[Gaby Moreno]

Any insight would be helpful, this series has so much provocative mystery in it.

1) Any guesses on how long the Skeos and Sarcellus skin-spies were in place?

2) I'm not sure what to make of this--Synthese speaking to Inrau "No different, I suppose, from what you were doing in the *Shriah's apartments*, hmmm?"  Did Inrau actually get into Maithanet's personal quarters?  What would that mean?

[Aural]

To answer the Sarcellus bit,

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Sarcellus, Cutias (4072-99)—A Knight-Commander of the Shrial Knights, murdered and replaced by Consult skin-spies.

4099, so about a decade before the start of the series.

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I’m not sure about the rest, but on a side note, I find it very funny that in the beginning of TDTCB Xerius says that of all his advisers the only one that he really knew was Skeaös—the Skin Spy.

[The Sharmat]

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And yet Xerius doesn't truly trust him, in the end. And unmasks him.

Coincidence, or some weird hidden brilliance on Xerius' part?

[Wilshire]

Coincidence, or some weird hidden brilliance on Xerius' part?

I think Xerius is a whole lot smarter than he appears at first glance.

[Aural]

He had his moments, like the way he foiled Conphas’s coup attempt.

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He suspected Skeaös because he was exchanging glances with Kellhus (or maybe just because Kellhus was staring at him, can’t remember) when Kellhus gave his ‘speech’ that basically ruined his plan to use Conphas as Holy War general. It was kind of coincidental as Xerius thought Skeaös was conspiring with Kellhus somehow, which isn’t true, but on the other hand he did catch Kellhus’s glances at Skeaös and was right to question him based on that.

[The Sharmat]

Maybe he had some inkling that something was wrong with Skeaos at this point, and this is simply how he explained it to himself.

[Francis Buck]

Coincidence, or some weird hidden brilliance on Xerius' part?

I think Xerius is a whole lot smarter than he appears at first glance.

I agree. On my first re-read, I was surprised at how competent Xerius actually is once we (the readers) know what is and isn't bullshit. He's still paranoid as all hell, but it seems less excessive when you realize how much conspiracy was actually happening all around him.

[The Sharmat]

Whole series spoiler:

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Almost everyone Xerius suspects of treachery is either a spy for another faction, actively planning treachery, or a skin-spy.

It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you.

[Simas Polchias]

I think Xerius is a whole lot smarter than he appears at first glance.

Also, he's the first one in the text who actually pronounces a line, which is a No-God's catchphrase.

[EkyannusIII]

Xerius actually picks up on the fact that

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Istriya looks different somehow from when he had last seen her during one of the earlier scenes in TDTCB.  Of course, he has no reason to suspect that she isn't human, so he dismisses it from his mind.

He's smarter than he is usually given credit for, no doubt.

[Wilshire]

Probably would have been hugely successful of regaining his historical empire, probably ruling over much or all of the three seas before his death, if not for those dunyain.

[The Sharmat]

Xerius is also pretty much the only one capable of reigning in Conphas. And Conphas is the kind of personality that desperately needs reigning in to be a success.