Michael carefully placed his hand on his mace’s handle. Bayle didn’t look armed, but that didn’t mean anything. The man was a spymaster, and a very capable one. They stood there sizing one another up for some time. The impasse was finally broken when there were two brief knocks from a servant and Lance was let in. He had a smile on his face that went ear to ear, and the moment he saw Bayle that smile vanished and his hand went toward the hilt of his sword.

  “What the fuck?” asked Ollie, no longer worried about manners in front of the King.

  “Hello again Ollie, Michael, Lance. It’s been some time.”

  “Yes, it has been.”

  He looked at Lance. His face was completely impassive and didn’t move at all, but Michael could sense anger coming off of him.

  “You’re looking well. Is the Old Hume air treating you well?”

  Lance was practiced at keeping his expression under control as well, but he still looked away from Bayle’s gaze for a moment.

  Bayle reached into his jacket and Michael nearly drew his weapon, and could feel Ollie cycling magicka through his channels. He pulled out a letter and held it out to Lance.

  “For you. From your brother.”

  Lance’s eyes widened and he stepped forward to take it. “He’s safe?”

  “Not only safe. He’s a Duke now.”

  “What?”

  “Well, someone needed to take your father’s place after he was imprisoned and stripped of his titles. I’m not sure what he expected after he gave you those orders. The king was tempted to kill him of course, but I told him it seemed a waste when he could be used to keep the new Duke Kreg in line.”

  Lance gritted his teeth and took two steps toward Bayle.

  “You want to blame me for what happened?” asked Bayle with a curious expression. “The only part I played in the affair was freeing your brother from Tusynian forces. I led the force personally in fact. Just because you deserted and cost me tremendous assets I intended to cultivate, doesn’t mean I’d blame your brother for it.”

  That stopped Lance’s approach.

  “Why are you here?” asked Michael. He had complicated feelings about Bayle. The man had treated him well compared to just about everyone else in Stent. Still, he’d always had the feeling that was more because he saw Michael’s potential as a tool above anything else. He didn’t hate the man, but by the gods did he feel wary of him. He was certain at this point that he was stronger, perhaps even tremendously stronger, but if he knew that Bayle also did.

  “I’m here to request help. I came here, helm in hand, to beseech King Marlo to lend me his aid.”

  Marlo frowned at him. “I was unaware you knew them personally. I don’t appreciate the misdirection.”

  Bayle bowed. “I apologize. It was an oversight.”

  “I don’t know of any situations in which a spymaster like you would be sent to meet a foreign King.”

  “I wasn’t sent. I came of my own will under no orders.”

  Ollie sighed. “Let’s stop beating around the fucking bush, eh? Just tell us what you want, you daft cunt.”

  Bayle smiled and nodded. “Fair enough. I want your help killing the King of Stent.”

  Everyone stood still for a moment, at a loss for words. Michael knew Bayle was serious, it wasn’t exactly the thing someone would joke about, but what shocked him even more was that King Marlo wasn’t surprised at all.

  “Kill the King?” asked Lance. “That’s treason.”

  “Something you’re not unfamiliar with,” replied Bayle with a smirk.

  Lance stepped forward again, but Ollie put a hand on his shoulder and he settled.

  “Why?” asked Michael. “I know you’re a schemer, but I always had the impression you were a patriot as well.”

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “It’s because I’m a patriot that I need him to die. The war with Tusynia has been going badly for some time. I’m sure you recall how things were. Our armies are exhausted, our borders pushed back every day, and our soldiers considering open rebellion. King Matthias refuses to sue for peace and refuses to listen to any generals that aren’t fools. For some time I simply thought he had not been informed of how poorly things were going, but once I confirmed that he was fully aware and still believed we could somehow win I realized that it was either Stent, or him. My duty is to Stent.”

  Michael looked to Lance. “Does that match up with what you know of the man? Of the situation?”

  He nodded. “While I was there I wasn’t really able to see it. We heard so much of how we were better, how we couldn’t lose that I never really saw how bad things were. Being away from it… I think Bayle is right. There’s no way for Stent to win. That said, what makes you think Tusynia would even want to make peace?”

  Bayle smiled. “I’ve already spoken with them. With a significant land concession and an end to the war, they’re willing to try peace. Their people are tired of war, and they are unsure of how long they can throw mercenaries at it without their pet geologist to find more rare minerals for them. Besides,” he looked at Michael, “there are a number of people in both Stent and Tusynia that have come to believe that there are more important things to focus on. People supposedly hearing whispers of the divine, or joining with the Priests of Bruntus that are travelling from village to village.”

  Michael nodded at that, it was good to hear that the hidden village and its people were safe and spreading the good word. He also wasn’t surprised that Bayle knew of his connection to the divine. He hadn’t been subtle about it then, and he was certainly well known for it across Hume and many other places by now.

  “Why us? Can’t you kill the bastard yourselves?” asked Ollie.

  Bayle shook his head. “I have most of the generals on my side as well as a slim majority of the Dukes.”

  Lance stared at him, but Bayle left his obvious question unanswered.

  “Almost all of the rank and file is calling for heads to roll anyway, and the prince has been fostered by Duke Nygard his whole life, and he’s on our side. If we brought all of our forces to bear, it's unlikely we’d win, and even if we did, the forces left wouldn’t be enough to keep the coup from becoming a civil war. Any dukes willing to fight him would have their titles revoked the moment they drew their swords. No, we need an outside force.”

  “And you think we could defeat him?” asked Michael.

  Bayle nodded. “I’ve been tracking you since you left. The rift closures, the fighting with Burndan, your recent battle for Lataxia? You’re a hero. I’m guessing you’re positively bursting with Titles and Deeds at this point. That said, it would be a close thing still. You would need all of your allies with you.”

  “Well, I’m here,” said Ollie, “but Marcus and Pyotr are back in Cantalia. Davi is…”

  “I’m aware of Davi’s death. My condolences. As for the others, they are already headed this way now, along with the majority of Gemini. I believe they call themselves the Warriors of the Divine now though. Crick has been good enough to track them for me. They should arrive within a week, perhaps less.”

  “All of that aside, why would we help you? I have work to do here. Rifts to seal, monsters to fight. This is where the gods have called me, and my duty is clear.”

  “On top of that, why do you care?” Ollie asked King Marlo. “How does a King dying in Stent benefit you?”

  “He has agreed to provide me with twenty five diviners and all of his Penitents,” replied the King. “Along with a steady supply of their cursed well water and an alchemist that can administer it.” He put his fingers in a pyramid. “It also frees up dozens of mercenary companies relatively close by that would be looking for work.”

  Michael frowned. That was quite a list of benefits. He liked the idea of freeing his other Penitents from bondage. It was something he’d hoped to work toward after the rifts were settled, but if he could get them their freedom sooner and they could help the war effort, he couldn’t see a downside. Especially since Ollie had discovered that all takers had enough of the divine in them to seal rifts.

  Ollie looked at him. “Do you think we have any friends that are still alive?”

  Michael frowned. “I hope so. I at least can’t imagine Ogun dying.”

  “The rifts seem to have lessened a bit since the attack on Lataxia. I hesitate to send you there, to risk an asset as great as you, but in the reports I’ve read we still have nearly six months until the major rift in the old capital opens, correct?” asked King Marlo.

  Michael listened to the whispers of the gods for a few moments, gauging what they were saying. “The gods think they can contain it for that long. It may be closer to five months, or as many as seven.”

  King Marlo frowned.

  “The thing we need now is allies. You are strong, but I don’t know that we could survive another attack like the one on Lataxia even with you aiding from the start. I’m asking you, as your King, but also as a man whose children live here, whose people are at risk. Please assist Bayle in his mission.”

  Michael looked at Ollie and Lance.

  Ollie nodded. “I’ve wanted the bastard dead since I got here.”

  Michael laughed at that. He heard no objections from the gods, rather he felt Estaid’s eyes on him. Her judgement followed him.

  “I’ll do it. As long as Marcus and Pyotr join us, I think it can be done.”

  Bayle smiled and Michael sensed just the smallest bit of smugness in it. He turned his full attention to the man, activating his Eyes of Love, Eyes of Judgement, and reading all of his Titles and Deeds at the same time. He could see all of the man’s secrets, even those Titles and Deeds he’d been able to hide before. He could see thousands of connections spreading from and to him, but they were all wispy and thin. He could see his every sin too. Cold blooded murders, betrayals, torture, all in the name of Stent.

  “We will help you Bayle, but do not think that we do not see you. Any attempts to betray or mislead, and I will strike you down and send you straight to the judgement of the gods. And from what I can see, it will not be pleasant for you.”

  Bayle, for the first time Michael had ever seen it in the man, showed the briefest flash of fear.