“But if you conclude a peace treaty with Zakath, the Malloreans will be leaving, won’t they? We’ll have to move fast on this, Urgit. As soon as the Malloreans withdraw, you’ll have to move in, not only with troops, but also with miners.”
“What do I get out of it?”
“Taxes, brother mine, taxes. You can tax the gold miners, you can tax me, and you can tax my customers. You’ll be rolling in money in just a few years.”
“And the Tolnedrans will swindle me out of all of it in just a few weeks.”
“Not too likely.” Silk smirked. “Varana’s the only Tolne-dran in the world who knows about this, and he’s on Barak’s ship out in the harbor right now. He won’t get back to Tol Honeth for several weeks.”
“What difference does that make? Nobody can make a move of any kind until I conclude a peace treaty with Zakath, can they?”
“That^ not entirely true, Urgit. You and I can draw up an agreement guaranteeing me exclusive access to Ihe Murgo market. I’ll pay you handsomely for it, of course, and the agreement will be
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perfectly legal—and ironclad. IVe drawn up enough trade agreements to be able to see to that. We can hammer out the details later, but the important thing right now is to get something down in writing with both our names on it. And then, when peace breaks out, the Tolnedrans will swarm down here. You can show them the document and send them all home again. If IVe got exclusive access, we’ll make millions. Millions, Urgit, millions!”
Both of their noses were twitching violently now.
“What sort of provisions would we want to put in this agreement of exclusivity?” Urgit asked cautiously.
Silk grinned broadly at him and reached inside his doublet again. “IVe taken the liberty of drawing up an interim document,” he said, pulling out another parchment, “just.to save time, of course.”
Sthiss Tor was still a very unattractive city, Garion noticed as Barak’s sailors moored Seabird to the familiar wharf in the Dras-nian trade enclave. The hawsers were no sooner tied oif than Silk leaped across to the wharf and hurried up the street. ‘ ‘Is he likely to have any trouble?” Garion asked Sadi.
“Not too likely,” Sadi, who was crouched down behind a longboat, replied. “Salmissra knows who he is, and I know my queen. Her face doesn’t show any emotion, but her curiosity is very strong. IVe spent the last three days composing that letter. She’ll see me. I can practically guarantee that. Could we go below, Garion? I’d really rather not have anybody see me.”
It was perhaps two hours later when Silk returned accompanied by a platoon of Nyissan soldiers. The platoon leader was familiar.
“Is that you, Issus?” Sadi called out through the porthole of the cabin in which he was hiding. “I thought you’d be dead by now.”
“Hardly,” the one-eyed assassin said.
“You’re working at the palace now?”
“Yes.”
“For the queen?”
“Among others. I take on a few odd jobs for Javelin now and then.”
“Does the queen know about that?”
“Of course. All right, Sadi. The queen’s agreed to a two-hour amnesty for you. We’d better hurry. I’m sure you’ll want to be gone from here before those two hours run out. The queen’s
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fangs start to itch every time she hears your name, so let’s go— unless you’d like to reconsider and start running right now.”
“No,” Sadi said. “I’ll be right up. I’m bringing Polgara and Belgarion with me, if that’s all right.”
“That’s up to you,” Issus said with an indifferent shrug.
The palace was still infested with snakes and with dreamy-eyed eunuchs. A pimply-faced official with broad hips and a grotesquely made-up face met them at the palace door. “Well, Sadi,” he said in a piping soprano voice, “I see youVe returned.”
“And I see youVe managed to stay alive, Y’sth,” Sadi replied coldly. “That’s a shame, really.”
Y’sth’s eyes narrowed with undisguised hatred. “I’d be a little careful about what I say, Sadi,” he squeaked. “You’re not Chief Eunuch anymore. As a matter of fact, I may soon hold that position myself.”
“May the heavens defend poor Nyissa then,” Sadi murmured,
“You’ve heard of the queen’s command that Sadi be given safe conduct?” Issus asked the eunuch.
“Not from her own lips.”
“Salmissra doesn’t have lips, Y’sth, and you’ve just heard about it—from me. Now, are you going to get out of our way? Or am I going to have to slit you up the middle?”
Y’sth backed away. “You can’t threaten me, Issus.”
“I wasn’t threatening you. I was just asking a question.” Then the assassin led die way up the polished stone corridor leading to the throne room.
The room they entered was unchanged and probably unchangeable. Thousands of years of tradition had seen to that. Salmissra, her coils stirring restlessly and her blunt, crowned head weaving sinuously in front of her mirror, occupied the throne.
“Sadi the eunuch, my Queen,” Issus announced with a bow. Issus, Garion noted, did not prostrate himself before the throne as did other Nyissans.
“Ah,” Salmissra hissed, “and the beautiful Polgara and King .Belgarion. You’ve fallen in with important people since you left nay service, Sadi.”
. , “Pure.chance, my Queen,” Sadi lied glibly. ^ “What is this vital matter that impelled you to risk your life by coming into my presence again?”
“‘>’ “Only this, Eternal Salmissra,” Sadi replied. He set his red leather case on the floor, opened it, and removed a folded parch-
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ment. He casually kicked a groveling eunuch in the ribs. “Take this to the queen,” he commanded.
“You’re not enhancing your popularity here, Sadi,” Garion
cautioned quietly.
“Ilm not running for public office, Garion. I can be as disagreeable as I choose to be.”
Salmissra quickly perused the Accords of Dal Perivor. “Interesting,” she hissed.
“Ifai sure your Majesty can see the opportunities implicit in those accords,” Sadi said. “I felt it was my responsibility to make you aware of them.”
“Of course I can see what’s involved, Sadi,” she said. “I’m a snake, not a cretin.”
“Then I’ll bid you good-bye, my Queen. IVe performed my
last duty to you.”
Salmissra’s eyes had gone flat with concentration. “Not just yet, my Sadi,” she said in a whisper that was almost a purr. “Come a little closer.”
“You gave your word, Salmissra,” he said apprehensively.
“Oh, do be sensible, Sadi,” she said. “I’m not going to bite you. It was all a ploy, wasn’t it? You had discovered the possibility that these accords might be in the making and you deliberately set out to have yourself disgraced so that you could pursue them. Your negotiations on my behalf were brilliant, I must say. You have done very well, Sadi—even if your actions involved deceiving me. I am well pleased with you. Would you consent to resume your former position here in the palace?”
“Consent, my Queen?” he blurted almost boyishly. “I’d be overjoyed. I live but to serve you.”
Salmissra swiveled her head around to regard the prostrated eunuchs. “You will all leave me now,” she commanded them. ‘ ‘I want you to go throughout the palace and spread the word that Sadi has been rehabilitated and that IVe reinstated him. If anyone cares to dispute my decision, send him to me, and I’ll explain it to him.”
They stared at her, and Garion noticed that not a few faces were filled with chagrin,
“How tiresome,” Salmissra sighed. “They’re too delighted to move. Please drive them out, Issus.”
* ‘As my Queen desires,” Issus said, drawing his sword.’ ‘Did you want them all to survive?”
“A few of them, Issus—the more nimble ones.”
The throne room was vacated almost immediately.
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“I cannot sufficiently thank your Majesty,” Sadi said.
“I’ll think of a way, my Sadi, First of all, we’ll both pretend that the motives I suggested a moment ago were genuine, won’t we?”
“I understand perfectly, Divine Salmissra.”
“After all,” she added, “we must protect the dignity of the throne. You will assume your former duties and your former quarters. We’ll think of suitable honors and rewards later.” She paused. “I’ve missed you, my Sadi. I don’t think anyone can ever know how much.” Her head moved slowly around, and she regarded Polgara. “And how did your encounter with Zan-dramas go, Polgara?” she asked.
“Zandramas is no longer with us, Salmissra.”
“Splendid. I never really liked her. And is the universe restored again?”
“It is, Salmissra.”
“I think I’m glad of that. Chaos and disruption are irritating to a snake, you know. We’re partial to calm and to order.”
Garion noticed that a small green snake had slithered out from under Salmissra’s throne to approach Sadi’s red leather case, which lay open and forgotten on the marble floor. The little snake reared up to regard the earthenware bottle. He was purring seductively.