Domes of Fire

‘We haven’t seen any unusual number of strangers here in town,’ Caalador said, ‘and there aren’t any large gatherings out in the countryside – at least not within five leagues in any direction.’

‘They could be holding in place farther on out,’ Sparhawk said. ‘If I had a supporting army out there someplace, I wouldn’t bring them in until the last minute.’

Caalador turned and looked pointedly at the harbour. ‘That’s our weakness right there, Sparhawk. There could be a fleet hiding in coves and inlets along the coast. We’d never see them coming until they showed up on the horizon. I’ve got pirates and smugglers scouring the coasts, but –’ He spread his hands.

‘There’s not very much we can do about it, I’m afraid,’ Sparhawk said. ‘We’ve got an army of Atans close at hand though, and they’ll be inside the city soon after the uprising starts. Do your people have the hiding places of these assorted visitors fairly well-pinpointed? If things go well, I’d like to sweep them all up at once if possible.’

‘They don’t seem to have lighted in specific places yet, Sparhawk. They’re all moving around quite a bit. I’ve got people following them. We could pick them up early, if you’d like.’

‘Let’s not expose our preparations. If we can catch them on the day of the uprising, fine. If not, we can chase them down later. I’m not going to endanger our counter-measures just for the pleasure of their company. Your people are doing very well, Caalador.’

‘Their performance is a bit forced, my friend,’ Caalador admitted ruefully. ‘I’ve had to gather a large number of burly ruffians with clubs to keep reminding the Tamul criminals that we’re all working together in this affair.’

‘Whatever it takes.’

‘Her Majesty’s suggestion has some advantages, Lord Vanion,’ Bevier said after giving it some thought. ‘It’s what the fosse was designed for originally anyway. It’s supposed to be a moat, not just a grassy ditch.’

‘It completely exposes the fact that we’re preparing to defend the castle, Bevier,’ Vanion objected. ‘If we start pumping the moat full of water, everybody in Matherion will know about it within the hour.’

‘You didn’t listen to the whole plan, Vanion,’ Ehlana said patiently. ‘We’ve been attending balls and banquets and various other entertainments ever since we arrived here. It’s only proper that I respond to all those kindnesses, so I’m planning a grand entertainment to pay my social obligations. It’s not my fault that it’s going to take place on the night of the uprising, is it? We have an Elene castle, so we’ll have an Elene party. We’ll have an orchestra on the battlements, coloured lanterns and buntings on the walls and festive barges in the moat – complete with canopies and banquet tables. I’ll invite the emperor and his whole court.’

‘That would be extremely convenient, Lord Vanion,’ Tynian said. ‘We’d have everybody we want to protect right close at hand. We wouldn’t have to go looking for them, and we wouldn’t alert anybody to what we’re doing by chasing cabinet ministers across the lawns.’

Sparhawk’s squire was shaking his head.

‘What is it, Khalad?’ Ehlana asked him.

‘The bottom of the ditch hasn’t been prepared to hold water, your Majesty. We don’t know how porous the sub-soil is. There’s a very good chance that the water you pump in will just seep into the ground. Your moat could be empty again a few hours after you fill it.’

‘Oh, bother!’ Ehlana fretted. ‘I didn’t think of that.’

‘I’ll take care of it, Ehlana,’ Sephrenia smiled. ‘A good plan shouldn’t be abandoned just because it violates a few natural laws.’

‘Would you have to do that before we started to fill the moat, Sephrenia?’ Stragen asked her.

‘It’s easier that way.’

He frowned.

‘What’s the problem?’ she asked.

‘There are those three tunnels that lead under the fosse to connect with the hidden passageways and listening posts inside the castle.’

‘Three that we know about, anyway,’ Ulath added.

‘Exactly my point. Wouldn’t we all feel more secure if all those tunnels – the ones we know about and the ones we don’t – are flooded before the fighting starts?’

‘Good point,’ Sparhawk said.

‘I can wait to seal the bottom of the moat until after you’ve flooded the tunnels,’ Sephrenia told them.

‘What do you think, Vanion?’ Emban asked.

‘The preparations for the queen’s party would cover a lot of activity,’ Vanion conceded. ‘It’s a very good plan.’

‘I like all of it except the barges,’ Sparhawk said. ‘I’m sorry, Ehlana, but those barges would just give the mob access to our walls. They’d defeat the whole purpose the moat was designed for in the first place.’

‘I’m getting to that, Sparhawk. Doesn’t naphtha float on top of water?’

‘Yes, but what’s that got to do with it?’

‘A barge isn’t just a floating platform, you know. It’s got a hold under the deck. Now, suppose we fill the holds with casks of naphtha. Then, when the trouble starts, we throw boulders down from the battlements and crack the barges open like eggshells. The naphtha will spread out over the water in the moat, we set fire to it and surround the castle with a wall of flame. Wouldn’t that sort of inconvenience people trying to attack the castle?’

‘You’re a genius, my Queen!’ Kalten exclaimed.

‘How nice of you to have noticed that, Sir Kalten,’ she replied smugly. ‘And the beautiful part about the whole thing is that we can make all of our preparations right out in the open without sneaking around at night and losing all that sleep. This grand party gives us the perfect excuse to do almost anything to the castle in the name of decoration.’

Mirtai suddenly embraced her owner and kissed her. ‘I’m proud of you, my mother,’ she said.

‘I’m glad you approve, my daughter,’ Ehlana said modestly, ‘but you really ought to be more reserved, you know. Remember what you told me about girls kissing girls.’

‘We found two more tunnels, Sparhawk,’ Khalad reported as his lord joined him on the parapet. Khalad was wearing a canvas smock over his black leather vest.