"Not here."

"Bad news?"

"Not now." The Radisha strode off. "Majarindi looked unhappy."

"He got his hand caught in a monkey trap. He insisted we build a wall because Shaza has been having holy visions. But once the others demanded a share he sang a different song. I asked if Shaza had begun having unvisions. He wasn't amused."

"Good."

The Radisha led her brother through tortuous passages. The palace was ancient. Additions were cobbled on during every reign. No one knew the labyrinth whole except Smoke.

The Radisha went to one of the wizard's secret places, a room sheltered from eavesdroppers by the old man's finest spells. The Prahbrindrah Drah shut the door. "Well?"

"A pigeon brought a message. From Smoke."

"Bad news?"

"Our mercenaries have been defeated at Stormgard." The Shadowmasters called Dejagore Stormgard.

"Badly?"

"Is there any other... ?"

"Yes." Before the appearance of the Shadowmasters Taglios had been a pacifist state. But when that danger first beckoned the Prahbrindrah had exhumed the ancient strategikons. "Were they annihilated? Routed? How badly did they hurt the Shadowmasters? Is Taglios in danger?"

"They shouldn't have crossed the Main."

"They had to harry the survivors from Ghoja ford. They're the professionals, Sis. We said we wouldn't secondguess or interfere. We didn't believe they could win at Ghoja, so we're way ahead. Give me details."

"A pigeon isn't a condor." The Radisha made a face. "They marched down with a mob of liberated slaves, took Dejagore by stealth, destroyed Stormshadow and wounded Shadowspinner. But today Moonshadow appeared with a fresh army. Casualties were heavy on both sides. Moonshadow may have been killed. But we lost. Some of the troops retreated into the city. The rest scattered. Most of the mercenaries, including the captain and his woman, were killed."