Part 29 (2/2)

The Mithrosh warlord spoke up. ”And what of its bones? Are those dirt as well?”

Argoth started to answer, but a clamor arose outside the chamber. The men crowding around the table turned and the doors opened. In walked three dreadmen, the only three with any power left in their weaves. Between them they escorted Hogan as if he were a criminal. About his neck was a King's Collar.

Argoth's heart dropped like a stone. Did they know about the Order? He caught Hogan's gaze, but he could read nothing there.

s.h.i.+m turned to the dreadmen. ”What is the meaning of this?” He did not raise his dry voice, but every face turned to look at him.

The Crab, the red-faced Fir-Noy Territory Lord, raised his hand in a placating gesture. ”It is what prudence demands. If he's innocent, we'll find that out. If he's not, it will have prevented us from having to hunt him down. Because, once alerted, I am sure we would not have gotten a second chance.”

Argoth looked at the Council, wondering who was in on this. The Council was made up of a primary and secondary body. The Primary, those who spoke for each clan consisted of the Territory Lord and Warlord for each Clan. It also included three lords of the Koramites. Their faces revealed nothing. Argoth looked at s.h.i.+m.

Had s.h.i.+m revealed his secret? Had he been trying to trap him before at the fort?

s.h.i.+m did not look like a man playing cat and mouse. Argoth knew his lined face. The expression he wore now was the same he wore when preparing for battle.

”You cannot simply collar a man without cause,” s.h.i.+m said to the Crab. ”Unless, of course, this is some ploy to goad us into doing the same to some troublesome relative of your own.”

Some in the room smiled at his joke, but the Crab did not.

”We do have cause,” said the Crab.

s.h.i.+m folded his arms and waited.

If the Crab and his allies knew Arogth's secrets and had devised a trap, this would be a good time to spring it. Argoth glanced at the dreadmen to see if they were positioning themselves to overcome him, but they remained by Hogan. Nevertheless, Argoth began to build his Fire.

”The Koramite was there when the creature broke into the tower,” said the Crab. ”You yourself say that you were only there for a short time. What are the odds that this beast would show up exactly at that moment?”

”Nonsense,” said s.h.i.+m. ”I ordered Captain Argoth to be there. And the Koramite himself fought the beast. Look at him. The bruising on his neck and face belies your charges.”

”Almost,” said the Crab. ”But when Captain Argoth was cast aside and only the Koramite stood in its way, it suddenly fled. Isn't that odd?”

”That is not what happened,” said Argoth.

The Crab turned on him. ”Your devotion to the man's deceased wife might be clouding your vision.”

Argoth had born all the backbiting when his sister had first decided to marry Hogan. He had told everyone that Hogan had indeed enchanted her-with his wit, his handsome strength, and his good-hearted laugh. He thought that had all been put to rest, but he saw that there would always be people like the Crab who thought it their duty to keep such doubts and rumors alive.

”My vision is crystal clear,” said Arogth. ”I was there. You were not. We were outside when it broke into the tower.”

The Crab turned back to the Council. ”It had no eyes. The Koramite might have been acting as its guide.”

Argoth had seen something that looked like eyes on the monster, but they might have just been deep pits, all askew and in such an unnatural position. ”You a.s.sume it needed to see,” said Argoth. ”But, if you remember, we found it in the dark. It navigated well enough to elude the cohorts of the fortress. If it could do that, I do not think it needed a guide.”

”We only want to be sure,” said the Crab. ”n.o.body can speak with any authority about this creature. But even if we could, you are right, the timing of the creature's appearance is certainly not enough to accuse a man. But there's more, a pattern, if you will. The Koramite refused a legal search.”

”Legal?” asked s.h.i.+m. He looked to a Bailiff with the ice-cold eyes. ”Did those armsmen apply to you for a token?”

”No,” said the Bailiff. ”Nevertheless, I myself conducted a search.”

”And?”

”We found nothing but two youngsters sporting behind a closed door.”

”They were alerted by the first attempt at a search,” said the Crab. ”They had a night to remove anything that might compromise them.”

”Oh, come,” said s.h.i.+m. ”Your zeal has exceeded all bounds.”

”And here is the third part of the pattern,” said the Crab. ”We just received word that the Koramite's own son has been seen in the city performing feats only dreadman can.” He turned to the whole Primary then. ”And this witnessed by at least five Mokaddians. What's more telling is that Captain Argoth's son was with him.”

A murmur arose in the chamber.

What had happened in the city? Argoth hadn't even known Talen and Nettle were here.

s.h.i.+m waved his hand, calling for quiet. ”Anyone can make up a story. Where is the corroboration?”

”If it were one or two stories,” said the Crab, ”I agree, we could discount them. But too many swirl about this man. He was a friend to Sparrow the smith.”

Argoth looked at Hogan, still wearing the token of the Council, obviously a ploy to get him to come in. The Crab and his allies here had maneuvered s.h.i.+m.

”On that basis then you yourself should wear this collar,” said s.h.i.+m. ”Didn't you visit Sparrow's smithy many times? And did you not visit the tower on the night it was struck? A pattern, is it not?”

Argoth could see that s.h.i.+m's comments had struck true with some of the Council members.

”We will proceed with the correct protocol,” said s.h.i.+m. ”Let those who accuse Hogan's son come forth and swear to take upon them the punishments prescribed by law should they be found to bear false witness. If they swear, then we shall proceed. And we shall do it fairly with me or one of the Shoka overseeing the questioning.”

”But we have already applied to a Divine to oversee the questioning,” said the Crab.

Argoth felt he'd been punched in the stomach. This was going from bad to worse.

A murmur arose. A lord of the Vargon spoke. ”Mokad has finally sent us aid?”

”No,” said the Crab. ”Not just aid. The Glory of Mokad has sent us Rubaloth, Lord of the Winds.”

Many of those present stood straighter and looked at each other. Surprise shone on their faces, and then it turned to hope.

There were only a few dozen Divines in the whole realm of Mokad. Unless, of course, the Glory had raised others since Lumen disappeared. Rubaloth, the Skir Master, was the most ancient of them all. He was powerful. Some said as powerful as the Glory himself.

”When did he arrive? We heard no report,” said s.h.i.+m.

The Crab smiled. ”His s.h.i.+p came in the harbor just after the Council convened.”

”By Glory,” a bailiff from one of the outlying vales said, ”Why did you keep this good news? Word must be sent. He must come here and see this creature.”

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