Part 31 (1/2)

The blooms withered in seconds, and the table burst into flames as the vase shattered from the heat.

”Look,” said James. ”Something's happening.”

Where the elemental gripped the stalker, smoke was starting to rise, black, oily wisps that thickened by the moment. Soon clouds of black smoke reached the ceiling, where they spread out, engulfing the hall in a malodorous dark miasma.

The stalker thrashed wildly, whipping the elemental first one way, then another, but the flaming creature would not release its death-grip.

The hall was now ablaze and Arutha shouted to nearby soldiers, ”Clear everyone out of this wing of the palace! Call for water!” A bucket-line would have to be formed quickly, as the heaving bracing timbers which held up the stonework of the hall were beginning to smolder and smoke.

”Look!” shouted James. ”They're getting smaller!”

The two mystic figures clung to one another in a revolving struggle, a twisting dance of power, moving faster as they diminished in size. Smoke now billowed off the pair, filling the hall with a choking, greasy cloud that threatened to suffocate everyone.

”Out!” ordered Arutha. ”Everyone get out to the garden!”

One of the palace's several carefully-tended gardens was near the guest wing. James reached the large double gla.s.s doors that opened from the hall into the garden, and threw them wide. The evening air was cool and fresh after the soaring temperature in the hallway.

People staggered out of the door behind James, coughing, eyes streaming as they escaped the smoke now filling the corridor with a reek of burning sulfur and rotting garbage.

Voices reverberated from nearby precincts of the palace as the fire alarm was sounded. James turned to look at the conflagration. ”Did Father Belson get out?” he asked Amos.

”He was behind us,” replied the admiral. ”I don't see him.”

James hurried back to the door, falling to the floor to get as low under the smoke as he could. Acrid smoke made his eyes water as the pungent stench filled his nose. The ceiling rafters were ablaze and the conflagration flowed along overhead like a river of flame. James blinked hard to clear his eyes of tears and saw a solitary figure at the far end of the hall.

The priest of Prandur stood with arms spread wide above his head, singing a spell of magic. James could barely make him out, a dark outline in the blue-gray haze that rilled the hall under the black, billowing clouds of smoke.

The priest's song turned dark and solemn, a funereal keening that struck a note of sadness in James as he listened. Glancing upward, fearful of stones falling, James shouted, ”Father Belson! Come away! The fire will consume you!”

Abruptly the flames racing along the hall shuddered, then drew back, as if sucked away from the ceiling and walls by some great intake of a G.o.d's breath. The flames and smoke withdrew.

James looked back at the people who waited in the garden and saw them staring in amazement at the sight of the retreating flames and smoke. Then he turned back and saw all the flames and smoke gather in a giant ball above the head of the priest, who stood motionless. The ball quickly contracted into a smaller sphere, which grew brighter as it got smaller. At last it was compacted to the size of a child's ball, though it burned as bright as the sun at noon. James had to turn his eyes away from the glare, and the garden outside the doors was ablaze with light.

Then suddenly the light vanished, and the hall was plunged into darkness. James sat up and returned to the garden, coughing and rubbing his eyes.

”What happened?” asked Arutha.

James said, ”I think it's over.”

A moment later Father Belson walked out the door. Smoke swirled at his feet and came off his robes in wisps. His face was blackened with soot, but otherwise he appeared unharmed.

”Are you all right?” asked James.

Belson said, ”The last thing a priest of Prandur needs to fear is fire, young man.” Looking at the Prince of Krondor, he said, ”Highness, the damage-” He shrugged as if apologizing.

Prince Vladic, clutching the cloak tightly around him, laughed and said, ”For saving my life, I'll rebuild this entire wing, and I'll raise a new temple to Prandur in Olasko, priest!”

Father Belson looked pleased, and said, ”That would be nice . . .” before collapsing.

James was the first at his side, kneeling to examine the cleric. ”He's fainted,” said the squire.

”Carry him to his quarters,” Arutha instructed, and four guards were detailed to carry the exhausted cleric to his bed.

A scribe wended his way through the garden, blinking at all the smoke and the crowd around the Prince. ”Sire!” he called.

”What is it?” asked Arutha.

”We've . . .” he blinked and tears started to run down his cheeks as he coughed. ”Sorry, Highness, but smoke makes me dizzy”

”What is it?” Arutha repeated.

”Sorry, sire. We've deciphered more of the messages. Some are from agents here in Krondor, as well as other cities. One in particular seemed urgent, so I came as soon as it was pointed out to me.”

”What is it?” Arutha demanded finally, his patience clearly at its limit.

The scribe held out a parchment. ”This message specifies the need to deliver a sealed chest to the palace. It contains a trap of some sort. I thought it important enough to warn you, should such a chest be delivered here.”

Arutha shook his head in amazement. After a long moment, he looked at the members of the court. ”Let's get some supper.” To the scribe he said, ”Return to your work. Let me know what the other scrolls say after we break fast tomorrow morning.”

”Sire.” The coughing scribe bowed and quickly departed, obviously glad to get away from the smoke.

James said, ”Highness, don't be too hard on him.”

Arutha nodded. ”I won't be. He tried his best. It just wasn't all that. . . timely.”

William and Amos both laughed, and Prince Vladic said, ”I shall return to my chambers if they're not too befouled with smoke, and don . . . something more appropriate for dining, Highness.”

Arutha nodded and motioned for guards to accompany the royal guest. To James, he said, ”If we'd known . . .”

”We'd still have opened the trunk,” said James. ”Only we'd probably have been in the deepest cell in your dungeon with only a dozen guards, and that would have been a disaster.”

Arutha cast a long, sideways glance at him. ”You always have such a positive view of things, squire. Come, let's eat. I'm sure my wife will want to know why we tried to burn down a significant portion of our palace.”

With a wolfish grin, James said, ”Just tell her you hope she'll redecorate the suites, and that will make her happy.”

Arutha returned a pained expression, and said, ”Someday, squire, when you meet the right woman, I pray she takes pity on you, else your days as a husband are certain to be rocky.”

”I'll keep that in mind,” James replied dryly.

William came up beside the Prince and said, ”Highness, do you require my presence?”

Arutha stopped and looked at the young officer. ”Why? Have you somewhere more important to be?”

William flushed. ”No, sire, just that. . .”

James laughed, and Arutha said, ”I'm just having some sport at your expense, William. Go and see your young lady and have some fun.”