Haplo stared, silent, stunned.
“He is, as you say, powerful.” Xar bestowed the compliment magnanimously. “I was impressed. A contest between we Patryns and these creatures would be interesting, though I have no doubt who would be the victor. But such a contest is not to be feared. It will never come about, my son. The serpents are our allies in this campaign. They have pledged their allegiance to me. They have bowed before me and called me Master.”
“So they did with me,” said Haplo in a low voice. “And they betrayed me.”
“That was you, my son,” said Xar, and the anger was back, this time visible to both the seen and the unseen observers. “This time they bowed to me.”
The dog jumped to its feet with a “whuff,” glared about fiercely.
“Easy, boy,” Haplo said absently. “It was just a dream.”
Xar glanced at the animal with displeasure. “I thought you got rid of that creature.”
“He came back,” Haplo replied, troubled, uneasy. He rose to his feet from where he knelt beside his lord, remained standing, as if thinking the interview might be at an end.
“Not precisely. Someone brought the dog back to you, didn’t he?” Xar stood up.
A tall man, the lord was easily Haplo’s equal in height, very probably his match in physical strength, for Xar had not permitted age to soften his body. He was more than Haplo’s equal in magical prowess. Xar had taken the younger Patryn apart once, the time of which Haplo spoke, the time he’d lied to his lord. Xar could have killed Haplo then, but the lord chose to let him live.
“Yes, Lord,” Haplo said. He stared down at the dog, at the floor. “Someone did bring him back to me.”
“The Sartan called Alfred?”
“Yes, Lord,” Haplo answered without voice.
Xar sighed. Haplo heard the sigh, closed his eyes, bent his head. The lord rested his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.
“My son, you have been deceived. I know it all. The serpents told me. They did not betray you. They saw your danger, sought to help you. You turned on them, attacked them. They had no choice but to defend themselves…”
“Against mensch children?” Haplo lifted his head, his eyes flashed.
“A pity, my son. They said you were fond of the girl. But you must admit, the mensch acted as mensch always do: recklessly, foolishly, without thinking. They aspired too high, meddled in affairs they could not possibly understand. In the end, as you well know, die dragons were forgiving. They helped the mensch defeat the Sartan.”
Haplo shook his head, turned his gaze from his lord to the dog.
Xar’s frown deepened. The hand on Haplo’s shoulder tightened its grip. “I have been extremely lenient with you, my son. I have listened patiently to what some might term fantastic metaphysical speculations. Do not mistake me,” he added, when Haplo would have spoken. “I am pleased that you brought these thoughts to me and shared them. But, once having answered your doubts and questions—as I believe I have— I am displeased to see you continue in your wrong-thinking.
“No, my son. Let me finish. You claim to rely on my wisdom, my judgment. And once you used to do so, Haplo, implicitly. This was the main reason I chose you for these delicate tasks which, up to now, you have performed satisfactorily. But do you now rely on me, Haplo? Or have you come to rely on anodier?”
“If you mean Alfred, Lord, you’re wrong!” Haplo snorted derisively, made a swift, negating gesture with his hand. “He’s gone now, anyway. Probably dead.”
He stood staring down at the fire or the dog or both for long moments. Then suddenly, resolutely, he raised his head, looked directly at Xar.
“No, Lord, I do not rely on any other. I am loyal to you. That is why I came to you, brought you this information. I will be only too glad to be proven wrong!”
“Will you, my son?” Xar studied Haplo searchingly.
Seeming satisfied with what he saw, the lord relaxed, smiled, clapped Haplo affectionately on the shoulder. “Excellent. I have another task for you. Now that Death’s Gate is opened and our enemies the Sartan are aware of us, we must move swiftly, more swiftly than I had intended. Within a short time, I leave for Abarrach, there to study the art of necromancy …”