left again, it would probably only
provoke a duel to the death between Peppino and Sordello. Let things be.
A few weeks from now, at most, he could forget the whole damned lot of
them, Tartars and all.

But Sordello's reemergence as leader of the crossbowmen raised another
question: Would it offend the Armenians?

They came now to wooden steps leading into the shadowy upper reaches of
de Verceuil's castle. Simon looked dubiously at them.

"Trust me, Your Signory, as in any palace, the best apartments are on
the top floor."

_Trust you? When God invites Lucifer to move back into heaven._

And it was equally unlikely that de Verceuil would provide anything
truly grand for Simon. He shrugged and let Sordello climb the wooden
steps ahead of him.

"What about the Armenian prince, Hethum? Does he still want your blood?"

Sordello laughed and looked back over his shoulder. "All settled, Your
Signory. I know Viterbo, as I know most of these Umbrian hill towns, and
I entertained all the Armenians for a night and a day, at my expense.
The best taverns, the best whorehouses. Hethum and I are friends now."

One did not entertain so lavishly on the fifteen florins a month
Sordello would receive as capitano of the archers. Doubtless he had
found other ways to line his pockets.

The mention of whorehouses reminded Simon of the plight of the girl
Rachel. He must find out if Friar Mathieu had done anything to help her.

On the musty-smelling fourth floor of the cardinal's palace, Sordello
led Simon through five connected rooms. Two of them were bare of
furniture, but Simon saw rumpled beds and traveling chests in the other
three. In the last one a black-robed priest sat at a desk by a window,
writing. He frowned at Simon and Sordello as if to reprove them for
disturbing him.

"These are the good apartments?" Simon said when Sordello ushered him
into a bare chamber with a small bed in one corner and a smaller trundle
bed beside it. The window was large, but covered by wooden shutters.
Simon pushed them open to let in more light.

Sordello shrugged. "This is truly the best available, Your Signory. The
cardinal has many people in his employ, and many guests. I would not
leave those shutters open too long if I were you. Even though it is only
April, the flies and mosquitos are numerous already. A wet winter always
brings them out."

_Not worth the trouble to complain about the room. I won't be here that
long._

"Tell Friar