As they walked through the open-air archway which connected the balcony with the building proper—the mild Emerald climate required little in the way of actual doors, beyond what was needed for security and privacy—Jeschonyk laid a cautioning hand on Demansk’s arm.
“And I should tell you that Tomsien is more worried than anyone. You should know, if you don’t already, that Tomsien’s been doing his own amassing of forces. He’s got an army assembling in his southern provinces that is twice the size of anything you can put together—even with such a huge fleet as this one.”
Demansk nodded. “I expected as much.” He went to a side table and poured them each a goblet of wine. There were no servants present. Then, after handing one of the goblets to Jeschonyk, took a sip from his own and added:
“Good. We’ll need that army to fend off the Southrons. They’ll be coming soon, Ion, don’t doubt it. They’re just waiting for us to be committed against the islanders. Every spy we’ve sent down there—you know this even better than I do, since most of them report to you first—says they’re creating the largest invasion force they’ve ever managed to put together. That new Chief of Chiefs of theirs, Norrys, seems quite the dynamic fellow. Charismatic too, from all accounts.”
Jeschonyk gave his fellow Triumvir an odd look. Part suspicion, part . . . wonder, perhaps.
“Actually,” he said, clearing his throat, “my spies seem to think that it’s really this sub-chief Prelotta who’s the driving spirit behind it all. And he’s the one, not Norrys, who’s got that damned Emerald genius Gellert working for him. Him and his blasted new weapons.”
Demansk shrugged. ” ‘New weapons’ are all fine and dandy, Ion. But I don’t place too much faith in them. In the end, it’s still discipline and organization and numbers that count.” He gestured toward the fleet in the harbor with his chin. “Not one of those ships, or its crews, is as handy at sea as any islander pirate. So what? The simplest way to deal with a clever opponent is just to bury him.”
“There are a lot of Southrons, Verice,” chided Jeschonyk. ” ‘Burying them’ is not as easy as it with a relative handful of islanders.”
“So? That’s Tomsien’s problem, isn’t it? And how has he funded this great army he’s collected? Not using my methods, I’m sure.”
Jeschonyk looked sour. “We’re getting complaints and protests filed every day in Vanbert. Have been for months. He’s squeezing his provinces dry, Verice. Just as you knew he would.”
Demansk shifted his shoulders. The gesture could not quite be called a shrug. “He’s set in his ways, yes. Not to mention being a greedy bastard in his own right.”
“Which you counted on also. Damn you, Verice, don’t pretend! You plotted all this—just as you plotted the fact that I’d cover it for you and be your shield.”
The look that Demansk now gave Jeschonyk was icy. “And are you still? My shield, I mean.”
For a moment, two of the three most powerful men in the world locked eyes. It was the older and officially most senior of them who first looked away.
“Yes,” he whispered, “the gods help me.” He took a couple of steps and sat down on a couch; then, sprawled wearily across it. Though not wearily enough, Demansk noted with a bit of amusement, to spill a single drop of his wine. “I feel like a midget locked in a room with two direbeasts about to go for each other’s throats. Except one of the direbeasts is really a demon.”
Demansk laughed. “A ‘demon,’ is it? Don’t you think that’s going a little too far, Ion? I’m not a cruel man, you know. I don’t think anyone’s ever accused me of that, not even enemies I’ve defeated in battle.”
Jeschonyk took a long swallow of wine, then leaned over and set the goblet down on the floor. Again, without spilling a drop.
“Stop while you’re ahead, Verice. Everything you say to ‘reassure’ me simply makes me more nervous. I know you’re not cruel. Gods save us, you’re not even particularly ambitious. In all respects, as close to a paragon of the old virtues as any leader we’ve had in Vanbert in generations. I don’t count Marcomann in that, by the way. The gods know he was capable, but the only virtues he had were those of a two-legged direbeast.”