‘Find them!’ roared Aric.
‘Good advice,’ muttered Eldicar Manushan. ‘It would be greatly advisable to find him – before he finds you.’
Eldicar Manushan crouched down by the body of the dead Shastar and pulled his dagger clear, wiping the blade on the dead man’s leggings. Sheathing the dagger, he noted that the hem of his shimmering robe was stained with blood. With a sigh he picked his way through the corpse-strewn hall and opened the stair door. Climbing to the gallery he found Beric still sitting on the bench. Taking the boy’s hand he led him back through to their own suite of rooms.
‘It is time for the communion,’ said Beric.
‘I know.’
Eldicar sat down on a wide couch, the boy beside him. The magicker, still holding the boy’s hand, closed his eyes and tried to relax. Communion did not come easily, for first he had to mask his feelings. He had not wanted this massacre, believing it unnecessary. Most of the people present would not have been a threat to the plans of Kuan-Hador. He could have engineered it so that only the Duke and his closest allies were killed. He did not want such thoughts in his mind once communion was established. Deresh Karany did not tolerate criticism.
Eldicar concentrated on thoughts of his childhood, and the small sailboat his father had built for him on the lake. Good days, when the Talent was imprecise and unskilled, and he had dreamed of becoming a healer.
He felt the first sharp tug in his mind. It was most painful, as if the flesh of his brain was being teased by a talon.
‘Not a great success, Eldicar Manushan,’ came the voice of Deresh Karany.
‘Nor yet a failure, Lord. The Duke and his allies are dead.’
‘The Grey Man lives, as do the two sword-bearers.’
‘I have sent eight Kriaz-nor to intercept the sword-bearers. Two squads, one led by Three-swords, the other by Striped-claw.’
‘Commune with both squads. Tell them they have three days.’
‘Yes, Lord.’
‘And what of the traitor, Ustarte?’
‘I believe her to be alive and hidden in the palace of the Grey Man. A troop of Lord Aric’s soldiers are already on their way.’
‘I would appreciate her being taken alive.’
‘That is the instruction they have. I would be happier if more Kriaz-nor could be sent.’
‘More will come when the gateway finally collapses. Until then you must use Anharat’s creatures. Tell me, why did you offer the man Shastar his life?’
‘He had courage.’
‘He was a potential enemy. You have a soft heart, Eldicar. Do not allow it to interfere with the orders you have been given. We are great because we obey. We do not question.’
‘1 understand, Lord.’
‘/ hope that you do. I risked my reputation to speak up for you following the debacle at Parsha-noor. It would hurt me if you proved unworthy of my trust. When you have found the priestess commune again.’
‘Yes, Lord.’
Eldicar groaned as the link was severed. ‘Your nose is bleeding,’ said Beric. Eldicar pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of his robe, and dabbed at it. His head was pounding.
‘You should lie down,’ said Beric.
‘I shall,’ said Eldicar, pushing himself to his feet and walking through to his bedroom.
Lying back on the satin coverlet of his bed, his head upon the soft pillow, he thought of the debacle at Parsha-noor.
Eldicar had given the enemy an extra day to consider surrender. An extra day! They had refused, and Deresh Karany had arrived at the battlefield. He sent a First Level demon to rip out the heart of the enemy king, and a host of Kraloth to terrorize the city-dwellers. Oh, they had surrendered fast enough then, Eldicar recalled. When they finally opened the gates to their conquerors Deresh Karany ordered twenty-six thousand of the citizens -one in three of the city-dwellers – to be put to death. Another ten thousand had been shipped back to Kuan-Hador to be Joined.
The extra day had seen Eldicar censured before the Seven. Only the mitigating plea from Deresh Karany had saved him from impalement.
The bleeding stopped.
Eldicar closed his eyes and dreamed of sailboats.