Delbin ran out of the stables, darting past a minotaur occupied with trying to subdue Kaz's father. He felt terrible about leaving both of them, but Kaz had said he had to leave, and he always did what Kaz asked… even if he usually changed his mind later and did the opposite. Delbin was determined to rescue his friend, but first he had to make certain he lost any of the bad minotaurs who were dogging his heels.
I'll rescue you, Kaz. You'll see! Kaz was a true friend, the nearest thing to a family Delbin really had. Kaz always got uncomfortable when Delbin mentioned what a good friend he was. Yet the minotaur understood him better than other kender did.
Behind him he heard a minotaur shout. The shout was far away and probably didn't even concern him. Delbin started thinking about where he should go next. The minotaur city was so fascinating that he kept wanting to stop and look at things, but he knew that Kaz was in trouble, so he had to hurry.
I have to do something to help him and Ganth! He liked Ganth, too, in great part because the elder minotaur treated him almost like a grandson. But what could a kender do?
'This way!' roared a deep voice, this time definitely a lot nearer.
Delbin looked behind him and saw an enormous shape closing in. They were very near, all right. He had the advantage of being small, which made it hard to see him in the dark, but he was unfamiliar with the area. It would have been nice to set a few traps for his pursuers, but he was in a hurry. Maybe he'd even have to kill a few of them, albeit in self-defense. Kaz would be proud of him if he did.
'Cover that street!' shouted the voice.
They were even closer now. Delbin spotted a darkened alley ahead of him and giggled. Like all kender, he was good at playing hide-from-the-bad-guys, a game all youngsters of his race learned in their childhood, just in case. The alley looked as if it led to another good hiding place. There were all sorts of good buildings in which to hide.
Delbin giggled again, then shook his head and whispered to himself, 'You should be quiet, Delbin, because if you don't, those soldiers might hear you, and then they'll catch you before you can kill a few…'
He squeezed down the alley, then slipped through an even more narrow opening between two buildings. The minotaurs could certainly not follow him here. Delbin cracked a smile as he darted around another corner. This was actually fun. He just wished Kaz could be here to enjoy the game.
'Don't worry about that!' Delbin whispered, reminding himself. 'Find a good place to hide, then come up with a plan to rescue Kaz!'
He was certain he would think of something. He had always been a clever fellow. Had not Kaz said so? Delbin had helped him against the dark elf Argaen Ravenshadow and those nasty ghosts down in the cold south. He could certainly help his friend against a few stupid minotaurs.
'I'll come up with a real good plan, Kaz. You'll see! I'll save you and Ganth and Hecar, and then we'll all ride home together. I'll make it a really good plan that you'll be proud of and all the other minotaurs will be surprised about!'
Delbin, of course, was blissfully unaware of how Kaz, not to mention the others, would have cringed at hearing any plan of his. A kender plan was more likely to backfire on those involved than it was destined to succeed. Of course, to kender, that was part of the fun.
They just could not understand why others never seemed to see it that way.
Their captors dragged Kaz and Ganth to the temple, where the high priest awaited them. Inside, the acolytes were very attentive. One of them guided the party through the temple. He led Scurn and the others to two great doors. There, two more acolytes opened the doors, then stepped away. Scurn paused at the entrance, giving Kaz a moment to study the place in detail. The artwork did not concern him at all. What he wanted was some way out should the opportunity arise.
His eyes drifted to the carvings. Most, especially the faces of Sargas, were familiar to him, since copies appeared on structures throughout the empire, but the dragon was something uncommon. It was startlingly real. It unnerved him almost as much as the thought of facing the high priest.
'Your party may enter, Captain Scurn.'
The voice echoed throughout the nearly black chamber and caused the hair on the back of Kaz's head to stiffen. Like all minotaurs, he had been raised with a healthy respect for the high priest. But, just standing there, he felt an unreasoning terror. This is nonsense, he told himself.
The cleric's as mortal as anyone else here. An axe in the hand will cleave him in two just as easily as it would Scum.
Nonetheless, it was all he could do to keep from quavering when they pulled him forward.
Torches suddenly blazed, revealing not only the immense chamber, but the dais ahead of the party. Seated at the desk atop the dais was the high priest, who stared down at them.
Studious features were half-shadowed by the cleric's hood. Kaz had met this particular minotaur before, but he could not recall when. Was his past out to destroy him? It seemed that everyone he had ever met was turning up in his life again, wanting to dispose of him.
Scurn led the prisoners up to the dais. Kaz was pleased to note that his captors seemed nervous, too. Everyone was afraid of this high priest.
The high priest leaned forward, studying the two prisoners. His eyes raked Kaz, then Ganth, almost
'There was a kender, too, was there not? Where is he?'
Steadying himself, Scurn replied, 'The guard is still out hunting him, Holiness. He escaped in the confusion when these two resisted.'
'A kender, a lowly kender, escaped a squadron of the guard? Are you becoming that incompetent? The kender should have been the least difficult of the three.'
'We weren't expecting this one,' protested Scurn as he pointed at Ganth. 'We were told to watch for Kaz, not the old one.'
'And who is he?'
'I am Ganthirogani de-Orilg,' announced Kaz's father, standing proudly. 'I'm a loyal son of the empire, which is more than I can say for these bits of flotsam. You should know me-'
'You will not speak again unless spoken to,' intoned the high priest, cutting off Ganth. He leaned back and studied Kaz again. 'Kaziganthi of the clan Orilg, we have watched your activities for some time. Your reputation is both a credit and a shame to the minotaur race. You have fought bravely against great foes, but you reject the destiny of your people. You act as an independent when you must play your part in the great plan. Your place is here, working for the future that is to be ours, but you rebel, fomenting discord among your own kind. Because of your past, you could be forgiven, but now you return to the empire, attempting to increase your power at a time when all minotaurs are needed for the grand conquest.'
'That's ridiculous!' snapped Kaz, surprising himself.
The high priest ignored his effrontery. 'What you have achieved is admittedly admirable in many ways, but it cannot be allowed to go on, I'm afraid. For the sake of the future, a settlement such as yours cannot be tolerated. The minotaur race cannot be divided so. We must be one strong axe arm ready to cleave all foes in our path. No minotaur can be allowed to act alone.'
'I always thought we prided ourselves on our fairness,' Kaz returned, more defiant than fearful now that he had heard the high priest's exalted words. 'We are the race where anyone may become emperor, where males and females are equal, and where honor is individual.'
The high priest visibly checked his anger. Putting on a smile as false as his words, the hooded figure shook his head. 'This is a time of sacrifice, my son. In the name of the Great Horned One, we must put aside some of our freedoms so that we can sooner claim the world for him. The time is ripe. The unity of the race is now paramount, greater than the personal desires of one rebellious minotaur. You should understand that.'
'I understand much.'
'Do you?' The high priest shifted. 'I make you an offer, Kaziganthi. Talent such as yours should not be wasted. There is room for you in the empire, but only in service to the empire. What you have achieved in the wilderness could be put to good use here. Commanders who compel such respect and loyalty from warriors are always invaluable to the cause. You could be the greatest commander since Mesonus, who led the attack against
