say that? Is it something he should not have?”
“Probably not. That’s academic, I’m afraid, your majesty. As I said, I destroyed it. He’ll find nothing but ashes now.”
In a darkened corner of the ceiling, a small form scurried deep into a crack that should have been too tight for it. The sacrifice of its brother had proven worth the cost, for it had discovered what its master had wanted to know. Soon, it would be able to return to the warm nothingness he had summoned it from. Perhaps even as soon as it relayed the news to him.
Shade’s eye-creature did not understand how its master would react to this particular bit of news. It would not be able to comprehend the fury nor would it comprehend that the warlock would destroy it, not because it had served him well, but because of a need to strike out at someone or something.
Least of all, it would not understand the danger the success of its mission had placed the sorcerer and the princess in. Nor would it have cared.
X
The silver dragon watched from the throne he had usurped from his dead counterpart as his loyal subjects began the long process of clearing the central chamber of rubble. Under the light of many torches, warriors watched over the servitors, who seemed uneasy at invading the caverns of their cousins. The Dragon King shifted to a more imperious posture, the better to build the confidence of his people. It mattered not that the clans of Gold-those that still lived-were outraged at his actions. They had three choices: become part of the clans of Silver as the survivors of the clans of Bronze and Iron had, flee to their other cousins, or face execution. So far, none of the three choices had become a clear-cut victor, which was the best choice in the Silver Dragon’s mind, for it meant that the remnants of Gold’s people would never band together in sufficient strength to fight his rightful rule.
I should have taken this place after Gold’s defeat. So many years wasted-but now the throne is mine. The days of the Thirteen Kingdoms are at an end. Eventually, the Dragonrealm will bow to one monarch alone with no council to voice their dissent…
So far, none of his counterparts had raised more than an angry voice against him; proof, he believed, of their gradual willingness to accept him as emperor of all. Only Green openly denounced him, but that was to be expected from a traitor whose domain housed his race’s greatest enemies, the Bedlams.
Ssssoon, he thought with a smile. Soon we shall begin the cleansing process, sweeping down and bringing the upstart warm-bloods to their knees, where they will learn once again to give obeisance in the proper manner.
One of his younger hatchlings, an unmarked male who served well in the hopes of securing a dukedom in the new regime of his sire, knelt before him. His false crest was less elaborate than some of his elders, a choice that the Dragon King approved of. He gestured for the warrior to speak.
“My sire, I give thanks to the Dragon of the Depths for your ascent to the throne of emperor.”
Silver hissed as the flattery made him swell with pride. “What word of our chaotic ally?”
“None. Our spies search for him-cautiously, as you commanded. There is word on the book, however,”
“And that is?”
“That the book is ash,” a voice from behind the throne announced.
The Dragon King leaped from the throne and whirled around. The other drakes looked up from their tasks, but a chill glance from their monarch, who realized he had lost face by this cowardly action, sent them scurrying back to their duties with greater effort than before.
“How?”
“The sorcerer Drayfitt. Why would you give such an artifact to a human sorcerer?” Shade cocked his head, his voice soft and smooth, companionable even.
The Dragon King was not fooled for a moment. He knew that he was facing yet another variation of the warlock, one that he suspected was closer to the original than any of the rest. “He was to translate it. All others failed. It was said he had the skill and knowledge.”
Shade walked slowly around the throne. The two drakes stepped back. “So the creature Mal Quorin is yours.”
His draconian ally did not argue the point. “Only after the book wasss brought to him did we discover the truth. The human king was quickly made to believe that a ssspell had been found that would give him a demon servant and all he had to do was find a sorcerer-which proved sssurprisingly easssy. The one called Drayfitt would continue the translation-at the command of his king, of course-and also test the validity of his resultsss.” Silver forced himself to stare into the two dark spots that passed for the warlock’s eyes. “He would either fail and disssgrace himself or succeed, at which point, sssome accident would overtake him and the book would be returned to me. Any demon he had sssummoned would then be mine to control!”
“You are quite a gambler, evidently. I doubt if I would have done the same as you.” With great deliberation, the warlock sat casually down on the throne. The drake who had reported to the would-be emperor hissed and bared his claws. Shade looked him over.
“One of your get?”
“What of it, human?” the defiant warrior hissed.
“He bears no markings,” the hooded figure commented to his ally, ignoring the growing anger of the younger drake.
“What if I do not?”
The warlock finally seemed to notice him again. “Just so I know that I’ve eliminated nothing of importance.”
The furious drake reached for him, then hissed in consternation as a great, black hole materialized in his stomach. While the rest of the drakes-unable to keep from looking despite their master’s earlier glare-watched in horror, the hole expanded. The hapless victim, in a state of insane calm, put one hand into the gaping maw, unable to believe his eyes.
The hand and the arm were sucked in.
In less than a breath, the shoulders, head, and remaining arm followed after and, when they, too, were gone, the torso and legs vanished into the hole. A single black spot remained floating in the air for a second or two, then vanished, seeming to swallow itself.
Shade glanced in the direction of the Dragon King. “You’ve desired the power of the Vraad; that was a taste of what we could do.”
“Am I next?”
“I was under the impression we had an alliance of sorts.” The warlock leaned forward. “Don’t we?”
“You recalled the book. That wasss why you returned to me. The book-your book-was destroyed. I assumed you had no further need to pursue our alliance and so I have moved on with my plansss.”
“Subjugation and/or destruction of Talak. I remember. I would think it simple with the king’s counselor at your beck and call.”
“Nothing is simple except the belief in simplicity.”
Rising, Shade straightened his cloak. “Continue with your plans. They coincide with my needs. There is only one thing you must remember.”
“That is?”
“The sorcerer Drayfitt must not be harmed. I’ve need of him.”
A wary look passed across the drake lord’s half-hidden face. “Quorin’s followers are to assassinate him- soon-while he travels with the army. What need do you have for a human spellcaster with little more than adequate ability?”
“It’s not his abilities as a sorcerer that I want. It’s his mind. You did say he set out to translate the entire book, didn’t you?”
“So?”
Shade sighed, wondering how this creature could miss the obvious. “Never mind. Return to your plans.”
