Tavi shook his head slowly. "I suppose not." He tapped a finger on the maps. "Could this be a lie? Deliberately planted for us to find?"

"Possible," Magnus said, approval in his tone, "though I would consider it a very low-order of probability."

Tavi grunted. "Well," he said. "This is rather valuable information."

"I thought it so," Magnus said.

Tavi sighed. "I suppose I won't have you thrown off the ship just yet."

"I appreciate that, your Highness," Magnus said gravely.

Tavi traced his finger over several heavy lines, many of which ran ruler-straight. "These lines. Canals of some sort?"

"No, your Highness," Magnus said. "Those are boundary lines between territories."

Tavi looked up blankly at Magnus. "I don't understand."

"Apparently," Magnus said, "the Canim do not exist as a single governmental body. They are divided into several separate, distinct organizations."

Tavi frowned. "Like the Marat tribes?"

"Not exactly. Each territory is entirely independent. There is no overriding unity, no centralized leadership. Each is governed completely separately from all the others."

Tavi blinked. "That's . . ." He frowned. "I was going to say that it was insane."

"Mmmm," Magnus said. "Because Carna is a savage world, packed with far too many different peoples, most of them in constant conflict with one another. For we Alerans, only a united stand against our foes has allowed us to survive and prosper."

Tavi gestured at the map. "Whereas the Canim have numbers enough that they can afford to be divided."

Magnus nodded. "All things considered, it makes me rather glad that our new Princeps found an honorable, peaceful, and respectful solution to the situation in the Vale."