did you find out about that?’
‘Everybody knows about it.’
Sparhawk let that pass. ‘Knock on the gate three times, then pause. Then knock twice more. A porter will open the gate. Be polite to him because he’s a knight. Tell him that the man Sparhawk was interested in has left town. Try to give him the direction Krager took. Can you remember all that?’
‘Do you want me to recite it back to you?’
‘That won’t be necessary. The knight porter at the inn will give you half a crown for the information.’
Talen’s eyes brightened.
Sparhawk turned back to Platime. ‘Thank you, my friend,’ he said. ‘Consider your debt to my father paid.’
‘I’ve already forgotten it.’ The fat man grinned.
‘Platime’s very good at forgetting debts,’ Talen said. ‘The ones he owes, anyway.’
‘Someday your mouth is going to get you in serious trouble, boy.’
‘Nothing that my feet can’t carry me away from.’
‘Go and tell Sef to hitch the grey team to the carriage with the blue wheels and to bring it to the alley door.’
‘What’s in it for me?’
‘I’ll postpone the thrashing I’m just about to give you.’
‘That sounds fair.’ The boy grinned and scampered away.
‘That’s a very clever young man,’ Sparhawk said.
‘He’s the best,’ Platime agreed. ‘It’s my guess that he’ll replace me when I retire.’
‘He’s the crown prince, then.’
Platime laughed uproariously. ‘The crown prince of thieves. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? You know, I like you, Sparhawk.’ Still laughing, the fat man clapped the big knight on the shoulder. ‘If there’s ever anything else I can do for you, let me know.’
‘I will, Platime.’
‘I’ll even give you a special rate.’
‘Thanks,’ Sparhawk said dryly. He picked up his sword from beside Platime’s chair and went back to his cot to change back into his own clothes. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked Kalten.
‘I’m fine.’
‘Good. You’d better get ready to leave.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘Back to the chapterhouse. I found out something that Vanion needs to know.’
The carriage was not new, but it was soundly constructed and well maintained. The windows were draped with heavy curtains which effectively hid the passengers from prying eyes. The team which drew the carriage were a pair of matched greys, and they moved out at a brisk trot.
Kalten leaned back against the leather cushion. ‘Is it my imagination, or does thieving pay better than knighting?’
‘We didn’t go into the business for the money, Kalten,’ Sparhawk reminded him.
‘That’s painfully obvious, my friend.’ Kalten stretched out his legs and crossed his arms contentedly. ‘You know,’ he said, ‘I could get to like this sort of thing.’
‘Try not to,’ Sparhawk advised him.
‘You have to admit that it’s a great deal more comfortable than pounding your backside on a hard saddle.’
‘Discomfort’s good for the soul.’
‘My soul’s just fine, Sparhawk. It’s my behind that’s starting to wear out.’
The carriage moved rapidly through the streets, and they soon passed through the east gate of the city and pulled up at the drawbridge of the chapterhouse. Sparhawk and Kalten stepped out into the drizzly afternoon, and Sef immediately turned the carriage around and clattered back towards the city.
Following the ritual which gained them entrance into the fortified house, Sparhawk and Kalten went immediately to the preceptor’s study in the south tower.
Vanion was seated at the large table in the centre of the room with a stack of documents in front of him, and Sephrenia sat by the crackling fire with her ever-present teacup in her hand. She was looking into the dancing flames, her eyes a mystery.
Vanion looked up and saw the blood-stains on Kalten’s doublet. ‘What happened?’ he asked.
‘Our disguises didn’t work.’ Kalten shrugged. ‘A group of church soldiers waylaid us in an alley. It’s not serious.’
Sephrenia rose from her chair and came over to them. ‘Did you have it tended?’ she asked.
‘Sparhawk put a bandage on it.’
‘Why don’t you let me look at it? Sometimes Sparhawk’s bandages are a little rudimentary. Sit down and open your doublet.’
Kalten grumbled a bit but did as he was told.
She untied the bandage and looked at the cut in his side with pursed lips. ‘Did you clean it at all?’ she asked Sparhawk.
‘I wiped it down with some wine.’
She sighed. ‘Oh, Sparhawk.’ She rose, went to the door, and sent one of the young knights outside for the things she would need.
‘Sparhawk picked up some information,’ Kalten told the preceptor.
‘What kind of information?’ Vanion asked.
‘I found Krager,’ Sparhawk told him, drawing up a chair. ‘He’s staying in a brothel near the west gate.’
One of Sephrenia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What were you doing in a brothel, Sparhawk?’
‘It’s a long story,’ he replied, flushing slightly. ‘Someday I’ll tell you all about it. Anyway,’ he continued, ‘the Baron Harparin came to the brothel, and –’
‘Harparin?’ Vanion looked startled. ‘In a brothel? He had less business there than you did.’
‘He was there to meet with Krager. I managed to get inside and into the room next to the one where they were meeting.’ He quickly sketched out the details of the involuted scheme of the Primate Annias.
Vanion’s eyes were narrow as Sparhawk finished his report. ‘Annias is even more ruthless than I’d imagined,’ he said. ‘I never thought that he’d stoop to mass murder.’
‘We’re going to stop them, aren’t we?’ Kalten asked as Sephrenia began to cleanse his wound.
‘Of course we are,’ Vanion replied absently.
