lay in glass shaping. Benches of rosewood stood before an altar of crystal, also centuries old, decorated with the symbols of the Nine Mysteries.
Here Vanya performed the Ritual of Dawn, the Evening Prayers, and sought guidance and counsel of the Almin—something he did infrequently, if at all, it being Bishop Vanya’s private opinion that it was the Almin who could use the guidance and counseling of his minister, not the other way around.
Vanya entered the chapel, which was illuminated