Part 11 (2/2)

Zelandra's left hand shot out to seize his thick right forearrasp She stared at the Ci eyes

”You don't knohat it's like When I first saht attempt that would not come to success There was aI have ever known My sorcery almost doubled in its potency Complex spells seemed obvious Spells I knew increased in power and effectiveness It was like a wild and glorious drea, and I knew that I was lost”

Her hand fell fro back tears Conan pretended not to notice her disco ahead wordlessly

”It is like a leech upon the flesh of my soul” Zelandra's voice had dropped to a husky whisper, but she continued to speak as though driven by so but the daht, but I held myself in check I vowed that each dose I took would be srains And so it has been since the first time I tasted it I had hoped to lower the quantity until I needed none It is not so easy

My supply is running low and there is sie ht be able to taper off coreater supply of Emerald Lotus I shall surely die”

For a moment there was a silence, broken only by the scuff of hooves, the creaking of saddle gear, and the soft surge of the suia and et you more of this cursed powder?”

”No!” Zelandra's head snapped up, her profile hawklike against the clear sky ”No, Ethram-Fal deceived and poisoned ant bastard would use his drug's power over me to make rinned fiercely and, digging his heels into his horse's flanks, urged the beast to greater speed

Chapter Fifteen

Though Shakar the Keshanian was exhausted after slaying his bodyguard and perfor necromancy upon the corpse, the sorcerer could not take his rest Tiht with glacial deliberation All through the following day he ed th At first he was successful Shakar was proud of the power that he had exhibited in the ensorcellmentation of the Emerald Lotus, he doubted that he would have been able to accoe

But into the second day his body weakened and his consciousness fell into a tighter and tighter orbit around the sany desk in his study Now he sat at his , staring out through his garden without seeing it and sipping nervously from the crystal decanter of Brythunian wine he had used to lull Gulbanda

Ignoring a growing tightness in his breast, the Keshanian turned his ain to the skilled wizardry he had worked upon his bodyguard, trying to draw comfort from the abomination that he had created and set in et it,” said Shakar to the e it to me or I'll leave his soul sealed within his animated corpse forever He won't fail because only I can release him into true death”

He paused, then repeated: ”He will not fail” His voice trailed off as he began to fear that which he had not even allowed hiine until this moment

What if Gulbanda did not return in time?

The most impressive feat of sorcery that he had ever perforreat sacrifice The silver-chased box on his desk was e Gulbanda with the bareen residue

The tightness in his breast grew nore Shakar turned his eyes away from the west, where the sun set in a bloody welter of tattered clouds, and looked upon the silver box where it gleaht The Keshanian rose froh his body were not set on doing that which his mind desired He walked slowly to the desk and stared down upon the burnished silver casket

Pain blossoony around his torso The sorcerer cried out and stu the silver box with hands that shook uncontrollably, hands that pried open the casket to reveal that which he already knew to be true

”Eainst the desk, he held the cold metal box to his breast and tried to draw a deep breath The belt of pain that wrapped his ribs loosened a notch

Through the door the Keshanian saw a flicker of yellow light play along the wall of the hallway outside his study He blinked in the deepening dusk A sudden surge of hope drove new vitality through the sorcerer's veins He pushed himself away from the desk with one hand and stu sun's last rays stained the floor scarlet before hiered down the hall Ahead, flares of h the open door of his bedchamber

”Eldred?” The name was a harsh croak ”Eldred, I must speak with you!”