Part 26 (1/2)
Else sat quietly. He waited.
”But from now on you're going to be an agent of the Grail Empire, too. It shouldn't be long before the Emperor releases Princ.i.p.ate Doneto. It looks like the Patriarch will give up trying to wait us out. Things aren't going well for him. He needs Doneto's support in the Collegium.
”I understand that the Princ.i.p.ate plans to keep all of you as part of his lifeguard. With you near him the Emperor could have someone close to one of the men closest to the Patriarch.”
Else said nothing.
”Well?”
”And if I decline?”
”Then you'll never leave the Dimmel Palace. You'll never do your Dreangerean masters a lick of good.”
Else grunted, unsurprised.
”So you won't forget us as soon as you get out of here, we'll have you sign a contract. We'll give it to the Princ.i.p.ate if you fail us.”
Else grunted again. ”Tell me about the pay. I won't do it just because you twist my arm.”
”You want to get out of here?”
”I told you I'd be your foreigner so I can get out. Once I'm out, I need to make a living.”
”The Princ.i.p.ate will be ...”
”He'll pay me for working for him. There has to be balance. The workman must be given his due.” Was he being too clever? Although common to most religions, that notion was a p.r.o.nounced favorite of the Maysalean Heresy.
Osa Stile said, ”Don't be such a d.a.m.ned skinflint, Renfrow. It isn't your money.”
They argued. Was that for show? Was Osa Stile diverting Renfrow from thoughts of Dreanger, Gordimer, and the Sha-lug?
Had he been able, Else would have slipped away. He muttered, ”Being a prisoner does limit one's choices.”
Ferris Renfrow turned to Else. ”Tage. I'm finished with you. For now. You know where we stand. I'll see you again. Be prepared to sign on with the Grail Emperor. You'll be paid well.” Renfrow rang a bell.
ELSE MADE SURE NO ONE COULD EAVESDROP. HE TOLD Princ.i.p.ate Doneto, ”They're trying to force me to spy for them against you and the Church.”
”Tell me.”
Else left out little but Renfrow's insistence that he be Else Tage.
”Here's what we'll do. You go ahead and agree. I'll get you a job outside my own household. Cooperate. Build their trust. And someday we'll use that.”
”Of course.” That was his own plan. Better to let Doneto verbalize it, though. Part of that development of trust thing.
Doneto said, ”Go tell tales. I'm sure the others have had offers from that devil Renfrow, too. And service to the Emperor would be attractive to a certain sort.”
”Renfrow?” Else asked.
”Ferris Renfrow is the man trying to enlist you. He's one of Johannes's favorites. Baseborn but one of the most powerful men in the Grail Empire despite that.”
Else joined Pinkus Ghort, Just Plain Joe, and Bo Biogna. They were working on a cheese and a salami and did not have much mouth to spare. Biogna did ask, ”You feeling better now, Piper”
”Some. I don't think they drugged me this time. I'm hungry. Give me some of that cheese.” In the nature of things, the salami would be mostly pork. ”And give me one of those sausages you're trying to hide, Pinkus.” That would be pork, too. But it would be juicy and tasty and about the only thing he would miss when this captivity came to an end.
Scowling, Ghort asked, ”What was all that with the Princ.i.p.ate?”
”I was holding him up. The Imperials want to recruit me for a campaign to establish the Emperor's rights in cities that are supposed to belong to him. Bo. Joe. Did you guys tell them something to make me look good? They seem to think they can trust me with my own battalion.”
”s.h.i.+t.” Ghort did not sound happy. ”And I was thinking about giving you another sausage.”
”What?”
”I'm jealous. They didn't offer me nothing that good. And I did every bit as good a job as you did.”
”Better. I've only got three of my guys still in one piece. And the only one of them worth two dead flies is a mule.”
”But a real special mule,” Bo Biogna said.
”Hey!” Joe growled. ”Don't go making fun.”
Ghort said, ”Calm down, Joe. We all know that Pig Iron is the best man.”
Else asked, ”So what did they want from you, Pinkus?” He wondered if Ghort would tell the same story twice.
”Mainly, to stick with the Princ.i.p.ate and report back what the Church is up to. Same thing they probably asked everybody to do.”
”They didn't ask me,” Joe said. ”They never asked me much of anything, neither time.”
”Me, neither,” Biogna grumbled. ”Story of my life. I'd a done it. Double pay. An' I got no use for neither side, so let me get f.u.c.kin' rich sellin' them both out to each other.”
Else told him, ”They probably realized that, Bo. You were probably too eager.”
”Yeah. I ain't so bright sometimes.”
During the day all of the captives enjoyed a few minutes with the inquisitors. Six of the first twelve men to go did not return. Imperial people came for their possessions. As always, those refused to talk.
”Something's going on,” Ghort declared, compelled to state the obvious.
Else grunted. ”And they haven't pulled in you, me, Bo, Joe, or the Princ.i.p.ate yet.”
”Don't forget Pig Iron.”
”I haven't. But they have. You notice, they never question him.”
”We ought to complain.”
”You go first.”
Just Plain Joe was the next soldier taken. He wad back ten minutes later, grinning from ear to ear. ”I done it, Pipe. I guv 'em nine kinds a h.e.l.l on account of they don't respect Pig Iron the way they do the rest of the troops.”