‘You can count on me,’ Da-Ud said, tossing his hair out of his eyes. ‘I’ve handled everything well enough this time, haven’t I? And after all it was my idea.’
‘Certainly; an expert production. Very well. What I want you to do now is go back to Valkol and tell him that I’ve betrayed you, and sold the other half of the secret to the Rood-Prince.’
‘Surely you wouldn’t actually do such a thing!’
‘Oh, but I would, and I shall – the deed will be done by the time you get back to Druidsfall, and for the same twenty riyals that you paid for your half.’
‘But the purpose-?’
‘Simple. I cannot come to Druidsfall with my remaining half-if there’s another Earthman there, I’d be shot before I got halfway up the steps of the Hall. I want the Guild to consolidate the two halves by what seems to be an unrelated act of aggression, between local parties. You make this clear to them by telling them that I won’t actually make the sale to the Rood-Prince until I hear from you that you have the rest of the money. To get the point across at once, when you tell His Politeness that I’ve “betrayed” you – wink.’
‘And how do I get word to you this time?’
‘You wear this ring. It communicates with a receiver in my Clasp. I’ll take matters from there.’
The ring – which was actually only a ring, which would never communicate anything to anybody – changed hands. Then Da-Ud saluted Simon with solemn glee, and went away to whatever niche in history – and in the walls of the Guild hall of Boadicea -is reserved for traitors without style; and Simon, breaking the stalk of a lyre-bush which had sprung up between his feet, went off to hold his muttering, nattering skull and do nothing at all.