Wyldon would be defended only by his assassins. So Dyshon wasn't asking to match power with Wyldon, only combat strategy.
"Very well," Kiloran agreed.
He was tempted to remind Dyshon to take Wyldon by surprise, not to waste time gloating about the trap they had set. However, he resisted. If Dyshon knew this already, then the reminder would be an insult, a sign that Kiloran doubted his shrewdness. And if Dyshon didn't know it... then Kiloran hoped he would learn from his mistakes, though dying from them was also a possibility.
"And when I'm done, siran ..."
"Ah," Kiloran nodded, guessing the rest. "You would like his territory." Still only an apprentice, Dyshon hoped to become a waterlord.
"Only when you deem me ready, siran ." Dyshon bowed his head and crossed his fists, evincing his respect as he made his bold request.
Kiloran liked ambition, at least when it was no real threat to him. So he was pleased to see it growing within Dyshon.
"I'm sure you will be ready soon," he lied, not at all sure Dyshon would ever be able to hold Wyldon's territory. However, men worked harder when they desired something passionately, and people had surprised him before. So Kiloran would dangle the promise of Wyldon's territory before Dyshon, hoping—without expecting it—that the assassin's ambition would someday prove great enough to compensate for his modest talent.
In any event, the need to kill Wyldon was entirely Tansen's fault. Tansen had won six of Kiloran's shir by surviving the ambush on Mount Dalishar shortly after Josarian's death. Knowing how notoriously rash and suspicious Wyldon was by nature, Tansen had then disguised some of his men as assassins, led an abortive attack on Wyldon's stronghold, and left behind one of the shir to cast suspicion on Kiloran. The plan had worked. Wyldon not only blamed Kiloran, he was also asking other waterlords to side with him in a feud against Kiloran—at a time when they should unite in crushing Tansen, the Guardians, and the Firebringer's loyalists.
"Have you had news," Dyshon now asked, "about how Meriten is faring?"
"Not well," Kiloran admitted, thinking of the loyal but modestly powerful waterlord trying to reclaim territory which the Society had recently lost. "The Guardians are holding fast to the Shaljir River." He silently cursed Abidan and Liadon, who had been twin brothers and waterlords. They had jointly ruled the Shaljir River, which they had lost when they both died fighting Tansen's attack on their territory. Their homes were now burned-out ruins, and sheep were reputedly being stabled in what little was left of them.
"And Verlon?" Dyshon asked.
"I've sent a letter assuring him I have no designs on his territory." But he knew Verlon, the most powerful—and the most hot-tempered—waterlord in eastern Sileria. "I doubt he'll believe me." Not with Wyldon's behavior stirring up suspicion and ill-feeling.
"What about Tansen?"
"Tansen..." This made Kiloran think of Baran again. What had one of them promised the other—if anything—in order for that bizarre marriage to take place? Could Tansen possibly trust Baran?
"Why are you laughing, siran? "
"I've had a laughable thought."
No, not Tansen. He would never make that mistake. And Baran? Kiloran wondered if Baran could be foolish enough to trust Tansen. It was a pleasing thought, but probably a futile one. Yes, Tansen would presumably show Baran what he wanted to see; that was Tansen's way. But Baran knew—surely he must know—that Tansen wanted all the waterlords dead.
All of us, Baran. No mercy for an ally.
By all the gods above and below, Tansen had killed his own bloodfather! He would spare no one if he was the victor now.
Then again, would Baran care? He was probably dying. Besides, he had killed his own allies before, and he might believe he could kill these, too, when the time came.
Or...
A new possibility occurred to Kiloran, one which chilled him. Did Baran know something he
"Very well," Kiloran agreed.
He was tempted to remind Dyshon to take Wyldon by surprise, not to waste time gloating about the trap they had set. However, he resisted. If Dyshon knew this already, then the reminder would be an insult, a sign that Kiloran doubted his shrewdness. And if Dyshon didn't know it... then Kiloran hoped he would learn from his mistakes, though dying from them was also a possibility.
"And when I'm done, siran ..."
"Ah," Kiloran nodded, guessing the rest. "You would like his territory." Still only an apprentice, Dyshon hoped to become a waterlord.
"Only when you deem me ready, siran ." Dyshon bowed his head and crossed his fists, evincing his respect as he made his bold request.
Kiloran liked ambition, at least when it was no real threat to him. So he was pleased to see it growing within Dyshon.
"I'm sure you will be ready soon," he lied, not at all sure Dyshon would ever be able to hold Wyldon's territory. However, men worked harder when they desired something passionately, and people had surprised him before. So Kiloran would dangle the promise of Wyldon's territory before Dyshon, hoping—without expecting it—that the assassin's ambition would someday prove great enough to compensate for his modest talent.
In any event, the need to kill Wyldon was entirely Tansen's fault. Tansen had won six of Kiloran's shir by surviving the ambush on Mount Dalishar shortly after Josarian's death. Knowing how notoriously rash and suspicious Wyldon was by nature, Tansen had then disguised some of his men as assassins, led an abortive attack on Wyldon's stronghold, and left behind one of the shir to cast suspicion on Kiloran. The plan had worked. Wyldon not only blamed Kiloran, he was also asking other waterlords to side with him in a feud against Kiloran—at a time when they should unite in crushing Tansen, the Guardians, and the Firebringer's loyalists.
"Have you had news," Dyshon now asked, "about how Meriten is faring?"
"Not well," Kiloran admitted, thinking of the loyal but modestly powerful waterlord trying to reclaim territory which the Society had recently lost. "The Guardians are holding fast to the Shaljir River." He silently cursed Abidan and Liadon, who had been twin brothers and waterlords. They had jointly ruled the Shaljir River, which they had lost when they both died fighting Tansen's attack on their territory. Their homes were now burned-out ruins, and sheep were reputedly being stabled in what little was left of them.
"And Verlon?" Dyshon asked.
"I've sent a letter assuring him I have no designs on his territory." But he knew Verlon, the most powerful—and the most hot-tempered—waterlord in eastern Sileria. "I doubt he'll believe me." Not with Wyldon's behavior stirring up suspicion and ill-feeling.
"What about Tansen?"
"Tansen..." This made Kiloran think of Baran again. What had one of them promised the other—if anything—in order for that bizarre marriage to take place? Could Tansen possibly trust Baran?
"Why are you laughing, siran? "
"I've had a laughable thought."
No, not Tansen. He would never make that mistake. And Baran? Kiloran wondered if Baran could be foolish enough to trust Tansen. It was a pleasing thought, but probably a futile one. Yes, Tansen would presumably show Baran what he wanted to see; that was Tansen's way. But Baran knew—surely he must know—that Tansen wanted all the waterlords dead.
All of us, Baran. No mercy for an ally.
By all the gods above and below, Tansen had killed his own bloodfather! He would spare no one if he was the victor now.
Then again, would Baran care? He was probably dying. Besides, he had killed his own allies before, and he might believe he could kill these, too, when the time came.
Or...
A new possibility occurred to Kiloran, one which chilled him. Did Baran know something he
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