Read Online By Heresies Distressed by David Weber - Free Book Online Page A

he gave himself a small shake.
    â€œNow, Father,” he said more briskly. “I don’t want to get into too many particulars at the moment, but I can tell you that we have at least one or two quite wealthy supporters here in Charis. Some of them are prepared to place that wealth at the Temple Loyalists’ service. Obviously, we can’t permit any one of them to contribute too heavily.”
    Banahr looked a bit confused, and Halcom shook his head.
    â€œThink about it, Father,” he said patiently. “It’s unlikely that someone like Wave Thunder isn’t making a list of people—especially wealthy or powerful people—he might suspect of Temple Loyalist sympathies. If a sizable percentage of one of those wealthy suspects’ wealth should suddenly disappear, it would ring all sorts of alarm bells in Wave Thunder’s mind. So it’s essential that any contributions to our cause be both carefully hidden and not so large as to obviously impact upon the wealth of the contributors.”
    Banahr was nodding again, and Halcom sat back in his chair and raised both hands, palms uppermost.
    â€œFortunately, I’ve managed to make contact with a few people—some of them in Tellesberg, some of them not—who are prepared to channel ‘charitable contributions’ through various monasteries and convents and into our hands. That, to be honest, would be the greatest service Saint Hamlyn’s could provide to our cause at this time.”
    No one on Safehold had yet reinvented the term “money-laundering,” but Halcom had the essentials of the practice down pat.
    â€œOf course!” Banahr said promptly.
    â€œThink about it carefully, Father,” Halcom cautioned. “The possibility that, sooner or later, Wave Thunder or one of his spies is going to come up with something that could be traced back to you definitely exists. And for all of Cayleb’s sanctimonious disavowal of ‘repressive measures,’ he’s also made it clear that anyone who lends himself to supporting armed resistance to the Crown or to Staynair’s corrupt régime within the Church will face the sternest penalties.”
    â€œI’m not in love with the concept of martyrdom, My Lord,” Banahr replied somberly. “I’m not
afraid
of it, either, though. If it’s God’s will that I should die doing His work, then I will have been blessed above all other men.”
    â€œThat’s true, Father,” Halcom said quietly, his eyes warm. “That’s very true. In fact, it’s that truth which makes it possible for me to go back into the ‘dragon’s mouth,’ as you put it. And sooner or later, Cayleb and Staynair—and, yes, even
Seijin
Merlin—are going to discover that no one can ultimately defeat men who remember that. And when they discover that, they’re also going to find themselves giving account to God and Langhorne, and
that
, Father Ahzwald, is something they’re
not
going to enjoy.”

. I .
Cherayth,
Kingdom of Chisholm,
Empire of Charis
    â€œWelcome to Cherayth, Your Majesty.”
    The man who’d been waiting at the foot of the gangway bowed deeply as Cayleb Ahrmahk, Emperor of Charis, stepped off it onto the stone quay and set foot for the very first time upon the soil of the Kingdom of Chisholm. Cayleb had never met the tall, silver-haired Chisholmian with the deep, strong voice, but he’d been looking forward to making the older man’s acquaintance. Not, unfortunately, without a certain amount of trepidation. Fortunately, the Chisholmian’s greeting seemed sincere, although it was hard to be certain, since just hearing him was more than a bit difficult, under the circumstances. The harbor behind Cayleb was crowded with Charisian warships and Charisian transports packed to the gills with Charisian Marines. Even the enormous waters of Cherry Bay seemed congested and crowded well