‘How do you know?’ Bevier demanded in an intense whisper.
‘Did you see them?’
‘I didn’t have to. One of them is a very special friend of mine,
and this friend recognized me – even with this face. Don’t ask
me how.’
‘Are you sure?’ Bevier pressed.
‘Oh, yes. This friend started to sing in a voice I’d recognize
in the middle of a thunderstorm. It was a very old song that
has a personal meaning for the two of us. Our friends inside
recognized me, there’s no question about it. This friend I was
just talking about only sings that song for me.’
‘I don’t suppose there was any way you could let them know
that you’d received their message?’ Caalador asked. ‘Short of
tearing down the door, I mean?’
‘No, I didn’t have to tear down the door. I whistled along.
I’ve done that before, so my friend knew what I was trying to
say. Then I struck up a conversation with one of the guards,
and I slipped in enough hints to let our friends inside know the
things they ought to be aware of.’
Caalador leaned back in his chair. ‘Yet idee ’bout this yore
tavern’s workin’ out real good, Shallag. We bin a-pickin’ up all
sorts o’ useful information since we settled in.’
Kalten looked around the tavern. ‘Things are quiet right now,’
he said quietly. ‘The fights probably won’t start until after the
sun goes down. Why don’t we take a stroll back into the ruins? I think we’d
better have another chat with that certain little girl.
This time we’ve got some good news for her.’
‘Let’s get at it,’ Caalador said, rising to his feet. He pushed
his way through to the counter, spoke briefly with one of the
foam-soaked outlaws and then led the way outside. They went
around behind the tavern and pushed their way along a vine-choked
side-street that ran on past some fallen buildings where
bright-colored birds perched, squawking raucously. They went
into a partially collapsed ruin, and Kalten and Caalador stood
watch while Bevier cast the spell.
The Cyrinic was grinning when he came out. ‘You’d better
brace yourself, Kalten,’ he said.
‘What for?’ ‘Aphrael plans to kiss you into insensibility the next time she
sees you.’ ‘I suppose I can live with that. I gather she was pleased?’
She almost ruptured my eardrums.’
‘Well, as she always says, “We only live to please those we
love.”‘
Scarpa was screaming even before he came through the door.
His voice was high and shrill, his eyes bulged, and his makeshift
crown was askew. He was clearly in the throes of hysterical
rage. His lips and beard were flecked with foam as he burst into
the room. ‘Your husband has betrayed you, woman!’ he
shrieked at Ehlana. ‘You will pay for his perfidy! I will have
your life for this!’ He started toward her, his hands extended
like claws.
Then Zalasta was in the doorway. ‘No!’ he barked in an icy
tone.
Scarpa spun on his father. ‘Stay out of this!’ he shrieked. ‘She
is my prisoner. I will punish her for Sparhawk’s treachery!’
‘No, actually’ you won’t. You’ll do as I tell you to do.’ Zalasta
spoke in Elenic, and all traces of his accent were gone now.
He disobeyed my orders. I will make him pay!’
‘Are you so stupid that you didn’t expect this? I told you how
devious the man was, but your mind’s so clogged with cobwebs
that you wouldn’t listen.’
‘I gave him an order!’ Scarpa’s voice had risen to a squeal. He
stamped his foot. Then he stamped the other. Then he began
jumping up and down on the floor, quite literally dancing with
rage. ‘I am the emperor! He must obey me!’
Zalasta did not even bother to use magic this time. He simply
swung his staff and knocked his hysterical son to the floor,
sending his crown rolling. ‘You sicken me,’ he said in a voice
loaded with contempt. ‘I have no patience with these tempertantrums.
You are not the emperor. When you’re in this condition,
you’re not even meaningful.’ His face was unemotional,
and his eyes were remote. ‘Have a care, Scarpa,’ he said in a
dreadful voice. ‘There’s nothing in this world that I love now.
You have freed me from all human attachments. If you annoy
me, I’ll squash you like a bug.’
Scarpa scrambled away from the terrible old man, his eyes
suddenly rational and filled with fear.
What’s happened?’ Ehlana asked anxiously.
‘One of my associates – Cyzada of Esos – just arrived from
Cynesga,’ Zalasta replied calmly. ‘He brought us some news
that we probably should have expected. Your husband’s a devious
man, Ehlana. We thought that we had him, but he managed
to wriggle free.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘We left him instructions when we abducted you. He was
supposed to take his squire and set out on horseback for the
town of Beresa in southern Arjuna. We had people watching,
and he seemed to be obeying. He was not, however. Evidently
he’s not as fond of you as we’d thought he was.’
‘he was simply following my orders, Zalasta. I told him that
under no circumstances was he to give up the Bhelliom.’
‘How did you manage that?’ Zalasta seemed actually startled.
‘Your lunatic son here told Elron to kill Baroness Melidere.
Elron’s a hopeless incompetent, so Melidere was able to deflect
his sword-thrust. I have some remarkable people working for
me, Zalasta. Melidere was able to play dead very convincingly.
I feigned hysteria and managed to whisper instructions to her
while I covered her with a blanket.’ She gave him a rather malicious
sidelong glance. ‘Your mind must be slipping, Zalasta. You
didn’t even notice that I no longer had my ring. I left that with
Melidere as well.’
‘Very resourceful, Ehlana,’ he murmured. ‘You and your husband
are stimulating opponents.’
‘i’m so glad you approve. How did Sparhawk trick you?’
‘We’re not entirely sure. We had people watching him from
the moment he left the imperial compound in Matherion, and
he followed our orders to the letter. We even diverted him a
couple of times to prevent any tricks. Then Klael escaped again
and went looking for Bhelliom. The man we thought was
Sparhawk was on a ship crossing the Sea of Arjun with his
squire, Khalad. Klael took one look and instantly knew that the
man who appeared to be your husband was not Anakha. That’s
the news that Cyzada just brought to us.’
She smiled almost beatifically at him. ‘And so now Sparhawk’s
out there somewhere – with Bhelliom in his fist and murder in
his heart – and you haven’t the faintest idea of where he might
be, and quite probably not even what he looks like. You’ve got
a big problem, Zalasta.’
‘You’re very quick, your Majesty. You think even faster than
my colleagues.’
‘That isn’t very difficult. You’re surrounded with defectives.
WHich particular stroke of my genius is it that you admire?’
He smiled faintly. ‘I rather like you, Ehlana,’ he told her. ‘You
have spirit. My assorted defectives haven’t yet fully grasped the
implications of your husband’s ploy. If he’s somehow managed
to make someone resemble him, he’s surely able to alter his own
features as well.’
‘He does it all the time, Zalasta. He had a great deal of experience
with disguises when he was in Render. It’s all falling apart
on you, isn’t it? I’d suggest that you start running immediately.’
‘I’ll be leaving shortly, right enough, but you’ll be going with
me. Tell your maid to start making preparations for a journey.’
‘What are you saying?’ Scarpa scrambled to his feet. ‘She can’t
leave here!’ he shrieked. ‘We’re going to make the exchange
here!’
“you imbecile,’ Zalasta sneered. ‘You didn’t really think I was
going to let you go through with that, did you? I never had any
intention of letting you get within five miles of Bhelliom.’
Scarpa gaped at him.
‘It was a misguided attempt to save your life, idiot. Bhelliom
would have destroyed you in the instant that you touched it.’
‘Not if I had the rings. They would have protected me.’
Scarpa’s eyes were wild again.
The rings are a fraud,’ Zalasta sneered. ‘They have no power
over Bhelliom whatsoever.’
“you’re lying!’
“you desperately want to believe that, don’t you, Scarpa? You
thought that all you had to do to gain control of the most powerful
force in the universe was to put on a pair of rings. Ghwerig
the Troll-Dwarf made the rings at Bhelliom’s instruction. They
Weredesigned to deceive a Troll into thinking he had some
power over the jewel. Bhelliom induced Ghwerig to make the
rings, and then it tricked Aphrael into stealing them. Everyone’s
attention was so fixed on the rings that we didn’t even bother
trying to steal Bhelliom from the royal crown of Thalesia.’
Scarpa suddenly sneered. ‘You just out-smarted yourself, old
boy. If Bhelliom’s so deadly, how is it that the kings of Thalesia