e fool told me it violated all of the laws of thaumaturgy…so it must be black sorcery。 He ordered me to give it to him so that he could 'purify' it。 I took it back and told him what he might well face if he mentioned the statue to anyone。〃
〃Where did you get it？〃
〃My father gave it to me as a gift on my first birthing day。 It was not broken then。 When I was six he told me where it came from。 My mother said it had cost him three war mounts…stallions whose lineage went back to the Horsegod himself。〃
〃Your father said it came from the Far Kingdoms？〃 I guessed。
〃Yes。〃
I was silent； thinking again of those peasant tales of the mysterious eastern lands beyond。 How great sorcerers ruled and how they could even make battle magic that could stand against the strongest counterspells。 How the streets and statues were solid gold。 Here was hard evidence of some master wizard's work； something the most adept Evocator of Orissa would herald as his lifetime achievement and deem worthy of a king's wedding gift。
〃How was it broken； if I may ask？〃
Janos's face was still。 〃This is not the day for such a tale；〃 he said。
I changed the subject。 〃Your first premise carries weight；〃 I said； handing the maiden back to Janos。 〃But just to be stubborn I must bring up the counter that no one knows of every conjurer in the world。 Not just ones from still undiscovered cities； but those whose weird it is to live in solitary haunts…in jungles or mountains。〃
〃True。 But not that powerful a rejoinder。 My second and third arguments have less substance； and I cannot give you anything to hold in your hand。 But hear them out。 You've heard them call me a Lycanthian。 But I am not； even though I spent years in their service。 In truth I e from another land； across the Narrow Sea from Lycanth； in Valaroi。 A land of high mountains and small glens。 Kostroma。〃
〃I have never heard of it；〃 I confessed。
〃No。 You would not have。〃 He started to elaborate； then changed his mind。 〃Not far from my family's stronghold was a traders' route。 They paid tribute to my father； and he provided soldiery to keep them safe from those without law。 Where they paid tribute； they held a bazaar。 This would be twice； sometimes three times a year； and for us； those fairs were as big an excitement as the Day of Sowing。 My father would sometimes invite one of the traders to our home。 He would feed and guest the man lavishly。 Not just out of courtesy； but because this was the only means for our out…of…the…way land to learn of the world beyond。 Among the stories they told were of the Far Kingdoms。〃
〃I must interrupt you here；〃 I said。 〃Surely you aren't telling me you trust the word of traders？ We are renowned for swearing a yard of goods was custom…woven for a high priestess' mystery； if it means we can knock the price up a copper or two。〃
〃Nevertheless；〃 Janos said； 〃it was most interesting listening to their tales。 And not one of them ever said he had visited the Far Kingdoms。 Nor did any claim to have even seen their border posts。 But all who had traveled to the east had seen their trade goods。 Luxury items that had passed from hand to hand； their price increasing at each step。 Sometimes they would even cautiously show such a bauble to us； something that would be well beyond the modest profit my father's herds earned： lutes that when strummed by a stable boy would make him seem a fine troubadour； a gown； or even a veil； that would turn the most coarse serving wench into a dazzling seductress。 And there were other things…like my little dancing maiden…that were even more marvelous。 Incantations beyond any we knew of； and to this day they are still beyond any I have ever encountered in my travels。〃
I said nothing： Janos may have thought this second premise but idle gossip； but it wasn't to the son of a merchant prince； We； too； had heard of…and sometimes seen…devices that struck wonder into our hearts； even if none were as exotic as Janos' tiny dancer。 And it would be claimed that they were from the Far Kingdoms； which always produced guffaws all around。 Since it was known that there were wizards of great power hidden in the lonely places； these goods were generally ascribed to one or another of them。 But why； I suddenly wondered； was it considered more logical to believe in a sorcerer hiding in a swamp； a conjuror in a jungle； an enchanter on another mountaintop； rather than to theorize there might be a single source for these fineries？
I asked Janos the same question。 〃That's easy to answer；〃 he said。 〃Since when does any man or woman like to think that there is a person or place more gifted； more civilized； than where they e from？〃
I nodded。 〃Yes。 Certainly my father has reminded me often enough that when I go afield I should not brag loudly on the wonders of Orissa。 Boasting like that； even if it's true； gets nothing but resentment from bumpkins； even if they pretend to be awed as you boast。 Your argument is doing better than I thought it would； Captain Greycloak。 What is your third premise？〃
〃Perhaps we should find another wineshop before I tell it to you； since it seems to slide more easily down the craw with lubrication。 And rightly the tale should be told only when everyone is somewhat pickled； and it is a stormy midnight outside。〃
〃A ghost story？ I'm partial to them；〃 I said。
〃Ghosts？ I don't know。 You can call them what you want。 But this is a tale that happened to me personally。〃
We found a shop with its own arbor and an agreeably smiling maid to serve the shop's fine vintage。
〃There were times；〃 Janos said； 〃when our haruspex would dream the moment had e to sacrifice a particular animal； one that would be chosen from my family's own herds。 Mostly the entrails would reveal nothing； but on occasion the diviner would see something terrible。 At that time he would order a curfew。 All men and women； girls and boys of our valley would have to be inside from dusk to dawn。 The flocks would be abandoned； the watch…towers unmanned for as long as four nights。
〃Our people would huddle at fireside； shutters or curtains drawn tight。 Sometimes 。。。 rarely 。。。 there would e a thunder； the same thunder a cavalry patrol makes outriding in a swift patrol。 There were those who swore they could hear the creak of harness and even the clatter of hooves against the cobbles as the patrol crossed one of our few paved squares。 But at dawn there would be no hoof marks in the roadway。 Nothing at all。〃
〃What was out there in the night？〃 I wondered。 〃Or was it just thunder？ The gods know I convinced myself often enough； lying awake as a boy； that I heard all manner of demons in the street outside our villa； or sometimes on the roof just above my balcony； where they were waiting to pounce。 But I'd like to think that I would have been foolish enough to slip out unnoticed to see those ghost horsemen。〃
〃I did just that。〃 Janos half smiled； a smile of approval for my imagined audacity。 〃I let myself down from my bedchamber with a rope I'd stolen from the guardroom earlier that day； when the prophet shouted his latest warning。〃
〃But of course the horsemen didn't materialize that time；〃 I guessed。
〃That was not what happened at all。 I'd cleverly listened to all the tales and carved a small map of the area around our citadel。 On it I'd marked where the riders had been reported most frequently。 One such place was a narrow pass； about eight spearcasts…we measured things in that way in Kostromo； which would have been about one…third of a league…beyond one of my father's byres。 I hid myself in an olive tree below the pass。 The moon was just past half。 Then I waited。 I don't know for how long。 Being perhaps eight or nine； probably I would have slept； in spite of my excitement。 The noise woke me。 Just as the herdsmen had said； I heard crashing horses' hooves。〃
〃But you saw nothing。〃
〃Nothing in the pass；〃 Janos said； looking down into his goblet as if it were an oracle's pool； giving him a vision of the past。 〃But I saw something…two somethings…ride to the hilltop overlooking that pass。 Two riders。 Men； I thought them to be。 They wore armor…or at any rate I saw the gleam of plate and spears。 High…roached helms。 Even their mounts seemed protected； since I saw ano