Pug said, “You scared them into giving.”
A commotion in the crowd made them all look as a company of horsemen rode past. They wore the green armor of a house known to Pug by reputation, the Hoxaka. They were members of the War Party. Meecham said, “They’ve taken to riding, for certain.”
“Like the Tsurani in LaMut,” Pug whispered back. “It seems once a Tsurani gets over being terrified of horses, he becomes mad for them. I know Kasumi did. Once upon a horse, it was near-impossible to get him off.” It appeared the horse had become accepted in the Empire and cavalry firmly established in the arsenal of Tsurani weapons.
When the horses had passed, another noise made them turn; standing before them was a heavyset man in black robes, his bald head gleaming in the noonday sun. On every side citizens were bowing and moving away, not wishing to crowd the august presence of a Great One of the Empire. Pug and his companions bowed.
The magician said, “You three will come with me.”
Pug made a show of stammering, “Your will, Great One.” They hurried to follow after.
The black-robed magician walked directly to the nearest building, a leatherworkers’ establishment. The magician entered and said to the proprietor, “I have need of this building. You may return in an hour.”
Without hesitation the owner said, “Your will, Great One,” and called for his apprentices to join him outside. In a minute the building was empty except for Pug and his friends.
Pug and Hochopepa embraced, then the stout magician said, “Milamber, you are mad to return. When I received your message, I could scarcely believe my senses. Why did you risk sending it through the pattern, and why this meeting in the heart of the city?”
Pug said, “Meecham, watch the window.” To Hochopepa he said, “What better place to hide than in plain sight? You receive messages by the pattern often, and who would think of questioning you about speaking to common priests?” He turned and said, “These are my companions,” and made the introductions.
Hochopepa swept clear a bench and sat. “I have a thousand questions. How did you manage to return? The magicians who serve the Warlord have been trying to relocate your homeworld, for the Light of Heaven, may the gods protect him, is determined to avenge the betrayal of the peace conference. And how did you manage to destroy the first rift? And live?” He saw Pug’s amusement at his flood of questions and ended, “But most important, why have you returned?”
Pug said, “There is loose upon my homeworld some dark power of Tsurani origin, an evil thing of dark magic. I seek knowledge, for it is of Kelewan.” Hochopepa looked questioningly at him. “Many strange things occur on my world, and it is the most elegant answer, Hocho. I hope to discover some clue to the nature of this dark power. And it is a fearful agency.” He went into detail about what had occurred since the first, from explaining the reason for the betrayal, to the attempts on Prince Arutha, to his own interpretation of Rogen’s seeing.
Hochopepa said, “This is strange, for we know of no such power upon Kelewan—at least, none I have heard about. One advantage to our organization is that two thousand years of cooperative effort by the Black Robes has rid this world of a great many such menaces. In our lore we know of demon lords and witch-kings, spirits of dark powers and things of evil, all of whom fell before the combined might of the assembly.”
From the window Meecham said, “Seems you might have missed one.”
Hochopepa appeared taken aback at being addressed by a commoner, then he chuckled. “Perhaps, or perhaps there is another explanation. I do not know. But,” he said to Pug, “you have always been a force for social good within the Empire, and I have no doubt that all you have said is truth. I will act as your agent, seeking safe passage to the library, and I will aid in your research. But understand, the Assembly is hamstrung by internal politics. The vote to let you live is by no means a certainty. I shall have to return and lobby. It may take days before I can openly voice the question.
“But I think I can succeed at this. You raise too many questions to ignore. I will convene a meeting as soon as possible and return for you once I have pleaded your case. Only a madman would fail to heed your warning, even should it prove to be something not of this world that plagues your land. At worst you gain a parole to use the library and depart; at best, perhaps a reinstatement. You will have to justify your past actions.”
“I can and will, Hocho.”