The Seeress of Kell

absolutely have to stay out of it."
    "I'll certainly agree about that."
    "How fast can you get a message to your people in Mallorea?"
    "A few weeks. Maybe a little faster if I make it a top priority."
    "This matter has the highest priority, Yarblek. Anheg and Varana are chasing Barak, but we can't be sure they'll catch him in time. We have to delay Barak, and the best way to do that is to feed him misinformation. I want you to instruct your people in Mallorea to tell Barak lies. Keep him going off in the wrong direction every chance you get. Barak will be following Kheldar, so he'll be checking in at every one of your branch offices in Mallorea for information. If Kheldar and the others are going to Maga Renn or Penn Daka, have your people tell Barak that he's going to Mal Dariya."
    "I know the procedure, Porenn," Yarblek said. He squinted at her speculatively. "You'll be turning authority here in Drasnia over to his Majesty here fairly soon, won't you?" he asked her.
    "In a few years, yes."
    "When this business in Mallorea is concluded, I think Silk and I might want to have a long discussion with you."
    "Oh?"
    "What's your feeling about accepting a junior partnership in our operation after your obligations here in Boktor have all been satisfied?"
    "I'm very flattered, Yarblek. What possessed you to raise such a possibility? "
    "You're very shrewd, Porenn, and you've got all sorts of contacts. We might even be prepared to go as high as a five percent share."
    "Absolutely out of the question, Yarblek," King Kheva interrupted surprisingly. "The percentage would have to be at least twenty."
    "Twenty?" Yarblek almost screamed.
    “I have to protect my mother's interests,” Kheva said blandly. "She won't always be young, you know, and I'd hate to see her spend her declining years scrubbing floors."
    "This is highway robbery, Kheva!" Yarblek's face had turned bright red.
    "I'm not holding a knife to your throat, Yarblek," Kheva said. "It might really be better in the long run if mother went into business for herself anyway. She should be able to do very well particularly in view of the fact that all members of the royal family are exempt from Drasnian import duties.”
    "I think you just stabbed yourself in the hand, Yarblek." Vella smirked. "As long as you're getting bad news today anyway, I might as well add my share. When this is all over, I want you to sell me."
    "Sell you? To whom?"
    "I'll tell you when the time comes."
    "Has he got any money?"
    "I really don't know, but that doesn't matter. I'll pay you your share of the price myself.”
    "You must really think a lot of him to make that kind of an offer."
    "You have absolutely no idea, Yarblek. I was made for this man."
    "We were told to stay here, Atesca," Brador said stubbornly.
    "That was before this long silence," General Atesca said, nervously pacing up and down in the large pavilion they shared. Atesca wore his uniform and his gold-inlaid steel breastplate. "The Emperor’s well-being and safety are my responsibility."
    "They're as much mine as they are yours." Brador was absently rubbing the furry tummy of the half-grown cat lying ecstatic in his tap.
    "All right, why aren't you doing something about it then? We haven't had word of him in weeks. Not even your intelligence network can tell us where he is."
    "I know that, Atesca, but I'm not going to disobey an imperial command just because you're getting nervous or bored."
    “Why don't you stay here and take care of the kittens, then?” Atesca said acidly. "I'm going to move the army out tomorrow morning."
    "I didn't deserve that, Atesca."
    "Sorry, Brador. This long silence is making me a little edgy, and I'm losing my grip on civility."
    "I'm as concerned as you are, Atesca," Brador said, "but all of my training rises up in protest at the notion of flying directly in the face of an imperial command." The kitten in Brador's lap nuzzled at his fingers affectionately. "You know," he said, "I think that when his Majesty returns, I'll ask him if I can have this kitten. I'm really growing rather fond of her."
    "That's up to you," Atesca said. "Trying to find homes for two or three litters of kittens every year might keep you out of trouble." The broken-nosed general tugged thoughtfully at one earlobe. "How about a compromise?" he suggested.
    "I’m always willing to listen."
    "All right. We know that Urvon's army has largely disbanded, and there's fairly strong presumptive evidence that Urvon is dead."
    "I'd say