Part 34 (1/2)

”That would make sense,” said Lukas Madden thoughtfully, hand stroking his beard. ”It makes excellent sense. But what does Dyran expect to get out of this?”

Valyn shrugged. ”I know a lot about about Lord Dyran, but I don't really know Lord Dyran, but I don't really know him him ,” he said with a straight face, as Shana held her breath, afraid that he would make a slip. Only Denelor knew who and what Valyn was-and she was afraid of the consequences if any of the other wizards should discover Dyran's heir in their midst. The fully human children she and Zed had rescued had made more than enough of a stir-and they were children, too young to be traitors or spies, young enough to fit into life within the Citadel and learn loyalty to the wizards. ,” he said with a straight face, as Shana held her breath, afraid that he would make a slip. Only Denelor knew who and what Valyn was-and she was afraid of the consequences if any of the other wizards should discover Dyran's heir in their midst. The fully human children she and Zed had rescued had made more than enough of a stir-and they were children, too young to be traitors or spies, young enough to fit into life within the Citadel and learn loyalty to the wizards.

But a full-grown elven lord?

The first thing the others would think of would be betrayal; the next, how Valyn could be used as a hostage.

So, Valyn had miraculously become a halfblood cousin, like Mero, named for Dyran's heir and placed in the heir's service until that worthy had gone off to Lord Cheynar for fosterage. Whereupon, fearing discovery, the two had escaped. None of the other wizards knew as much about the elven lords as Denelor, the subterfuge had pa.s.sed unremarked.

”We have to conjure up some trick that not even Dyran can explain away,” said Parth Agon decisively. ”The longer we keep them quarreling, the more time we will have.” He smiled thinly. ”I must admit that I find it ironic to think that the very tactics that defeated our predecessors may be our salvation.”

”Only if we can continue to make them work for us,” Denelor warned. ”The combined troops of all of the allies could easily overrun the Citadel, despite its protections, if they ever learn exactly where it is. Arrogance and overconfidence lost the last war for us. And according to the old chronicles, we we were the victims of manufactured quarrels the last time. We were the victims of manufactured quarrels the last time. We must must stand united in this.” stand united in this.”

He looked directly to each of the wizards in turn, before concluding his speech. ”Let's learn from our history, shall we?” he said mildly.

Please, Shana thought, with an intensity that threatened to give her a headache. Please listen to him Please listen to him . .

There was a moment of silence- Then Parth cleared his throat, and half a dozen voices spoke up at once, each with a different plan.

So, Lord Dyran was the one to reckon with, hmm? Garen Ha.r.s.elm left the war council with a decidedly different set of ideas than his fellow wizards. And as he made his way to his quarters, he weighed all the possible options in his mind. They They were all set to oppose the elven lords-even old Parth had screwed up his courage, now that there was no choice except to run or stand and fight. were all set to oppose the elven lords-even old Parth had screwed up his courage, now that there was no choice except to run or stand and fight.

And probably die. Denelor was right. The wizards should learn from history. And history said that opposing the elves was suicide.

Garen opened the door and lit the lamps in his suite with a negligent flick of his hand, and surveyed the acc.u.mulations of a lifetime, all crowded into three cluttered rooms. Not so much, really. Nothing that couldn't be replaced. Very little he couldn't live without.

There were a few things he would like to take along-a book or two, a favorite robe, a carved fish he liked to hold when he was thinking- But-no. None of it was worth enc.u.mbering himself. And if he was seen in the halls carrying a bag, there would be questions that he was not prepared to answer.

So he turned his back on the possessions of a long and acquisitive life, and closed the door again, heading down into the maze of corridors in the caves behind the Citadel, towards an exit he was fairly certain only he knew existed.

”Lord Dyran?” The human guard was diffident, humble, and reluctant to disturb his master's concentration.

Having learned, no doubt, from the example of his predecessor.

A predecessor whose ashes were even now being swept into the fire-pit by yet another slave.

”Yes?” Dyran said, without looking up from his letter. It was another missive to the Council of course; d.a.m.ned fools, all of them, who could not forget their quarreling long enough to deal with a real real problem. But he could not be there and here at the same time-and once he crushed this menace, he could deal with the Council at his leisure. problem. But he could not be there and here at the same time-and once he crushed this menace, he could deal with the Council at his leisure.

Why was it that none of them could understand that the halfbloods were more more dangerous than any elven lord? If he'd known that the thefts all these years had been due to halfbloods and not wild humans with wizard-powers, he would not have left a tree standing in this wilderland. dangerous than any elven lord? If he'd known that the thefts all these years had been due to halfbloods and not wild humans with wizard-powers, he would not have left a tree standing in this wilderland.

”Lord Dyran, there's a Lord here to see you,” the guard said, with commendable civility. ”He says he's here to offer you an alliance.”

An alliance? Dyran looked up, his interest piqued. Were they flocking to his banner already, and the war not yet won? ”Send him in,” he told the guard, ”and see that we aren't disturbed.”

But when the visitor entered Dyran's tent, his face shrouded in the hood of a cloak, Dyran frowned. There was a glow of magic about him, the faint hint of illusion. If this was some kind of a trick- With a single word, he overpowered and broke the spell, and the man chuckled, and put back his hood, allowing the golden glow of a mage-born light to s.h.i.+ne on his face.

There was no mistaking those features.

Halfblood! Dyran raised his s.h.i.+elds immediately, and his hand stole beneath the table to grasp the knife hidden there.

”What do you want of me, wizard?” he asked coldly.

But the other made no offensive moves, indeed, no moves of any kind. His bearded face remained calm, even bland. ”It is not what I want of you, my lord,” he said, in a smooth, even voice. ”It is what I can offer you.”

Dyran's eyes widened in surprise, but only for a moment. Then he, too, began to smile. ”So,” he said, releasing his hold on the dagger's hilt and leaning back into his chair, ”one of the wizards chooses to turn his coat. Is that it?”

”My lord, I protest,” the stranger replied, irony thick in his tone as he spread his empty hands. ”I am simply choosing to provide my services to someone who would appreciate them. The choice is simple, or so it seems to me. I can choose to serve you, live, and most likely prosper-or I can oppose you with the rest, and die, as the old ones did long ago. My name, by the way, is Garen Ha.r.s.elm.”

”You interest me,” Dyran said, and gestured at one of the stools on the other side of the table. ”Do sit down. Now, what exactly are these'services' you offer, Garen?”

Garen hooked one of the stools neatly with his foot, and drew it to him before settling himself onto it. If he was disappointed at not being called ”Lord” Garen, he did not show it. ”First, I offer my services as a wizard. You, of course, are an acknowledged master of elven magics-but I can provide you with the other half of the equation. The wizard-powers. The ability to know what your enemies are thinking-to know what they are doing-to move objects without needing to cast a spell-”

”Enough, Garen, I know what wizards are capable of,” Dyran said with a trace of impatience. ”I also know that not all wizards are equally able in all aspects of those powers.”

Garen shrugged. ”I can't expect you to believe me when I tell you that I am as much a master of my magics as you are of yours. I shall, of course, prove that to you in time. But I can offer you two more things that I think are of great import to you.” He held up one finger. ”The location of the wizards' stronghold.” He held up the second finger. ”The location of your son and heir.”

Only years of self-control-and the suspicion that the wizard was going to say that he knew where Valyn was-kept Dyran from betraying himself.

”And just what are you asking in return for all this?” he asked smoothly, raising a long, elegant eyebrow.

Garen spread his hands. ”Simple enough, my lord. The opportunity to serve you. After all, isn't it better to live in service than to die in dubious freedom?”

”Indeed,” Dyran replied, smiling. ”So-just where is this stronghold?”

Dyran waited, still smiling, while Triana, Cheynar, Berenel, and the rest seated themselves. Triana alone looked unruffled-but then, she was a creature of the night, and had probably been awake when his summons arrived. ”My lords,” he said, ”and lady. Permit me to thank you for answering my call to a.s.semble this evening.” He smiled a little more as Berenel stifled a yawn. ”I know it is late, but I think, Lord Berenel, you will find it was worth breaking your rest to come.”

”It had d.a.m.n well better be,” Berenel grumbled, wrapping his cloak about himself. ”This is the third night in a row that something's something's rousted me out of my bed.” rousted me out of my bed.”

”It should be the last, my lord,” Dyran replied with a friendly nod. And you can go back to your dragon-chasing, my lord And you can go back to your dragon-chasing, my lord - - while I go on to overlords.h.i.+p of the entire Council while I go on to overlords.h.i.+p of the entire Council. ”I have had a most unusual visitor tonight,” he continued. ”A wizard.”

He chuckled at the swift intake of breath from Triana and Cheynar. ”Yes, that is correct. A halfblood. He offered me the location of the wizards' stronghold-and his own services. An offer that would be extremely difficult to turn down, wouldn't you say?”

”In exchange for what?” Berenel demanded sharply. ”And how do you know he wasn't lying?”

”In exchange for his safety, and my protection-and of course, I don't know that he was telling the truth. He could easily have been lying, both when he told me freely, and when I burned his hands off.” Dyran steepled his hands before his chin, thoughtfully. ”It is possible of course. But I rather think he was telling the truth both times. And I don't think he was tampering with my mind-I have have had dealings with wizards before, you know, and pain completely destroys any control they have over their powers.” had dealings with wizards before, you know, and pain completely destroys any control they have over their powers.”

”Where is he now?” Triana asked-uneasily, Dyran thought. He regarded her askance for a moment. There was something going on there. When this was over, he would have to see to the Lady, perhaps. She was hiding something...

He nodded at the pile of ash a slave was sweeping up. ”He'd outlived his usefulness.” At Triana's frown he pointed an admonitory finger at her. ”You are very young, my lady. I take it that you disapprove of my promising this renegade safety, then disposing of him.”

Triana nodded slightly, reluctantly, as if she had not wanted to admit to that disapproval.

”Firstly, I never offered him safety,” Dyran told her. ”He a.s.sumed it. And secondly, a man who has betrayed his friends, his own kind, is never never to be trusted-and a wizard, a halfblood, triply so. Anyone who turns traitor once will do so again, when the stars turn in favor of a new master. Remember that, my lady. Halfbloods are treacherous by nature, and become more so with every pa.s.sing year they add to their age. Like a one-horn, they will to be trusted-and a wizard, a halfblood, triply so. Anyone who turns traitor once will do so again, when the stars turn in favor of a new master. Remember that, my lady. Halfbloods are treacherous by nature, and become more so with every pa.s.sing year they add to their age. Like a one-horn, they will always always turn on their masters.” turn on their masters.”

”For once, Dyran, I agree with you,” Berenel said emphatically. ”So where is this'stronghold' of theirs, and what are we going to do about it?”

Ah, I have you, my reluctant allies, Dyran thought with satisfaction, as he unrolled his map before them.