Part 10 (2/2)
Again his eyes went back and forth, and then flared open, as if in astonishment. He gaped, and terror gripped him. His mouth came open to scream, and I slashed once, then again to make sure.
The fires vanished and Laish Tenedos returned. He dropped the silken cord and tried to take a step, but staggered. I helped him to his seat, and started to pour brandy.
”No,” he said, his voice a croak. ”First, water.”
I poured a gla.s.sful, and he drained it, then another.
”Now I know our enemy,” he said, and his tones were grim. ”But now... brandy. Pour yourself one.”
I obeyed, though I wanted it not. He sipped at his, gathering his thoughts.
”The Tovieti certainly do exist,” he said. ”I followed the trail their strangling cord gave me to their stronghold. Or, perhaps, only one of their redoubts. It is in a great cavern, some distance from here.
Perhaps two, perhaps three days' travel, deep in the mountains. I suppose, with someone to help me with the maps, I could find it once more.
”I found the cave, and I entered it, but without using an entrance. There was a huge center room, and I noted pa.s.sageways leading off to the side. I do not know where they lead.
”There were people inside. Men and women. A thousand at least, more likely more. They were all dressed in white, although some of them were quite dirty. I think all, or most of them anyway, were Kaiti.
To one side was a great pile of gold, gems, other treasure.
”It seemed as if these people were waiting for something.
”There was a throne, man-made, and in front of it was what might be called an altar, but one such as I've never seen nor heard of. It was cylindrical, like a field drum, and quite high, perhaps twenty feet above the chamber's floor.
”Standing around it were men and women, also wearing white, but each of them also wore a yellow sash. I think, although I may have imagined it, that one of them looked a great deal like a younger, and less rotund, Baber Fergana.”
”His brother,” I guessed.
”Perhaps. I tried to move my presence closer, and then someone... something ... sensed me, for all at once the crowd began howling in rage. The people with the sashes-the leaders, I guess-seemed to see me, because they, too, shouted in rage, and began pointing at me.
*”I wasn't sure what to do, then a horrible feeling of dread washed over me. Dread, and then fear, as if I were suddenly confronted by a raging tiger.
”I was about to be seized and torn... and then you cut the circle and saved me.
”For the second time, Damastes. Once more and you shall have to adopt me, for only kinfolk should have such a debt” Tenedos smiled weakly, trying to make a small joke.
I paid no mind to that.
”What was that something, sir? Another magician? Or magicians? Did you sense Irshad?”
”I don't know. If another magician, a powerful one. Perhaps a group of sorcerers, orjasks.
”All I know for sure is the Tovieti most certainly do exist, and, if their reaction to my presence is any indicator, are hostile toward Numantians or, at any rate,this Numantian. Perhaps if I wore a sign reminding everyone I am from Palmeras and am not much more fond of other Numantians than they are, I might be safe.” He shuddered and knocked back the brandy. ”The Rule of Ten are not the panicky fools I feared they might be. There is something here, something dangerous. When we find a way to send a confidential pouch back through the pa.s.s, I shall inform the Rule of what occurred.”
”And as for ourselves?”
”I do not know,” Tenedos said. ”The cord revealed no secrets as to how entry was made to this mansion by the a.s.sa.s.sin, nor if one of our retainers pulled the strangling cord tight. Their sorcery is thorough. I imagine the only reason I was able to track the cord to its home was there are few magicians here in Sayana with powers to match mine.
”As for what we do next, I can increase the magical wards I've placed around these buildings, but that's nothing more than a temporary, defensive maneuver. All we can do is be most wary, and hope we will be able to discover their plans... if they pertain to us... before the Tovieti can put them into execution. My apologies. That last was a terrible choice of words.”
r He drank another gla.s.s of brandy, not noticing that I'd barely tasted mine, then I returned to my quarters.
But I did not sleep.
Nor, from the number of lighted windows in the mansion, did almost anyone else.
Two days later, we received an invitation for a banquet at the court of Achim Baber Fergana. The invitation was a command, since the occasion was the joyous celebration of the anniversary of Achim Fergana's ascent to the throne. Any member of the n.o.bility not actually on his deathbed was required to attend, with appropriate presents, or his absence would be deemed a declaration of blood feud against the achim.
I'd already weathered a few of the achim's feasts, and wished there was some way I could avoid this one. His idea of merriment was to listen to endless speeches, songs, and poems extolling his brilliances in every field from bed to politics to war, while nibbling at a continuous flow of delicacies. These were washed down with spice leaves, which convinced the chewer, in his dreamlike state, that he was gifted with all the virtues Msu had given Mankind. To keep from falling asleep, one dranka'rag, an oily, lethally effective distillation of the juice of oranges. By the next morning death would be counted one of Umar's greatest blessings.
Since there could be but one unutterably excellent person per banquet, the goings-on tended to produce arguments and, the Men of the Hills being as they were, duels. This Achim Fergana thought capital, and encouraged his n.o.bility to hack away at each other with swords or daggers until at least one fighter was too b.l.o.o.d.y to continue.
But there was no alternative.
Things went badly from the beginning.
The throne room was filled with tables, and the animals had been banished to a mews outside, where they would be given their own feast. The room was packed with Kaiti n.o.bility. Men were the only ones allowed present Tapers along the walls and small oil-filled lights on each table provided illumination.
Achim Baber Fergana sat on his throne, a table in front of him. At such a banquet particularly honored n.o.blemen and foreign dignitaries were seated at the first long table, directly in front of him. This night, it was Seer Tenedos, myself, and, three seats away, the Kallian, Landgrave Elias Malebranche. He caught my eye, and raised his gla.s.s with a rueful smile. I returned the mock toast-it was clear he was enjoying the evening no more than we were.
Achim Fergana was in a foul mood, and its reason took little investigation. The center chair at our table was empty-the chair reserved forJask Irshad. There were three of his high-ranking sorcerers present, but no sign of the master magician. I wondered how anyone, even of his high station, could dare defy the achim. Something terribly unforeseen must have happened.
Naturally, the achim a.s.suaged his anger by drinking and chewing more than usual, and barely touched the delicacies offered to him. The great pile of gifts to one side of the throne was ignored.
Matters peaked as a particularly untalented bard was holding forth, in wretched doggerel: ”Fergana struck in that hour Feeling the strength within him flower. Sword in hand he made them cower Blood would fill that peaceful bower.
”With his sword, that fearsome blade, The Mighty One-”
The Mighty One had enough and, with a roar of incoherent rage, hurled a golden plate at the poet. He realized his masterpiece was unappreciated, and fled hastily.
”Where in the h.e.l.ls is myjask?' Fergana roared. ”How dare he shame me in this hour, as I celebrate my triumph? Guard captains! I want this castle searched until he is found! Turn out the watch... turn out a regiment and search every street in Say ana if necessary!”
T X,CHRI$ BUNCHHe roared on. I was staring in fascination, never having been close to a monarch's wrath before, and then I s.h.i.+vered. It had suddenly become very, very cold. My breath was steam, and my fingers were growing numb.
Then I saw the fog.
It crept in from nowhere and everywhere, as if doors had been flung open, and the mists of a winter night had come rolling in on us. But it had been clear and temperate when we arrived. The mist came more thickly, a dark, seething ocean with flecks of light within it I thought it would fill the throne room solidly, but it formed into near-solid, s.h.i.+mmering shapes.
A voice crashed into our ears: ”Baber Fergana... this is the hour of reckoning. Now is the moment of my revenge, my brother.”
Chamisso Fergana! Yet I saw no human form.
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