Part 41 (1/2)
”The Bruglioni are supposed to have a lot of money.”
”The family is wealthy, yes. But not much of it is in the form of actual money. It's mostly agricultural and mining properties. Sit. I have a proposition.”
Else remained nervous. Divino Bruglioni was a complete unknown.
”You're bright. You're skilled. You take action when it's needed. Paludan let this place go to h.e.l.l. His problem is, he doesn't want to be bothered. And he doesn't know how to manage people. He wasn't taught. And hasn't tried to learn.”
”I understood Freido never thought anyone but Soneral needed teaching.”
”Freido was an older Paludan. My brother wasn't good for the family. He stopped insisting that our brightest youngsters stay here to tend the family fortune. His temper and drunken bad behavior made them all want to leave.”
Else sat quietly, wondering what the Princ.i.p.ate had in mind.
”These are difficult times, Hecht. The malaise afflicting the Bruglioni isn't confined to this family. It afflicts all Brothe. It lies like a fog on the Episcopal world. A crusade might wake us up. But at what cost? The Patriarch is obsessed with making a mark on history. At a time when we have no tools to do the work. And a time when n.o.body wants to get involved in Patriarchal adventures.”
Else nodded. And waited, puzzled.
”Hecht, the whole world seems to be trying to thwart Sublime. These mad Calzirans have distracted him completely from his ambitions in the Connec.”
Else considered offering the opinion that a higher power was vetoing Sublime's machinations.
Divino sighed, caught his breath, continued when Else said nothing. ”Duke Tormond and a mixed delegation, including the queen of Navaya, who is authorized to speak for King Peter, is approaching Brothe. The Duke is offering the Connec's support in punis.h.i.+ng Calzir. Queen Isabeth says Peter would contribute wars.h.i.+ps to the campaign.”
”That's a t.i.t for tat? If the Patriarch leaves the Connec alone the Connec will rescue him from Calzir?”
”It hasn't been said that way, but that's what it amounts to. And Sublime, despite being a prime specimen of Benedocto weasel, can't possibly slime his way around Tormond and Peter this time. Not with the Emperor peeking over everybody's shoulders.”
”Which means he'll never raise the money to finance an overseas adventure?”
”True. You do see past the end of your nose. I like that.”
”Thank you, Your Grace.” Else felt better, suddenly.
”I brought you here so I could get a better look at you. I liked what I heard. And now I like what I see. So. Can I hire you away from my nephew?”
”Your Grace?”
”Not right away. I may be a Prince of the Church but I'm still a Bruglioni. You've only just started whipping this place into shape. I want you to stay after that till Paludan's jealousy, anger, and paranoia crush his good sense and he fires you. Then you come to work for me.”
Else gaped.
”What do you think?”
”I think I'm overawed. I think it's too good to be true. It's the hope of finding opportunity like this that brings men from the corners of the world to Brothe. Of course I'll do it.” Of course he would do it. It was a dream come true. They would sing and dance through the halls of the Palace of the Kings when the news reached al-Qarn. ”What would my duties be?”
”We'll reserve that for now. I a.s.sure you, though that you'll be doing what you're best qualified to do.”
”Oh?” Else did not press. He would tread carefully now. It would not be his fault if this fell through.
”Meanwhile, keep up the good work. Make the Bruglioni strong again.”
”Yes, Your Grace. And what about the current situation, Your Grace?”
”What about it?”
”What's become of the Calziran sorcerers? What became of the blond men? Who are they? They sound like something more than just good fighters.”
”They're what we call soultaken. Meaning they're really only halfway alive. Soultaken are the tools of major supernatural ent.i.ties. Soultaken haven't been seen around here in a millennium. Which makes their behavior more odd. Soultaken are used to commit the highest crimes. Yet these two operate like common thugs.”
”You met them, didn't you?”
”Once.”
”And?”
”The more I know about the Instrumentalities of the Night, the less I want to talk about them. I think we have reason to be afraid. We can't fathom the motives of the ent.i.ties using those two. We can't discover their ident.i.ties. It's probably connected to a strange unrest among the Instrumentalities of the Night that has persisted for months, now.”
”I'm confused.”
”We all are. It makes no sense. Not in any way we can fathom. We being the Collegium. Our allies among the creatures of the Night, that are normally pliable, won't help us. The Realm of Night is unanimous. You jumped. You had a thought?”
”Not really.” It was that Realm of Night remark. Was that an Episcopal Chaldarean concept? ”I suppose time will let you know. When the mood strikes.”
”Of course. We'll find those two. Eventually. But they're of no moment to you. Just do your job here. When the time comes, I'll see you well pleased with your rewards.”
Else did his best to look like a man whose only interest was exactly that. He promised, ”If Paludan doesn't interfere, I can get this place whipped into shape.”
”Paludan isn't as stupid as he seems, Hecht. He knows what he's doing, most of the time. I think he intends to let you run your course. Because that will save him having to do all that work himself. In the dark. Because he never learned how himself.”
Else grunted.
”My brother served his sons poorly. And now Paludan has no sons of his own. Nor a wife who can give him more. And I have none, even off the sheets. I fear for tomorrow.”
”I'm teaching Dugo what I can, Your Grace. But the truth is, that boy isn't fit. And can't be made fit. You Bruglioni need to strain every bone, joint, and muscle to make sure Paludan lives forever. Or finds himself another wife and stays away from Gervase long enough to get an heir or two on her. Dugo could be a disaster big enough to push the family over the brink into extinction. Begging your pardon for stepping out of my place.”
Families had been important in Brothe since antiquity. But the Five Families of today did not include among them even one that had been powerful in Imperial times.
”Perhaps the man who isn't as stupid as he looks will develop wisdom, Hecht. Given time. It can happen. A man confronted with powerful responsibilities, knowing there's no one else to handle them, often does grow up. I've seen it happen.”
Else coughed. ”That's more the case when young people are involved, usually.”
”Oh, my! A sense of humor, too? Perhaps we are blessed.”
That troubled Else. He was not comfortable with the notion that he could be an inimical G.o.d's answer to its wors.h.i.+pers' prayers.
DAYS Pa.s.sED. FIGHTING CONTINUED. TRAPPED CALZIRANS REFUSED to surrender. The pirates shared an abiding conviction that they would suffer agonizing deaths because of what had happened at Starplire.
”Call me an old cynic,” Else told Pinkus Ghort, slurring because his jaw was still swollen. The red circles and pink skin were gone, at least. He was down to ugly yellow and purple bruises. And a short haircut. ”But I think I know why the pirates behaved badly at Starplire. They were incited to it. By Starkden and Masant al-Seyhan. So they'd be scared to surrender later on. The Brothe attack was part of a bigger plan.”