One of them laughed. ‘You won’t have long to remember them,’ he said.
They dragged him out of the dungeon and along the torch-lit corridor. He saw Zhu Chao standing by a doorway. ‘A pox on you, you yellow-faced bastard!’ he shouted.
The Chiatze did not reply, but stood aside as Karnak was led into the Inner Sanctum. A pentagram had been chalked on the stone floor, and gold wires had been stretched between candle-holders of stained iron, forming a six-pointed star above the chalk. Karnak was hauled to a wall, where once more he was shackled by the wrists. He saw another prisoner already there, a tall, slender man, his bearing regal despite the bruises and cuts to his face.
‘I know you,’ whispered Karnak.
The man nodded. ‘I am the fool who trusted Zhu Chao.’
‘You are the Emperor.’
‘I was,’ replied the man sourly. He sighed. ‘The serpent enters …’
Karnak swung his head to see the purple-robed figure of Zhu Chao approach them.
‘Tonight, gentlemen, you will witness the supreme gift of power.’ His slanted eyes glowed as he spoke and the faintest trace of a smile showed at his thin-lipped mouth. ‘I do appreciate that you will not share my pleasure, even though you will be instrumental in supplying it.’ Leaning forward he laid a hand on Karnak’s massive chest. ‘You see, I will begin by cutting out your heart and laying it upon the golden altar. This gift will summon the servant of the Lord Shemak.’ He turned to the Emperor. That is where you enter the proceedings. You I will deliver whole, and the demon will devour you.’
‘Do as you please, wizard,’ snapped the Emperor. ‘But do not bore me any longer.’
‘I assure Your Highness you will not remain bored for long.’ Three men entered the room, carrying a blood-drenched body. Zhu Chao swung round. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘My supposed nemesis. Bring it here!’
The knights carried it forward and laid the corpse on the floor. Zhu Chao smiled. ‘See how puny he looks in death, his face sheared away by the sharp sword of a valiant knight? See how …’ He faltered, his eyes staring at the right hand of the corpse. The third finger was missing, an old wound covered in a white scar. Zhu Chao knelt and lifted the man’s right hand. Upon the signet finger was a ring of red gold, shaped like a coiled serpent. ‘You fools!’ hissed Zhu Chao. ‘This is Onfel! Look, see the ring!’ Zhu Chao scrambled to his feet, his composure lost. ‘Waylander is alive! He is in the palace. Get out! All of you! Find him!’
The knights ran from the room. Zhu Chao pushed shut the door, and dropped a heavy lock-bar into place.
Karnak’s laughter boomed out. ‘He’ll kill you, sorcerer. You are dead!’
‘Shut your stinking mouth!’ screamed Zhu Chao.
‘How can you make me? With what will you threaten me?’ asked the giant Drenai. ‘Death? I don’t think so. I know this man who hunts you. I know what he is capable of. By the bones of Missael, I had men hunting him myself. The best assassins, the finest swordsmen. Yet still he lives.’
‘Not for long,’ said the sorcerer. A slow, cruel smile curved his thin lips. ‘Ah yes! You hired assassins – to protect your beloved Bodalen. He told me of it only recently.’
‘You have seen my son?’
‘Seen him? Oh, I saw a lot of him, my dear Karnak. He was mine, you see. He fed me all your plans, in return for a promise that when I had killed you he would rule the Drenai.’
‘You lying whoreson!’ stormed Karnak.
‘Not so. Ask your fellow guest, the late Emperor. He has no reason to lie. He will die alongside you. Bodalen was weak, spineless, and ultimately of little use to me.’ Zhu Chao laughed, a high shrill sound that echoed in the chamber. ‘Even when he had the strength of ten he had difficulty completing his task. Poor, stupid, dead Bodalen.’
‘Dead?’ whispered Karnak.
‘Dead,’ repeated Zhu Chao. ‘I sent him to an enchanted fortress. You would not like to see what he became. Therefore I shall show you.’