One of the other women leaned forward. "Is there much danger?" she whispered to Opal, who was sitting close enough for Vansen to hear.
"No," Opal told her, then shot Vansen a look that clearly said, "And please don't disagree."
She and the magister's wife are leading their troops by example, he realized. Like any good commanders they are worried too, but they cannot show that to their forces. "We should be well," he told the Funderling woman. "We are all under a treaty of peace here and the Qar, whatever else they are, seem to me honorable creatures." He felt a touch of shame at the understatement-Gyir the Storm Lantern had been more than "honorable." He had unhesitatingly given his life to carry out his promise to his mistress Yasammez-the sorceress or demigoddess they all awaited today.
Chert and Cinnabar and the physician Chaven came in with several others, including a party of Funderling monks led by Brother Nickel. The monk even nodded courteously toward Vansen as he and his party seated themselves at the long table.
"What's gotten into him?" Vansen said, half-aloud.
Malachite laughed. "Don't you know? Cinnabar had a talk with him. Reminded him that the Guild's highwardens have to approve a new Prior of the temple-and, when it comes to it someday, the new abbot of the temple as well. If Nickel wants to carry the abbot's holy mattock he's going to have to dig when the Guild says dig."
"Ah." Vansen wasn't surprised. Even Nickel, with the sacred souls of all the Funderlings supposedly in his protection, saw things differently when ambition called the dance.
"Hello, my darling," said Chert as he bent to kiss his wife. "I hope you don't mind-I'm going to be sitting with Cinnabar. It's his idea." Chert did his best to look surprised that he had been singled out for this honor, but Vansen knew the little man not only had good sense, he was in the middle of so many of the mysteries here that he was virtually indispensable. "And how very nice to see you, Magistrix!" he said to Vermilion Cinnabar. "You're looking well."