Krondor: The Betrayal. Raymond E. Feist

one knows. They are swathed in robes as dark as those of your Tsurani friend and yourself, with deep hoods.’

      ‘Pantathians?’ suggested Pug.

      ‘Not snake priests, I’m certain,’ said Gorath. ‘They speak as you or I do, though there is an accent to their voices. Yet, they serve Delekhan and give him the might to unite the clans. Their magic was powerful enough to force Nago and Narab to heel on two occasions when they sought to distance themselves from Delekhan. And among our people, they were the mightiest of Spellweavers.’

      Arutha said, ‘Pug, would you bring that map over here, please?’

      Pug got the map indicated by the Prince, one of the central third of the Kingdom. He placed it on the table next to the one brought by Locklear from Yellow Mule. ‘What cause would Delekhan have to operate out of a river town in the heart of the Kingdom?’

      Pug said, ‘Perhaps because it is in the heart of the Kingdom?’ He pointed to the location. ‘When Murmandamus came against us, he moved through Highcastle, and crossed the High Wold, moving to the southwest to enter the Dimwood and strike south to Sethanon. What if this time Delekhan ran this pass here, and came down the River Cheston by barge?’

      Arutha nodded. ‘At Romney he could turn to the River Silden and north of the City of Silden he could turn westward and force march to Sethanon. It’s his fastest route and his easiest if I’ve got the Armies of the West tied up at LaMut and Tannerus and a dozen other places from here to Yabon. He’d be west of the King’s Armies, too.’

      Arutha looked at Gorath. ‘At last something starts to make sense.’

      Gorath said, ‘If I go to Romney, I may be able to find you the proof.’

      Arutha said, ‘It’s a long step from belief to trust, Gorath. Our people have been enemies too many years for trust to come easily.’

      ‘Send me with your soldiers, then,’ said Gorath. ‘Delekhan must be stopped. If you blunt his attack, send him back to the north with his nose bloodied, his own supporters will throw him down and my people will be saved. As will yours.’

      Arutha considered, and said, ‘I’ve got just the person to put on this task. But Jimmy is out conducting some other business for me right now—’

      ‘Nighthawks?’ asked Gorath.

      ‘What do you know of that?’ asked Arutha.

      Gorath explained the encounters in the sewers with the false Nighthawks and Squire James.

      Arutha nodded. ‘Someone’s anxious for me to send the army into the sewers, cleaning out the Mockers while I’m at it. The two things may be related, but they also may be coincidence.’