Free Book 3 - Ceremony by Glen Cook Page A

miles farther
south than I believed he could possibly have traveled, even with
the best of luck. The middle darkship I stationed right on top of
the base course he is going to have to make. The other two I placed
to either paw, at the limits of sight, within strong touch. All
three darkships are at one thousand feet. That places a barrier
forty miles wide directly across his path. He cannot avoid being
seen or sensed without going at least twenty miles out of his way.
In that country, in that ice and snow, that would mean at least
three days of extra work. That should give winter’s paw a
little extra edge.”
    “I like that. Go on.”
    “The other darkships are searching for him or physical
evidence of his passage. The wind is blowing hard and there is
fresh powder snow, but even so he cannot help leaving a
trail.”
    “Very good. Very good indeed. Logically, that should do
for him, one way or another. Keep pressing so that he has to keep
going out of his way. He will not dare light a fire. His food
supply will dwindle. When he becomes weakened and tired he will
have more difficulty hiding from the touch.”
    Marika was not confident of that. She ought to claim a favor
from Bagnel. His tradermales had tools more useful than silth
talents. A few dirigibles prowling the wastes searching with heat
detectors might locate Kublin more quickly than any hundred
silth.
    “Edzeka. The hard question. What chance that he had help?
From inside or out?”
    “From inside, none whatsoever. Any helper would have fled
with him, knowing we would truthsay every prisoner left behind.
Which we did, without result. And there never have been any friends
of the brethren or Serke among the sisters. Help from outside?
Maybe. If someone knew he was there and had a means of getting
messages to and from him.”
    “A thought only.” Another thought: the means of
communication might have existed right inside Kublin’s head.
In all the years of isolation he would have had ample time to
practice his fartouching. “Nothing came of the
truthsaying?”
    “Nothing had as of my departure. Final results will be
available upon my return. Had they amounted to anything I am sure I
would have heard.”
    “Yes, Well. You may break radio silence if anything
critical develops. If you do not have the necessary equipment,
requisition it before you leave.”
    “Thank you, mistress.”
    “Have you enjoyed Ruhaack? You ought to get out
more.”
    “I have my work, mistress.”
    “Yes, as we all do. Thank you for the report. This bears
thought.” Marika extricated herself and hurried toward her
apartment, lost in contemplation of what Kublin’s escape
might portend.
    If he did make it out, he could become especially troublesome if
he did know what had happened to Gradwohl. She could not be certain
he had been unconscious throughout their confrontation.
    She had to consult Bagnel. Bagnel knew a little about Kublin. He
could judge what Kublin’s escape could mean within the
brethren.
    Silth and huntresses who had survived the destruction of Maksche
controlled that wing of the Ruhaack cloister where Marika dwelt.
They were few, but intensely loyal to Marika, for they knew that
she had tried to avenge their injury and knew she had not given up
hope of further vengeance. They guarded her interests well. It was
something of an amusing paradox. Marika had not been popular at all
before the attack on Maksche.
    A sister named Jancatch, who had been but a novice at the time
of the Maksche disaster, awaited Marika at the entrance to her
cloister within the cloister. Her face was taut. Her ears were
down.
    “Trouble?” Marika asked, thinking, what else?
    “Perhaps, mistress. There was an urgent appeal for your
presence from Most Senior Kiljar of the Redoriad some hours ago. An
almost desperate call. We replied that you could not come because
you had not returned from your travels. We were asked to inform you
immediately you did arrive, and to ask you to waste no time.