At the Gates of Darkness Part 27

Pug nodded, looking around the room. Only Kaspar was missing, having returned with his soldiers to his responsibilities in Muboya. Brandos was sitting next to Sandreena, and for most of the day had complained about missing the fight, much to Amirantha's amus.e.m.e.nt.

They had all returned a few hours before sunrise, and had bathed and rested before enjoying this late breakfast, or very late supper, depending on one's perspective.

Jim asked, 'What was really going on down there, Pug? I know what I saw, both of the times I visited, but what did Ireally see?' see?'

Pug looked around the room and said, 'One way or another you're all members of the Conclave, even if you don't consider yourselves as such; you've all shown a steadfastness in defending this world beyond the duty you owe to any crown or faith,' he looked at Sandreena as he said the last. 'You deserve to know what I know.

'For over a century, I have been confronted by a dark agency. I have had suspicions as who the manipulator is, but twice now I've had to rethink my a.s.sumptions.' To Amirantha he said, 'That your brothers were servants of the same agency is, I think, a coincidence.'

Amirantha nodded. Putting down his wine he said, 'It must be. They would never knowingly work together; they were as anxious to kill each other as they were to kill me. Sidi was driven, and quite mad, and Belasco was...less so, but certainly not sane.'

'Which tells me that this evil agency you speak of, Father,' said Magnus, 'draws to it those inclined towards madness.'

'Because you can't cheat an honest man,' said Jim Dasher.

'What?' asked Gulamendis.

'It's an old saying among confidence tricksters. To inspire confidence in a mark you need two things: they must be greedy and must think they have an edge over you.' He sipped his wine, then continued. 'Your two brothers were conned, Amirantha. Whoever they worked for lulled them into thinking they were getting something more than they were giving up in service, that somehow they had the advantage.'

Amirantha nodded. 'Anything that appealed to Sidi's need to h.o.a.rd power, or to Belasco's vanity, yes, that would work.'

Pug said, 'However this agency recruits its servants, it has many, and they come at us when they think they are strong enough to win.'

'So you think they'll come again?' asked Sandreena.

'Almost certainly,' said Pug. Then he smiled. 'But we will be ready. We have strong resources, as you have seen; our members and allies hold high office.'

'Creegan?' asked Sandreena.

'He is in the Conclave. I recruited him when he was a young Knight-Adamant. Now he's Grand Master of the Order. We have closer ties with your temple than any other, though we have a good relationship with some others.'

Sandreena said, 'I a.s.sumed as much.' She took a drink from a mug of tea, then said, 'I'm not sure about this Mother-Bishop role, though.'

'Oh, that,' said Pug, smiling. 'It was only temporary. I think Creegan failed to mention that to you.'

Sandreena was caught between outrage and relief. 'Yes, he did. Who will he choose in my stead, and why?'

'Who is Brother Willoby, a loyal member of the Conclave and an adept administrator. You are too good at what you do to be trapped in an office all day. As to why, Creegan had no idea how much a.s.sistance you might require from the temple before we were done. A Knight-Sergeant would command some authority, but the t.i.tle of Mother-Bishop would get you anything you asked for.'

Sandreena considered this for a moment, then laughed. 'Sneaky b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, all of you.'

'We need to be,' said Pug. Returning to Jim's question, he said, 'I don't know exactly what we witnessed. He looked from Gulamendis to Amirantha and said, 'Have you given it any consideration?'

Gulamendis said, 'We have. This was so unlike what we know about demon behaviour, we must stop using old a.s.sumptions and build a theory based only on what we saw.'

Amirantha said, 'We know there's civil war in the Fifth Circle that has raged for centuries, and as far as we can tell, it has spilled over into our world for the first time. But that doesn't mean it won't happen again.'

Gulamendis said, 'I doubt that's the last we've seen of the demons, but perhaps we won't have to confront them as we did on the taredhel worlds.

'While it probably didn't seem like it at the time, what we saw down in Kesh was nothing compared to the onslaughts my people endured.'

'So then, why was Dahun trying to sneak into this world with a smaller force?' asked Jim. 'Or rather, why commit magic, murder, and mayhem on that scale? Why not just take over Belasco when no one is looking, or arrive like a normal demon and rip things apart.'

'That's the heart of the mystery,' said Gulamendis.

'I have a theory,' said Amirantha.

'Let's hear it,' said Jim, sitting back in his chair. His beard was starting to grow and Sandreena had no doubt that by the time he walked the streets of Krondor the next day, he would be his disreputable looking self again. One day, she might forgive him, for the part he played in the most painful period of her life, but she'd never forget his hand in it.

Amirantha said, 'Dahun was fleeing. He came here to hide.'

Pug and Magnus exchanged glances, and Gulamendis said, 'That would explain a great deal.'

'Hide from what?' asked Brandos. 'I've faced enough demons in my day to know they're hardly timid.'

'That I don't know,' admitted Amirantha.

'Perhaps those other demon kings?' suggested Laromendis.

'Perhaps,' said Pug, 'but I doubt it.

'There's something else behind all of this, a deeper cause of all the troubles that have visited this world since before any of us were born.' He let out a long sigh. 'It will eventually make itself known, but until it does, we can only pride ourselves on this victory and wonder how long we have to enjoy the newly won peace before we must prepare for the next attack.'

'You're certain there will be one?' asked Sandreena.

'As certain as I am of anything,' said Pug.

The conversation ceased leaving them in silence.

Acknowledgements

As always, I am indebted to those who created Midkemia and allowed me to use it. Without their creativity the world of Midkemia would be far less vivid. So, Steve A, Jon, Anita, Conan, Steve B, Bob, Rich, April, Ethan, and everyone else who con tributed, my continued thanks.

Thanks to two people who always give support and friendship, Richard Spahl and Ray McKnown. And thanks to Kim McKnown for battling through and keeping me smiling every time I see her.

I also, once again, thank Jonathan Matson for far more than wise counsel and his business ac.u.men, but for an abiding friendship which I cherish.

Thanks to my mother, still, for being there.

Special thanks to a remarkable lady, Theresa Duchinsky, for being so wonderful.

Lastly, and most deeply, to my children for their love and beauty; they still drive me crazy while keeping me sane and I am loving the adults they're turning into before my eyes.