looking. The whole of the place was visible from the mountain road, and Jaymes found the sight both energizing and oddly sinister. He liked the commerce of the great city, the throngs of people, the wealth of goods and services unmatched anywhere else on Ansalon. But he distrusted the lords and nobles who ruled here, who jealously amassed then guarded their fortunes with such miserly greed.
The richest, and probably most miserly, of these was the lord regent of the city, Bakkard du Chagne. His palace was clearly visible from the road, for it stood not within the city walls, but upon the slopes of one of the mountains that rose over Palanthas. The Golden Spire, the regent’s lofty tower where his great treasure of gold was secured, rose from the midst of his residential compound, the highest point for miles around. It was a fitting location, Jaymes reflected, for Bakkard du Chagne to live, as the lord regent considered himself not of this place, but above it in all ways. He had cheated, stolen, deceived and-though only a few knew this-committed murder to achieve his station.
Jaymes was one who knew the full extent of the regent’s crimes. It was quite possible that he could have brought the arrogant nobleman tumbling down from his high pedestal by publicizing all that he knew. But such a destructive act would not serve any useful purpose, Jaymes had decided some time ago. So instead he had bit his tongue, taking some comfort from the fact that the regent knew he knew… and hated and feared him.
But Jaymes had not teleported to Palanthas to visit Bakkard du Chagne. He had other things in mind.
Moptop Bristlebrow brightened as the prancing gelding moved down the wide highway toward the city’s main gate. “Let’s go to the docks, first, all right?” the kender suggested, pointing excitedly. “They were bringing some huge crabs in from the north shore just before I left. Maybe there’s still a few claws left. They were giving them away!”
“Giving them away?” Jaymes mused. “I thought they were a delicacy-a few claws can pay the wages of a fisher for two tendays.”
“Well, they were giving them away to me,” Moptop declared offhandedly. “I guess other people might have to pay.”
“No doubt,” said the marshal. “But I don’t have time for crab claws just now. If you want to go to the waterfront, I’ll happily drop you off right here. It sounded like Lady Coryn’s summons was rather urgent, though, so I think I’d best check in with her.”
“Well, yeah. She did kind of indicate that it was important. So maybe I’ll go with you for now. And later on we can visit the docks, right?”
“Who rides there?” called a liveried sergeant at arms, wearing the tunic of the Palanthian Legion. He stepped into the roadway and raised his hand, while several comrades, armed with halberds or longbows, emerged from the shadows below the tower to stand beside him.
“The Lord Marshal of the Army of Solamnia,” Jaymes replied.
“Make way!” added the kender, unnecessarily it turned out, for the guards, recognizing the human rider, hastily had cleared out of the way.
“Welcome to Palanthas, my lord!” offered the sergeant, saluting smartly.
Jaymes nodded as he guided the horse through the open gate and along the main avenue leading to the heart of the city. People pointed and whispered, and several ladies tittered as he glanced in their direction. Boys went running down the streets, calling out the news of his arrival.
When he turned toward Nobles Hill, the lads shouted the news to the gathering citizens: “He’s going to the wizard’s house!”
Coryn lived in one of the great manors in that auspicious neighborhood, a house that was owned by the Mistress of the Red Robes, Jenna. The Head of the Orders of Magic, nowadays Jenna resided in the Tower of High Sorcery in Wayreth Forest, and had willingly ceded the use of her house to the powerful white-robed enchantress.
The Lady Coryn-the White Witch to some-was a fascinating figure to all of Solamnia. She was beautiful and mysterious, a wielder of immense power, a friend to the weak and downtrodden, and a ceaseless worker toward the future of a realm that was just, strong, and eternal. To Jaymes Markham she was all this… and much, much more.
Jaymes kicked his new horse in the flanks, and the gelding agreeably broke into a jaunty trot. Jaymes scanned the streets, eager for his first glimpse of Coryn.
“Hey, you’re whistling!” noted the kender in delight. “I didn’t take you for a whistler! It’s like you’re suddenly happy or something. Are you?”
The Lord Marshal of the Solamnic Army frowned, shaking his head in surprise. “It’s been a long time,” he admitted. “I’m looking forward to seeing her again.”
“Well, there it is-that’s Coryn’s house, right there.”
“I know,” Jaymes said. If the sight brought back a whirl of memories-and it did-his face betrayed no hint of his emotions. Yet he kneed his horse’s flanks so hard that the steed tossed his head, bucking a little as they trotted into the wide courtyard.
The house was a splendid villa, dominating a shoulder of Nobles Hill. The yard was sprinkled with fountains, elaborate statuary spouting geysers that were magically sustained all day, every day. The original fountains had been created by Jenna, but Coryn enjoyed them enough to maintain them, and indeed, the splashing rivulets that babbled and gurgled in their basins added a soothing element to the enchanted environment.
“Hey-I see goldfish! Let me off here!” insisted Moptop as they rode past a deep pool lined with lily pads, home to a dozen or more huge, brilliantly hued carp. Jaymes obliged quickly, lowering the kender by one arm while barely slowing his horse.
He reined in as he drew up before great carved doors atop broad marble steps leading to a portico. A lad with a broad grin stepped down to take the reins of his horse.
“Hi, Donny,” Jaymes greeted him. “How did you know I was coming?”
“Well, Lady Coryn told me to keep an eye out; she thought you’d be here today. I’ll take care of your horse for you, my lord.”
“Thanks,” Jaymes replied, handing over the reins. “He deserves a good rubdown-but go easy on the oats until he’s rested a bit.”
“Will do, sir!” Donny led the gelding away, toward the stables on the far side of the courtyard, while Jaymes sauntered up the broad steps. The front doors opened before he reached them, and he nodded at Rupert’s welcoming smile.
“Good day, my lord,” said the faithful attendant. The man was butler, watchman, and all around helpmate to the enchantress. He had worked in Jenna’s service for years, and had smoothly switched to serving Coryn. “I hope you had a pleasant journey.”
“It went by very quickly,” replied the marshal. “And it’s over now. The lady?”
“She is up in her laboratory, sir, expecting you, I should think. She ordered that, when you arrived, you were to be guided directly into her presence.”
“Thanks, Rupert. You’re looking well, and Donny seems to be turning into a fine young man.”
“Thank you, my lord. He does have a good head on his shoulders, it seems to me. And a warm welcome to you.”
Jaymes well knew the way. He took the steps three at a time up the grand circling stairway that climbed from the main hall. The upper floor of the villa was divided into two wings, one where the bedrooms, guest suites, and other inhabitable rooms were located, and another that housed the wizard’s laboratory. Jaymes turned in that direction, inhaling the familiar musty scents of incense and soot. There were stoves and even a miniature forge here, as well as storage rooms containing a myriad of exotic ingredients. But the main chamber was a long workroom with wide windows arranged to catch the maximum amount of sunlight and a veranda that offered a chance to pace and reflect or simply a splendid view of the Old City and the harbor beyond.
“Coryn!” Jaymes said, striding into the laboratory through the open door. She was standing with her back to him, her black hair fanned out across her shoulders, falling almost to her waist. Her white robe was, of course, immaculate-even when she worked with sooty components, shaping objects in clay and mud, blasting gouts of high heat through burners, she never seemed to get so much as a speck of debris on that robe.
Jaymes started across the room toward her and reached for her shoulder, but something in her still, rigid posture held his hand. He stopped, letting his arms fall to his sides.
“Coryn? The kender brought a summons… from you, he said.”
