“Well” — Taniel’s mouth watered at the smell of the cornbread — ”what do you want?”
“I’ve come to apologize,” Mihali said.
Ka-poel patted the cot beside her.
“Thank you!” Mihali took a seat, and Taniel felt a stab of jealousy.
“Apologize? For telling me to make amends with Doravir and getting me kicked out of the Adran army?”
Mihali’s eyebrows rose. “Heavens, no. That needed to happen.”
“It
Mihali waved a hand as if it were of little consequence.
“I came to apologize because I told you that I would not help you kill Kresimir and that I did not think he needed to die.”
Taniel couldn’t help it any longer. His hand reached out, as if it had a mind of its own, and took a piece of cornbread. He bit in and was instantly glad. The cornbread was soft and moist, seemingly melting in his mouth, and the honey tasted as if it were straight from the comb.
“You changed your mind?” Taniel asked around bites.
“I wish,” Mihali said, plucking a piece of cornbread from the platter and smearing it with fruit spread, “that this could be solved amicably. Or even at all. A couple of months ago I made a deal with Kresimir that neither of us would contribute to the war directly. Since then it’s gone badly for the Adran side — as you can tell — but things are not well in the Kez camp either.” Mihali paused to lick honey and crumbs off his fingertips. “Kresimir has taken to killing his own people at an alarming rate.”
“Good,” Taniel snorted.
“No,” Mihali said. “Not good. I speak with Kresimir often. We can bridge space for that purpose, and when we do, I can see a bit into his mind. He’s going mad.” Mihali swallowed and looked down at his cornbread sadly. “Quite thoroughly mad.”
“I don’t care.”
“Taniel, how long do you think a mad god would stick to killing his own people? He might very well try to destroy the Nine. Perhaps even the whole world. I don’t think he could — not even Kresimir is that powerful — but if he tried, it would probably kill every living thing in this part of the world.”
“I already stopped him once,” Taniel said.
“Which makes you particularly suited to the task.”
“Couldn’t you stop him?”
“Sorcery is predictable in some ways,” Mihali said. “There are patterns that all Privileged use, from the lowliest sorcerer all the way up to Kresimir. I can predict those patterns and counter them. However, if Kresimir lashes out in his madness, it will be completely random. I could protect myself, but no one else.”
Taniel thought on this for a few moments. Could a god actually go mad?
“It’s from the bullet, isn’t it?”
Mihali seemed to think on this for a moment. “I have heard reports — when I lurk about the generals’ staff meetings — from their spies. There is a rumor in the Kez camp that Kresimir coughs blood into his pillow. That he wanders the halls of his compound at night and accosts his own guards, demanding to know whether they are the eye behind the flintlock.”
Taniel’s mouth went dry. The eye behind the flintlock. Who else could it possibly be but him? Kresimir was looking for him in his madness. The words felt like bile coming out, but Taniel asked, “Can he be healed? At least enough to see reason?”
“I don’t know,” Mihali said. “I broached the subject with him last night. He was furious. The explosion over in Budwiel? You must have heard it. That was him. It killed thousands of Kez camp followers.”
“No great loss.”
Mihali scowled. Taniel felt a flicker at the edge of his senses, like sorcery was being used. He suddenly wondered whether he should be this close to Mihali.
“Those people,” Mihali said, visibly restraining himself, “were not soldiers. They were laundresses and bakers and boot makers. Their lives were snuffed out in an instant because I asked Kresimir the wrong question and he grew angry.” Mihali shook his head. “I understand that killing is your profession, but every loss of life is great. Especially so many, and all on the…”
Mihali fell silent. He helped himself to another piece of cornbread and chewed thoughtfully. His eyes fell on the dolls laid out opposite him by Ka-poel, and his fingers twitched as if he were nervous.
“He’s coherent enough to create these Powder Wardens,” Taniel said.
Mihali said, “It’s the only thing that gives me hope for his recovery. He’s not all gone. I might be able to heal him. I would need to restrain Kresimir, though, and I can’t do that on my own.”
Mihali was looking at Ka-poel when he said that. Taniel didn’t like it one bit.
“How?”
“She can do it,” Mihali said, nodding at Ka-poel. “I think I mentioned that in my varied lives I have had some contact with Bone-eyes. Their magic is uniquely suited to fighting, harming, protecting, and even controlling individuals. I’ve never known one with even a fraction of Ka-poel’s power. And to think, she taught herself to do all this…” Mihali trailed off. He was breathless, his face flushed.
