Then a thought struck him. The old woman who had been killed by her son. She had laid ward spells on all the doors of the inner room.
Dagorian carried on walking, trying to get his bearings. The old woman had lived in the northern section of the old quarter. He glanced at the sky, but there were
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thick clouds and he could see no stars. He walked on for an hour. Twice he saw soldiers of the Watch, and ducked into the shadows.
At last he reached the woman’s house. Moving to the rear he scaled a wall and entered the building. There were no windows in the back room and Dagorian lit a lantern. Blood still stained the walls, and the rune stones remained scattered on the table. He glanced at the two doors. Both bore the carved triangle and the snake.
Hoping that the ward spells were still active he blew out the lantern and moved to a narrow bed in the corner.
Sleep came instantly.
He was sitting in a cave, and a fire was burning. He felt hot and confused. ‘Be calm, child,’ came a familiar voice. He tried to place it, and remembered the shining figure who had rescued him at the wizard’s house.
‘What am I doing here?’ he asked, sitting up and looking around. The cave was empty, and when the voice spoke again, he realized it was coming from the blazing fire.
‘You are not here. There is no here. This is a place of spirit. Your body lies in the woman’s hovel. It was a good choice. They will not find you.’
‘Why do you not show yourself?’
‘All in good time, child. Have you put together the clues? Do you even begin to understand what is happening?’
‘No. All I know is that Malikada wishes me dead.’
‘Malikada cares nothing for you, Dagorian. You are an incidental in a great design. Kalizkan – or the creature that calls itself Kalizkan – is a Demon Lord, of enormous power. He seeks to cast the Spell of the Three Kings. If he succeeds the world will be changed beyond the recognition of man. It will become as it once was. The demons
will be flesh once more, and the two worlds will become one.’
Dagorian raised his hand. ‘Stop for a moment. This is making my head spin. The two worlds? What is the meaning?’
‘Aeons ago the creatures we call demons lived among us. Shape-Shifters, blood-drinkers, were beings. We were at war with them for a thousand years. Then three kings came together, and with the aid of a mighty wizard they changed the world, banishing the demons to another place, a grey realm of spirit. Sorcerers can still summon demons using blood magic, opening the gateways for fleeting heartbeats. But when the spell is done the demons return to the grey. Kalizkan seeks to repeat the Spell of the Three Kings.’
‘And he can do this?’
‘It has already begun, child. The Ventrian emperor was the first to be sacrificed. But the spell requires three deaths, each of kings, and each king to be mightier than the last. When the final death blow is delivered the world will be cursed as it was in time past. The drinkers of blood will return.’
‘Three kings? Then they will try to kill Skanda. I must get to him.’
‘You cannot. His death is but hours away, and on the fastest horse you could not reach the army within a day. By this time tomorrow the Drenai army will be destroyed, and Skanda will be strapped to the altar.’
‘Sweet Heaven! There must be something I can do.’
‘You can save the third king.’
‘There is no king greater than Skanda.’
‘There is his unborn son. If destiny allows him to live he will be a greater man than his father. But Kalizkan plans to destroy him.’
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7 could not get into the palace. They are searching for me everywhere.’
‘If you do not then all is lost.’
Dagorian awoke in a cold sweat. As he saw the solid walls of the house relief swelled within him. It was a dream. He laughed at his foolishness, and fell asleep once more.