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that were left to be gotten to."
"So NOW YOU'RE A HERO," PALUDAN SAID, WHEN ELSE Appeared before him the next
day.
"Not a very successful one." He ached all over, still. His eye and his ears
were not yet right The red circles were worse. They were not restricted to his
face, either. He felt old and tired despite ten hours of sleep.
"But one of ours," Gervase Saluda said. "Out there making the Bruglioni name
shine."
Paludan scowled. He was not pleased, despite the positive reflection on die
Bruglioni name. The whole city would now notice mat one of its richest men had
sent just a handful of men to help defend Brothe. And that neither Gervase nor
Paludan, nor any of their handful of men, had become involved in the fighting.
Only the name Piper Hecht would stand out
Else replied, "I did what I could. I didn't do it well enough. I lost the
witch. I never saw me two blond thugs. Or the sorcerer who rescued the witch.
Masant al-Seyhan could strut in here right now and I wouldn't know enough to
duck."
Saluda sneered. "All mat perishes before the fact that you were one of the
rare few who actually fought the Calzirans. You were the one who distracted
their mages long enough for the Collegium to break the pirates."
"How is that going?" Else asked mat rather than why Paludan was determined
to be disgruntled by a Brothen success.
"Not good for die pirates. Groups are cut off all over. They just want to
leave Brothe, now. But that isn't working for mem. There aren't any boats
left"
Paludan grumbled, "The Calziran wizards are frantic. They keep trying to
salvage their manpower. But mat isn't going well, either."
Else asked, "We know diat they survived, then?" A concen
tration on force preservation? Military thinking, that Which
ought to be alien to the pirates. J
Paludan grunted. He was ready for a change of subject.
The Bruglioni properties had come through unscathed. Gervase and Paludan
wanted to sit back and let someone else clean up. They had little idea of the
reality out mere in the Mother City. Men with no personal stake in Brothe, the
Imperials and those squatters who had enlisted for the pay, had done and were
doing most of the fighting. Neither group would take risks. They were
disinclined to die for a city mat disdained them.
Mr. Caniglia appeared. "Master Paludan, your uncle has arrived. He'll be up
in a few minutes."
Saluda told Else, "They may have to carry him. He has trot* ble with
stairs." He did not seem pleased by the visit.
Divino Bruglioni arrived puffing, presumably due to the change of attitude.
His footmen seated him in a chair the house maintained exclusively for the
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Bruglioni Principal, then withdrew. "Stay, Captain Hecht," Principal^ Divino
said when Else started to follow.
Paludan's face darkened. But he controlled himself, a habit he had developed
since the deaths of his sons.
Principal Divino told Else, "I hear you did quite well out there."
"I managed to get myself beaten to a pulp."
"You were in the right place at the right time. You distracted our most
dangerous enemies at the critical moment."
"I guarantee you, it wasn't part of my grand scheme. I did what I thought
needed doing. If those mystery blond men hadn't turned up I'd be just another
body to chunk in the river."
"Possibly. Possibly. What can you tell me about those people?"
"The blond men? I never saw them. I just heard about them. I was unconscious
when they got there. Sergeant Bechter told me they were there. Bechter from
the Brotherhood."
"How about the Calziran sorcerers?"
"I only saw tile woman."
"Any idea why they survived?"
"Had to be the timing. The blonds showed up before the Calzirans were done
with me."
The Principate continued asking questions, moving to the Bruglioni
household. He demonstrated a close knowledge of Else's efforts. Closer than
Paludan or Gervase. Paludan was unaware that some staff had been replaced.
The old man changed course. "Paludan. What are you doing to get family back
from the country?"
Paludan looked vaguely bewildered. He had sent letters. Followed by
threatening letters. "They're stalling around, Uncle. But they'll respond
eventually."
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