Destiny Read Free

gesturing dismissal as she smiled. "I just realized that our best defense against what the renegade is trying will be the worst thing you can do to a man. As soon as I get a few more details ironed out, I'll tell everyone what I have in mind. In the meantime, what was the other thing that man told you?"
    "Oh, yes, I almost forgot about that," Idresia said with a small start. "I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I have people watching the various approaches into the city. The renegade lost a lot of men when more than half of his force deserted him, and I didn't want to get caught unawares if he managed to replace those men."
    "That was really good thinking, Idresia," Driff said with his brows high. "I hate to admit it, but the thought never would have occurred to me. I'll have to remember to give myself a commendation for putting you in charge of our spy force, but first I'd like to know how many more men the renegade now has."
    "So far he doesn't have any more men, Driff," Idresia answered with faintly embarrassed amusement. "My people were watching for reinforcements, but instead they witnessed the arrival of two members of the nobility. It was a man and a woman on horseback looking somewhat worse for wear, but my people were certain about their origins. Forgive me, Edmin, but there's no mistaking the unconscious arrogance that members of the former nobility carry themselves with even when they're dirty and tired."
    "No apology necessary, Idresia," Edmin answered with his own amusement. "Issini and I were both aware of the problem, which is why I agreed to that disguise as an old man. Shuffling along bent over was the only way to disguise my usual … thrust through life's unimportances. I take it that you're going to have the two people watched?"
    "Actually, I arranged to have them intercepted and brought here," Idresia replied, a trace of uncertainty now in her gaze. "We can't afford to assume that they won't make trouble, not now with everything else going on, and if they happen to join the renegade and his family he'll have the worst kind of reinforcement: more and possibly better thinkers and planners. That would be worse for us than his getting more men."
    "Yes, I'm forced to agree," Driff said after thinking about Idresia's decision for a moment. "At first I was going to say that we can't just arrest and detain those people when they haven't done anything illegal, but that rule applied before we lost all our High talents. No one can argue that we're in a state of emergency now, and if we're going to hold things together we'll have to bend a few of the rules."
    "Bend the rules, yes, but not break them completely," Idresia said, her gaze now showing more certainty. "If those people have no interest in making trouble either alone or with the renegade, I mean to turn them loose again. I hope you two men will be able to tell me whether or not that's a good idea."
    Driff exchanged a glance with Edmin, seeing the former noble's brief startlement before pleased pride took its place. It was fairly obvious that Edmin still wasn't used to being trusted, but his reaction clearly said that he intended to get used to that state of affairs.
    "Well, Edmin and I aren't much when it comes to talent, but we'll certainly do our best," Driff said to Idresia in as pitiful a way as he could manage before turning to the other man. "Isn't that right, Edmin? We'll do our pitiful best?"
    "Yes, we certainly will, Driff," Edmin agreed, apparently trying to sound as humble as Driff had. The problem was Edmin didn't know how to sound humble, so all his effort produced among the group was laughter.
    "As long as you two meager talents are willing to try," Idresia said with amusement while Issini laughed aloud. "We do have to work with what we have, you know."
    "Speaking of what we have to work with, we still haven't told Har our news," Issini pointed out then. "We don't want her thinking we're holding out on her, do we?"
    "Aha, so you are holding