Archpriest Anaxthenes knew he should be packing for his departure to Balph, but his mind was too crowded with plots and machinations. Great King Lysandros had been obviously pleased that such a high-ranking Archpriest, the Speaker of the Inner Circle, had arrived in Harphax City to officiate at the enthronement. Anaxthenes had met with Archpriest Grythos, Grand Master Soton's candidate for the Inner Circle, and had found him to be a strong potential ally. Soton and he had discussed many issues and found themselves in agreement on most of them. They had even discussed ways to decrease Investigator Roxthar's influence over the Temple Guardsmen. For the first time since Kalvan had begun his conquest of Hos-Harphax, Anaxthenes believed his own star was again on the ascent.
Anaxthenes heard the knock at the door, stopped his pacing, and turned around. His bedchamber was fit for a prince and recently re-modeled by Great King Lysandros for visiting dignitaries to the palace. Former King Kaiphranos had let the palace fall into disrepair and Lysandros had spent a small fortune-mostly borrowed from the Temple-to refurbish it for his enthronement. The Archpriest, however, was oblivious to the satin and velvet furnishings, and only had eyes for the door. "Who is it?"
"It's Petty-Captain Fydar. I have someone who says he has your permission to call."
Anaxthenes opened to door to see the Royal Bodyguard holding a short, hunchbacked man in a black robe by the scruff of his neck. It must be important or Yagos would have never come directly to his chamber.
"Let him down, Petty-Captain." The bodyguard grimaced but let the little man drop to the floor like a bag of laundry.
"Thank you, Archpriest," the little man said in a surprisingly deep voice, as he scrambled to his feet.
"You may go, Petty-Captain." Anaxthenes passed him a small purse. "I would be most appreciative if you told no one of this visit."
"Yes, Your Sanctity." The Petty-Captain had the look of a man who'd seen all manner of comings and goings in the palace and knew when it was smart to keep his mouth shut.
After the door was closed, Anaxthenes asked, "How did you fare, Deacon Yagos?"
The little man rubbed his hands nervously. "It was more difficult than I expected, Your Sanctity. This mercenary Captain-General commands more loyalty than most of that breed. I had to spend one purse on drinks for these mercenaries that call themselves the Iron Band. Among them they would drink the Harph River dry were it ale!"
"Yes, yes, go on!"
"They told marvelous and wondrous tales about fighting the Daemon Kalvan and his soldiers, but no one knew much about their captain-other than he makes yearly treks to Zygros City."
"I'm not surprised. His accent is Zygrosi. Go on, Yagos."
"I tried to talk to General Kyblannos, but he is married to his guns and has little interest in anything than doesn't clank or go bang. Grand-Captain Geblon has been with Captain-General Phidestros for eight winters, since he was a petty-captain. The man, besides an unquenchable thirst for drink, has an endless well of stories about his leader. Even falling off his stool, he wouldn't talk about Phidestros' journeys to Zygros City."
"So, then?"
"I found the highest priced madam in Harphax City. For a large purse of gold I was able to purchase the services of a most magnificent harlot."
"I take it you had a plan in mind?" Anaxthenes asked dryly.
"Oh, yes, Archpriest! I paid the Lady Sessadra-she claims to be Prince Selestros' bastard daughter-five golden rakmars, with a promise of ten more were she able to bring me the information I required. I then escorted her to the Red Dog Tavern, with the Temple Guard you loaned me-a wise precaution, Your Sanctity, since the two of us would not have walked six paces before this goddess was spirited away, so lovely is she."
"Please, spare me! The information-what did you learn about our Captain-General Phidestros?"
"Ahhh. Geblon could not wait to take her to his chambers. I watched from behind a barrel, while she stunned him with beauty like a snake spells a fat bird. Oh, our poor Grand-Captain never had a chance. He told her all about his great Captain-General and how it was rumored in the Zygros City wine shops that he was the get of the Zygrosi royals. Some say he is the spitting image of Grand Duke Eudocles, when he was a young man. Is this the Hos-Zygros connection you suspected, Your Sanctity?"
"You have done well, Yagos," Anaxthenes said, removing a large purse from the cupboard. He turned and tossed it to the little priest. "Here is your reward. Your goddess awaits!"
The little man nodded, as the purse disappeared within his tattered robe. "You know me well, Your Sanctity."
"Too well. Just don't mark the Lady up too badly; I don't want to have any complaints from the city warden. Great King Lysandros is said to have little patience with lawbreakers. I will not buy your freedom again. And see that you're not too drunk to report to the packet I have arranged for your transport, when we leave this barbarous kingdom on the third morning. If you're not at the dock on time, you can walk back to Balph!"
"Yes, Your Sanctity. I will return in time."
"See that you do!" Anaxthenes forgot the little man the minute he left the room. So much planning to do. Now that he had his observation verified: what to do? He knew Great King Lysandros would find this information most interesting, but Lysandros was of little use to him. Anaxthenes had taken his measure of Lysandros; he neither trusted the Great King nor his 'ardent' belief in Styphon. Lysandros was a man who loved himself before all things-including men and gods. Nor was he a fanatic like Rox-thar, trying to remake the world as he thought it should be. Should he tell the Grand Master? Yes. Soton might find this information of value in his dealings with Phidestros. Of one thing he was certain, someday this information would be worth much more than a dozen purses of gold.