Kevin's Watch

Nyle was still struggling to improve his grasp on the situation. "But is there time?" he asked after some thought. "When do you think the Alend Monarch will get to Orison? I don't know where the Perdon is. He might not be in Scarping. He might be anywhere along the Vertigon, fighting Cadwals."

"I have chosen the time with some care," replied Prince Kragen as if this would reassure Nyle. "It is important that you not reach the Perdon too soon. If you do, and he is not persuaded, and so he brings his forces against us, he might be able to block us from Orison. For that reason, we did not meet until today. I calculate that if you find him immediately--and he rejects you and comes against us in furious haste--he will not reach Orison until after we have mastered it."

Geraden shook his head. "It's not that easy," he whispered.

"You think it's going to be that easy?" the idea seemed to incense Myle. "A siege might take all spring. Even with that breach in the wall. You can't just--"

"Nyle," the Prince cut in. "I am not a child. Do not harangue me about sieges. I have studied them deeply. And I assure you that we will be able to master Orison."

Nyle received this assertion like a man struggling not to let what he heard stun him. "Still, my lord Prince," he said slowly, "it seems to me you're trying to control events too delicately. What if the weather turns against you? We're almost sure to get another storm."

Prince Kragen shrugged. His patience was wearing thin. "Then you and the Perdon will be hindered as much as we are."

"And what about the Armigite?" Nyle seemed unable to keep his anger down. "Is he going to let you march your army--and supply it--straight through his Care without making at least an effort to slow you down?'

At that, Prince Kragen laughed shortly. "I doubt that I need to concern myself with the Armigite." His laugh held a note of scorn that made Terisa feel suddenly colder. "Nevertheless I have done so. He and I have negotiated a pact.

"Sweating fear all the while, he offered me an unhindered passage through his Care for as many armies as I chose to name. And what did he ask in exchange? That we do no violence to his people in their towns and villages? That we leave untouched the cattle pens and storehouses that feed his Care? No. He asked only that he be allowed to remain safe and ignorant--ignorant, Nyle--while the fate of Mordant was decided."

Argus swore under his breath. But Terisa had met the Armigite: she wasn't surprised.

"Personally," the Prince went on with more nonchalance, "I would enjoy damaging his ignorance a little. His Care deserves better of him. But we will respect the pact. And we will do no harm to his people or his cattle or his stores. Our aim is to faind an answer to yur King's weakness--and to oppose Cadwal--not to worsen the old enmity between Mordant and Alend.

"Have I satisfied you, Nyle?"

From the back, Nyle didn't look satisfied: there was too much tension in his stance. Terisa would have expected him to be grateful to Prince Kragen for giving him so few causes for mistrust, so many reasons to believe he was doing the right thing. Why was he still angry? Why did he sound almost livid with fury as he replied, "Yes, my lord Prince."

For a moment, Prince Kragen regarded his ally as though he, too, didn't understand Nyle's mood. But apparently what he saw in Nyle's face reassured him.