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m my cellar。〃 My gut wrenched as Tegry shot a nasty look in my direction and disappeared to do as he was told。
My father's actions were very puzzling。 What he said to me next was more puzzling still。 〃For once； I do not quarrel with the pany you keep。 And I did not rely alone on your sister's evaluation of Janos Greycloak。 Captain Greycloak seems to be an excellent soldier to mand the military side of such an expedition 。。。 if it is approved。 I was impressed enough with him； as a matter of fact； to invite him here to personally tell him I find no fault in his character。 It would be rude to do otherwise。〃
I heard Janos' boot steps in the hallway； and I wanted to slink away like an incontinent mongrel who had just fouled his favorite spot by the fire。 〃e in； my good captain；〃 my father called with loud cheer when Tegry announced Janos。 'Thank you for being so prompt in answering my request。〃
Janos had dressed with care and made a fine impression as he entered and bowed low。 〃It was my own great pleasure in your kind invitation that brought me so swiftly； Lord Antero；〃 Janos answered。
〃Here；… none of that；〃 my father said。 〃We should speak as equals； if you are to lead my son's expedition to the Far Kingdoms。 Call me Paphos； sir 。。。 if you please。〃
My jaw was polishing the hardwood floor。 My head was spinning with first confusion； then sheer joy。 Tears sprung to my eyes； and I felt a lump in my throat threatening to bee a great sob of relief。 I wanted to fling myself at my father's feet and babble my thanks。
My father smiled and gave me a wink。 〃Pour us a little of that wine that Tegry has fetched； Amalric；〃 he said。 〃I want Janos' opinion of it。〃
I poured and passed the goblets around。 Janos gave me an odd look； but I turned away so I wouldn't make a plete ass of myself。 I barely heard the conversation that ensued over the next hour。 The exchange must have been pleasant； as well as to Janos' credit； for there was much laughter at my father's jests and respectful silences when he related some of his favorite adventures。
I kept wondering…what had I missed？ A moment before my Finding had been denied。 Now it had been heartily approved and was being blessed with toasts of my father's best wine。 In other words； where had I gone right？ What had I said to change the notoriously stubborn mind of one Paphos Karima Antero？ Then I understood； at least partly。 His refusal had been a test。 It wasn't what I had said that won the day； but the heartfelt passion of my defense。 It was a ploy I have used many times myself since that day。 It has served me well。
〃There is one matter we need to be absolutely certain of from the beginning；〃 I heard my father tell Janos。
〃And what is that； sir？〃 Janos asked。
〃In my experience； one of the greatest causes for an expedition's failure is that a clear line of authority and responsibility is not drawn。〃
〃Your wisdom is much greater than mine；〃 Janos said。 〃So I would not presume to argue such a thing。 Especially since my own small experience bears your words out as plete and total truth。〃
〃Good；〃 my father said。 〃Then you will not quarrel with my first and only rule。 In all matters relating to the safety of the expedition； you will be in charge。 My son will in no way interfere with your dealings with the soldiers。
〃However 。。。 In all matters of business； of budget； or of trade； my son's word is law。 It is his Finding。 His expedition。 And he shall answer to me at the end for success or failure。 Is this agreed？〃
〃Without the slightest hesitation； sir；〃 Janos said。
My father turned to me。 〃Amalric 。。。 If there is to be argument about this； NOW is the time。 You don't want to leave it until you're in the desert and a horde of demons es charging over the dunes。 So 。。。 Do you agree as well？〃
I was still too gripped by emotion to do more than nod vigorously and croak my acceptance。
Janos broke in。 〃If I may be so bold； sir；〃 he said； 〃I have a small proviso of my own。〃
His words rocked me。 What was he doing？ My father had already agreed。 Why was Janos pressing for more？ I was certain my father would cancel his approval on the spot。
〃And what would that be； Captain？〃 I heard my father answer； amazed at the jovial tone of his voice。
〃I only want to know your own opinion of our ultimate goal； sir。 For I must warn you； that I will risk anything we have won； once we near that destination。 But； if you think it is only a fable we seek 。。。 now is the time for us to part pany。〃
That's torn it； I thought。 My father was not a man for fables。 I was getting my way； I thought； only because he thought there was a good chance of profit in the voyage。 It didn't matter what the goal was； as long as there was a chance for trade along the way。 And now all his good will would be dashed by Janos' ultimatum。 Still； I was curious how he would react。 I remembered it was a question I had asked 。。。 and gotten no answer。
I expected to see fury in my father's face。 Instead； it was gentle； reflective if anything。 〃That's fair；〃 he said at last。 〃I would want to know the same if I were in your boots。〃 He refilled his glass and sipped。 〃We share a mon dream； Captain；〃 he said at last。 〃The Far Kingdoms have held me in their spell since I was a child。〃
He must have heard me gasp； for he turned his head and gave me an odd； twisted smile。 〃I've never told anyone this；〃 he said to me。 〃But I once sat where you sit now； son。 Pleading with my own father to go on such an expedition to the east。 He refused me。 And I have regretted it every day since that moment。〃
I stumbled for words。 A moment ago； in my thoughts； I was accusing my father of being a profit…hungry merchant； with a soul too small for fables or dreams。 〃But 。。。 How could he？ Everyone knows you were a great voyager。 Why； many of our trade routes would not exist if it weren't for you。〃
My father waved the praise away。 〃Anyone could have done the same。 This is not humility speaking； for the gods know I am not a humble man。 The fact is； few young men set out on really important Findings in my day。 So it was easy to stand out in so small a pany。 I saw then Orissa's world was shrinking； not expanding。 And it has only grown worse since our victory over Lycanth。 Now it takes small effort to be a rich man。 We only have to ply the nice； safe ports of the past。 Which is why there have been so few important explorations since my time。 And this is the reason I give my blessing。 If Orissa does not seek； then soon it will not exist。〃
〃Then you do believe in the Far Kingdoms？〃 I asked。
My father hesitated for a long moment。 Then； 〃Let me put it this way 。。。 I prefer to believe。 There must always be a place for seekers to seek。 We are all born with the curse of a yearning heart。 And if the answer is only an extra crust of bread snatched from our brethren； then what is the point of it all？ So I give you my blessing； son。 And you； too； good captain。 Seek the Far Kingdoms。 Find them； if you can。 By the gods； if the Far Kingdoms do exist； I will go to my grave a happy man； knowing an Antero breathed their air。〃 He raised his goblet to his lips and drank it dry。 〃Is that answer enough； Captain？〃 he asked； briskly。
〃More than I could have ever asked； sir；〃 Janos answered； his voice as respectful as I would ever hear it。 〃I thank you。〃
〃No thanks required；〃 my father said。 He turned to me。 〃It is settled； then。 Now； all that impedes you is permission from the Council of Evocators。〃
My heart gave a jott。 I had forgotten about the Evocators。 No trading expedition was permitted without their approval； and that approval could not be won unless money and promises of more money exchanged hands。 Even this was no guarantee that the omens would be favorable。 Especially for a venture like this； a venture I had boasted to my father was far from the ordinary Findings of my peers。 There would be a casting。 How the Evocators would read those bones was always in doubt。 Especially for an Antero。
My father read my face and refilled our glasses。 〃Let me see how I can help you；〃 he said。 〃I have a few debts owed that are far past repayment。 Meanwhile 。。。〃 He lifted his goblet。 'To the Far Kingdoms！〃
'To the Far Kingdoms；〃 we echoed。 As we drank I looked across my goblet at Janos。 He was smiling； but the smile seemed uncertain。 At least I wasn't the only one worrying about the Council of Evocators。
IN THE DAYS of my Finding the budgeting of an expedition was done by what we merchantmen called the Rule of Three。 One part of the cost went to equipment； the second to the men of the party； and the third for the gods。 Profits of a successful expedition were divided by me Rule of Four： two parts for the merchant and backers； one part for the members of the expedition or their survivors at home； and the final part was once again for the gods。 The Evocators collected the gods' coin； and it was the joke at the time that the eldest Evocator threw all the coins into the air。 Whatever stayed up remained with the gods。 Whatever fell to the floor was for the Evocators。
Unfortunately for the purposes of true accounting； neither rule was pletely accurate。 The cost of just securing an appointment before the Council could add up to a small river of silver as the merchant slipped 〃gifts〃 to Evocator clerks and priestly aides。 An even more princely 〃gift〃 would have to be given to one of the members of the Council to champion the merchantman's cause before his colleagues。 There was no getting around this； although it was rumored many had tried； been caught； and then banned from all trade for life…assuming the Evocators had been kind enough to leave the errant trader a life to suffer。
Next came lengthy and expensive purification rites； and then a Casting of the Bones by one of the supplicants。 A good omen was not necessarily assured； even if that small river of coin were a flood。 For sometimes an ill omen was so powerful it was impossible to deny。 But a bad omen was guaranteed if the merchantman was niggardly in distributing the 〃gifts。〃 As 〃for the four rules of profit division； a wise merchant sweetened the part collected by the Evocators with more handfuls of silver…privately disbursed。 This was to get past another Orissan law； which stated that every object borne by the returning expedition must be tested for spiritual purity。 It was also a given； and no amount of 〃gifting〃 could circumvent this； that anything that advanced sorcerous knowledge automatically belonged to the Evocators。 Any book； talisman； powder； or potion that met this definition had to be immediately turned over to the Council。 The penalty for breaking this law was death。
Since my Finding was for the explicit purpose of mapping a route through the mysterious and deadly barriers…some physical； some sorcerous…that so narrowed our world at that time； a great deal of attention would be paid to this law。 The Council of Evocators would require brassbound guarantees if it was to permit our expedition to the legendary Far Kingdoms。
But my father was an experienced and masterful hand in such things。 In the art of wooing the Evocators； Paphos Karima Antero had few masters。 Despite his unpopularity with the Council； he was so knowledgeable in negotiating the crooks and alcoves of its administrative maze； he rarely failed to win his way and at a better price than most。 A stroke of a quill in a ledger book or its absence can sometimes have powerful results。 So as I worried over my future from the perspective of a youth looking up at an enormous mountain that must be mastered； my father went to work… dropping a word here； a purse there； and cashing in old favors owed。
Finally the day came。 It was early summer； a time of morning mists and warm afternoon suns。 The scent of orange and budding rosemary pleasured the air。 The sunlight seemed exceptionally bright。 We waited in the gardens behind the Evocators' Palace。 We wore the pure white robes of supplicants and were freshly scrubbed and anointed with purification oils。 Our innards were growling with emptiness from the three…day fast and purging required for the rites。 My tension was heightened by my father's last words as we left the house。 〃Be on your guard；〃 he'd warned。 〃Do exactly as you are told 。。。 and nothing more。 The destination you chose for your