“There’s plenty of work for an Inquisitor here.”

“A dirty business that- done by Jaderac. Another Sardean.”

“Yes. Another Sardean.”

“That place seems infested with dark magicians,” Again there was that slight mocking note in his voice. “If you wanted to make a case for the invasion that would play well with the Temple, you could not have done better.”

“Surely you are not implying that I have fabricated all this?”

“No, dear lady, I am not, but you must understand this- we are both a long way from the Amber city, and many strange theories get thrown about there, by people who have not been on the spot, who would like to believe that you have some ulterior motive, who suspect you perhaps of being as political as themselves.”

“You are not like that, of course.”

“I am a simple servant of the Temple. I seek only to establish the truth of what is going on here.”

Asea laughed outright. “The function of the Inquisition has changed over the past few years.”

Joran joined in her mirth. “No. That is not the case. You know as well as I that the Inquisition has many levels and many functions. Some Inquisitors seek out heretics. Some correct the errors of our human subjects. Some, like myself, are concerned with the realities of politics and seeing that the Temple navigates those tricky shoals without foundering.”

“I have heard that you bear the gift of the cleansing flame.”

“That is another of my functions. In this life we are all called on to play many roles.”

“You have seen how it is here. The dead do not rest, and those that are not burned rise again.”

“You have some theory about why this is happening now?”

“Jaderac performed a dreadful ritual and unleashed strange powers. I think someone else has assayed that ritual on a far larger scale.”

“I have heard reports that the dead walk throughout Kharadrea. Surely no spell can be that powerful, not on this world at least.”

“Who can tell? All winter winds of corruption carried this plague from the East and those who die of it rise again to threaten us. I think someone there has mastered ancient necromancy. I think they are using such sorcery as the Princes of Shadow used.”

“Such magic is impossible.”

“Events have proved that to be untrue. If someone has opened a Gate there are ways of bleeding power from it. With such power, one could perform so powerful a spell.”

“That is not the only thing you could do. If you could open a Gate, you could bring the Princes of Shadow and their armies to our world.”

“I see you grasp the danger of our situation and why I am concerned and think the Queen should be too.”

“You suspect that the Sardeans may be behind this.”

There was an urgency in Joran’s voice now that was obvious even to Rik. For all his earlier questioning they seemed to have come to the point in the interview that held most interest for him. Rik shook his head. Perhaps the Inquisitor merely wanted Asea to think that, perhaps it was a feint designed to hide his true interests and intentions.

“Yes,” said Asea.

“Why do you think that?”

“Malkior was very powerful there, a former Chancellor. He was in a position to encourage the rot.”

“It always comes back to him with you, doesn’t it?”

“Perhaps because that is the way of things.”

“His death begs other questions.”

“I know. Who were his followers? Who will replace him as their leader? How great was his influence?”

“How high does the corruption go? He was the Empress Arachne’s lover.”

“I know that too.”

Rik thought he saw where this was going. If the Taloreans successfully invaded Sardea, there would be purges of all the people under discussion. This was a weapon that could be used to discredit the Queen Empress and all of Malkior’s party and be used to replace them. Tamara would not do well if the Taloreans won.

In many ways it did not really matter whether Malkior was a Shadowblood or not. He could see that it would suit the powers that be in Talorea to believe that he was.