And her father had no such penchant for implanting agents. He was too straightforward in his thinking to have much use for spies.'
'Well then, cousin, those are things we must find out-'
Tasaio made a gesture, symbolic of the sword's thrust.
'You speak as if the girl leads a charmed life. She does not; I arranged to have the outworld barbarians kill her father and brother on our behalf - rather neatly if I may say so.
Sezu and Lanokota bled and died as other men do, clutching their opened guts and squirming in the mud.'
Passion lent fire to Tasaio's words. 'If the Acoma claim the Mad God's luck, it certainly didn't serve Mara's father an brother very well!'
Desio almost smiled, before he recalled that his father had ended the same way, in agony on his own sword. Petulantly he poked at the pillows that crumpled under his weight. 'If there are spies, then, how shall we flush them out?'
Incomo drew breath to answer, then deferred to a glance from Tasaio. 'If my Lord permits, I would offer a suggestion.'
Desio waved his assent. Interested enough to forget his various aches, Incomo leaned forward to hear the young warrior's advice.
Instinctively, Tasaio made use of the wind that rattled the screens. Timing the gusts to mask his voice against the chance he might be overheard, he said, 'A spy is of little use if if his information is not employed. So we turn that fact to our advantage.
'I recommend that you formulate some activities that would be detrimental to Acoma interests. Order your Force Commander to mount a raid against a caravan or outlying holding. Next day- you let slip to your grain factor that you intend to undercut the Acoma thyza prices in the markets in the City of the Plains.' Tasaio paused, lending the appearance that he sat at ease, sharing confidences. And yet Incomo noted with approval that he did not entirely relax; the glitter in his eyes betrayed that he watched, always, for trouble. 'If Mara defends her caravans, we know we have a spy in the barracks. If she withholds her thyza crop from market, we establish that we have an Acoma disguised as a clerk. After that, it becomes a matter of digging out the informer.'
'Very clever, Tasaio,' Incomo said. 'I had thought of a similar tactic, but there remains one telling flaw. We cannot afford to sell our thyza at a loss; and won't we reveal our machinations to the Acoma when no attack befalls the caravan?'
'We would if we failed to attack.' Tasaio's eyelids hooded slightly. 'But we will attack, and be defeated.'
Angered, Desio punched his pillows. 'Defeated? And lose more position in the council?'
Tasaio raised his hand, thumb and forefinger poised a scant inch apart. 'Only a little defeat, cousin. Enough to provide proof that we are compromised. I have plans for that spy, when we find him . . . with your permission, of course, my Lord.'
The moment was smoothly handled, Incomo observed with hidden admiration. Without coming to grips with Desio directly, Tasaio had let slip the assumption that the young Lord would receive his due credit; the other side of the issue being that permission, of course, would be granted.
Desio swallowed the bait, but missed the larger impli~
tions. 'When we catch this traitor, I will see him tortured j.
the name of the Red God until his flesh is twitching pulp.'
His plump fist pummelled cushions for emphasis, and hi'
nose deepened from pink to purple. ~N
But as if he handled irate nobility on a daily basis, Tas~
showed no alarm. 'That would be gratifying, cousin,' he .
agreed. 'Yet, to kill that spy, however horribly ~n.llA ^
the Acoma a victory.'
'What!' Desio stopped thumping and shot erect. 'Cousin; you make my head ache. What could the Minwanabi gain but insult by keeping a miserable spy alive?' ~
Tasaio settled back on one elbow and casually plucked a fruit from a bowl on a side table. As though its ripe skin were flesh, he stroked his nail down the curve in what seemed almost a caress. 'We need this spy's contacts, honoured Lord. It serves our cause to ensure that our Acoma enemies learn only what we wish them to know.' The warrior's ; hands gripped the fruit and gave a vicious twist. The jomach split in half, with barely a splash of red juice. 'Let the spy set up our next trap.' ~
Incomo considered, then smiled. Desio looked from his i