The Church's Wish

Lymond Lychester burst into the study.

The old man's face was flushed with excitement, his breathing like a battered bellows.

He rushed to the desk, waving his arms through the air and nearly knocking over the inkwell.

"Suleiman!"

"The Faith! The Faith says that, in order to help us rebuild the Riverlands, they want to..."

He caught his breath, his voice trembling with wild joy.

"They want to give us two hundred thousand Gold Dragons! A full two hundred thousand!"

Suleiman raised his head from behind the piles of parchment.

Lymond Lychester's joy burned like a flame, but all Suleiman felt was an icy chill.

He rose to his feet and calmly walked around the desk.

"Something's wrong."

His voice was quiet, yet it was like a bucket of cold water poured over Lymond Lychester's head.

"What could be wrong? That's two hundred thousand Gold Dragons!"

Suleiman did not answer. He walked outside.

"Guard."

A Long Retainer Guard immediately stepped forward, one hand resting on his sword hilt.

"Summon every member of the council. At once."

The Long Retainer Guard vanished down the end of the corridor.

Before long, hurried footsteps began to sound one after another.

Olivier, the chief administrator of the council, arrived first. He was as steady as ever.

Hubbard, the master of coin, followed behind, his plump face full of shrewdness.

Last came Polly Hewen, president of the Monopoly Guild, doubt glinting in the bastard's eyes.

Suleiman did not bother with pleasantries.

He looked at Polly Hewen, his gaze sharp.

"Polly, has anything unusual happened recently?"

The Monopoly Guild's reach extended throughout the Riverlands, and one of its functions was to serve as his eyes and ears.

Polly Hewen's expression turned solemn as he considered the matter carefully.

"My lord, I don't know whether this counts."