Against the wall Karnak tore at his chains, using all of his mighty strength. Two of the links stretched, but did not give. Again and again the Drenai threw his weight against them.
Waylander backed away from the beast, and the smoke-demon’s laughter filled the room.
Outside the Sanctum the remaining Knights of Blood were hammering on the door, calling out for their master. Waylander ran back to where he had discarded his helm. Slipping it over his head he lifted the bar on the door – and stepped aside. The door burst open, three knights tumbling inside, one falling to his knees directly before the awesome beast. The man screamed and tried to rise. The beast’s talons tore into him, lifting the knight into the air, the deadly fangs ripping open his throat. Blood sprayed across the altar.
The other knights stood transfixed.
‘It killed the master!’ yelled Waylander. ‘Use your swords!’
But the knights turned and fled. The beast leapt at Waylander. Ducking under the sweep of its talons the assassin sent a slashing cut to the creature’s belly, but the blade merely sliced the surface of the skin. Waylander dived and rolled to his feet.
Karnak, with one last effort, snapped the right-hand chain, then turned and used both hands to rip loose the left. Spinning on his heel he swung the chains around above his head and charged the monster. The iron links hit the beast on the throat, whipping around the neck. It turned and reared high, dragging Karnak from his feet. Waylander darted forward and plunged his sword into the open belly, driving it home with all his weight and strength.
A great howl went up – and a taloned arm flashed down, opening the flesh of Waylander’s shoulder. He fell back. Karnak dragged back on the chain, which tightened around the beast’s throat. It tried to turn and rend its attacker but Karnak, despite his great bulk, moved nimbly, keeping the chain taut. Waylander ran to the fallen knight, retrieving the man’s sword. Holding the blade double-handed, the assassin advanced once more, lifting the sword high and cleaving it down on the elongated skull. The blade bounced clear on the first stroke, but twice more Waylander struck. The bone of the skull parted on the third blow, the sword wedging deep into the beast’s cranium. It sank to all fours, blood gushing from its mouth, talons scratching at the stone.
And died.
The smoke-demon was silent for a moment. ‘You offer me good sport, Waylander,’ he said softly. ‘But then you always have. I think you always will.’
The smoke billowed and faded – and the demon vanished.
Karnak unwound the chain from the dead beast’s throat and crossed to Waylander. ‘Good to see you, old lad,’ he said, with a wide smile.
‘The men you sent are all dead,’ said Waylander coldly. ‘Now only you remain.’
Karnak nodded. ‘I was trying to protect my son. No excuses. He’s… dead. You’re alive. Let that be an end to it.’
‘I choose my own endings,’ said Waylander, moving past the giant Drenai to where the Emperor stood, still chained to the wall. ‘It has always been said that you are a man of honour,’ Waylander told him.
‘It is a source of pride to me,’ said the Emperor.
‘Good. You see I have two choices, Majesty. I can kill you, or I can let you go. But there is a price for the latter.’
‘Name it, and if it is within my power you may have it.’
‘I want the attack on the Nadir Wolves stopped; the army ordered back.’
‘What are the Nadir to you?’
‘Less than nothing. But my daughter is with them.’
The Emperor nodded. ‘It will be as you say, Waylander. Is there nothing you want for yourself?’
The assassin smiled wearily. ‘Nothing any man can give me,’ he said.
*
Angel pushed the table on to the stairs, up-ending it to block the view of the enemy archers on the landing above, then sank to his haunches and stared around the hall.
The Gothir had forced the portcullis gate on the eleventh day of the siege, the defenders falling back to the transient safety of the keep. The older women and children hid in the lower levels of the fortress while, as Angel had predicted, the younger women now joined the men in the defence of the citadel.