Free By Schism Rent Asunder by David Weber Page B

in cooperation with Prince Nahrmahn of Emerald. Nor had Haarahld even begun to suspect that Kahlvyn intended to assassinate both Haarahld and Cayleb.
    â€œThere is that,” Gray Harbor acknowledged in a painfully neutral voice, and his own eyes were dark and shadowed. Kahlvyn Ahrmahk had been Cayleb’s magnificent older cousin, far more of an uncle and almost a second father than a mere cousin, but he had been Rayjhis Yowance’s son-in-law, the husband of Gray Harbor’s daughter, and the father of his two grandsons.
    And it had been Rayjhis Yowance’s thrown dagger which had ended the Duke of Tirian’s traitorous life.
    â€œSo, bearing that in mind, who would you choose for your ambassador this time?” Merlin deliberately made his own voice a bit brisker than usual. “I assume you’ve given some thought to that?”
    â€œI have, indeed.” Cayleb smiled. “Given the nature of the proposal—and, ungentlemanly though it may be, the desirability of maintaining enough pressure to … encourage Sharleyan and Green Mountain—I thought we might send them a truly senior representative. Someone like”—he turned his smile on Gray Harbor—“my esteemed First Councilor.”
    â€œNow, just a minute, Cayleb!” Gray Harbor twitched upright in his chair, shaking his head. “I see where you’re headed, but I couldn’t possibly justify being absent long enough for a mission like this! It’s the next best thing to ten thousand sea miles from Tellesberg to Cherayth. That’s better than a month and a half’s voyage just one way!”
    â€œI know.” Cayleb’s smile faded into an entirely serious expression. “Believe me, Rayjhis, I know, and I’ve thought long and hard about it. Unless I miss my guess, you’d be gone for at least three or four months, even assuming everything went perfectly. And you’re right, the prospect of having you out of the Kingdom for that long isn’t likely to help me sleep soundly. But if we could possibly make this work, it would go an enormous way towards determining whether or not we manage to survive, and you know it. God knows how much I’d miss you, but Maikel could substitute for you as First Councilor while you were gone. He knows everything you and I have discussed, and his position would put him above the normal political dogfights someone else might have to referee if they tried to temporarily take your place. In fact, he’s the only other suitable candidate for ambassador I’ve been able to come up with, and to be totally honest, we can afford to have you out of the Kingdom at this particular moment far more than we can afford to have him out of the Archbishopric .”
    Gray Harbor had opened his mouth as if to argue, but he closed it again, his expression thoughtful, with Cayleb’s last sentence. Then, despite manifest reservations, he nodded slowly.
    â€œI see your reasoning,” he acknowledged, “and you’re right about Maikel covering for me. I don’t think a single king or prince in the entire world has ever asked his archbishop to act as a mere first councilor, you understand, but I can see quite a few advantages to the arrangement—especially in our present circumstances. Having the Church and the Crown genuinely working in tandem certainly isn’t going to hurt anything, at least! And he does know all of our plans, and Zhefry could handle all of the routine documents and procedures under his direction.” The first councilor’s lips twitched. “God knows, he’s been doing that for me for years!”
    â€œThe key points are that we can manage without you if we have to,” Cayleb said, “and that I can’t think of anyone who’d have a better chance than you of convincing Sharleyan. And the more I’ve thought about it, the more I think convincing her is probably at least as important as