the magnificent sculpture of Chelydrus, now a featureless lump amid a growing puddle.
'Mighty Chelydrus, you alone survive, your face perfect and your form without blemish. Nothing can touch your glory. I wilt rebuild your temple, my lord. Only see me safe home, and 1 will raise it again. I will hold the staff again. I am Rotapan, Rex Serpens to the ten tribes!' he shouted aloud, and moved down the mountainside as though he still were.
Behind him, the slave the guards had taken, his face beaten raw and one of his eyes already swollen shut, slipped out of the corridor and waved his hand in a sharp downward motion. The wolf pup came bounding out of his hiding place in the rocks and leapt playfully into his arms. The Neffian knelt painfully and let the wolf sniff his wounds, but hushed him when he began to whimper, then led him into a dark crevice under an overhang at the edge of Drufaiden's courtyard.
'Rafek! Where have you been? What happened to you?' the voices seemed to come from all around the Neffian as he moved from the secret entrance of the colony to the main cavern.
'There's no time to explain. The guards have melted! Yes! Even as they beat me-I was out hunting with the wolves and couldn't get back to the doorway before the guards sensed me-but the guards just turned to water before my eyes. 1 thought I was dead and dreaming. Now 1 see that the whole place is going-something has changed out there.'
A hundred old Nefftans, all past work, but still bearing the silver collar with Drufaiden's mark, looked at Rafek like he was mad.
'You can't mean that, man, look at you-it's probably from the beating. But where are Jepli and Carsh?' said one of the older men, whose name was Salmak.
'The Wyrvil king killed them both. Only QTarin survives.' The wolf pup licked his hand at the sound of his name.
'The… Wyrvil king? You saw the Wyrvil king up on this mountain? Rotapan, who traded us all into slavery again when we had run from Sumifa?' Salmak began to shake his head and roll his eyes. A few of the others politely covered their toothless smiles.
'I did. I thought he was a lost traveler at first and I tried to help him. For that kindness, he killed my wolves. From the guards' loose talk, I know that another, an assassin, took the Wyrvil in to see Drufalden herself. I didn't see the assassin when I came out of the corridor, but the half-ore is on his way back down the mountain now. Apparently alone,' added Rafek. 'I tell you, things have happened. The New King is at hand, just like the juma said. My brother Doulos was right-we are about to be free! Where are the house servants? The men in the mines? The smiths? Ask them if this kingdom is not melting. Or look outside for yourself if you don't believe me!'
The old man smoothed back his thick mane of white hair and pulled on his silver collar, then motioned one of the others to take a cautious look out the secret entrance.
'All right, Rafek, calm down. If Silufe brings back water, we will act on this,' the elder said, giving Silufe an empty cup to take with him. In a few moments, Rafek's eye was bandaged and the other man had returned with a smile and a cup of water.
'The guards are gone. But the assassins have manned the courtyard,' said Silufe. Rafek settled, glad that they finally believed his news.
Salmak smiled in his white beard. 'I never thought I'd live to see it. But perhaps we have a chance now. They are just men and women. We could not fight magic. But we can fight flesh and blood and bone. We will have to plan carefully. There are still many more of the assassins than there are of us, but we will have our chance.' He pulled again on the silver collar. 'She is not invincible anymore.'
Rafek hugged the wolf pup and stood up to leave. 'Take care of Q'Tarin. I'm going after that Wyrvil snake.'
'Rafek-the Ninnites will take you down in a heartbeat. The courtyard is crawling with them,' said Silufe.
'I have to go. It may be the only chance we have at him while he's alone and unprotected. And he killed my wolves, Silufe. You know I cannot let that go.' Rafek threw on a heavy cloak and crept back out to the secret entrance.
He had to wait only a few minutes before the assassins gathered in the center of the yard to light their rations of shirrir. When their backs were turned from the wind, Rafek moved shadowlike out of the rocks and down the trail.
And Q'Tarin, who had bitten every hand that had tried to restrain him, trotted silently behind.
18
Riolla brought forth her little jeweled dagger and flashed it before Claria's golden, unflinching eyes.
'You think we will need this to remove the ring?' asked the Schreefa.
Claria shook her head, her gag still in place.
'Good. Now you take it off.'
Claria held up her bound hands.
'Nice try,' said the Schreefa, bringing the dagger closer.
'Riolla!' Saelin came crashing into the dense undergrowth like a falling boulder. 'Gather yourself. There is no time. We must move to higher ground immediately,' he puffed.
'Ah… well done, my esteemed empress. Is this a special treat for your honored servant?' He brought his hand to his face, tracing the raw, red scratch lines of Claria's comb.
'What are you talking about, Saelin? Why do we have to leave here now? And where is Rotapan?' Riolla replaced her dagger.
'When the melt began, there was no time to dispense with him as you had planned. But I am sure he is dead. I left the Wyrvil in the palace's corridor. Do not fear-he'll never find his way out, and the Wyrvil tribes will continue to remain hostile to the ice queen. He was blindfolded and the walls were melting. I am sure the corridor has fallen in on him. He delivered your message and Drufalden has summoned your sabers. They will await you at the Curtain.'
Saelin kept looking up toward the mountain. 'Schreefa, there is a wall of mud ready to come down on us. We must move now.'
Riolla kicked at Claria to get her on her feet. 'The old coot must have used the selkies' stone,' she muttered. 'Never mind. We need to move fast anyway, but I wish your dagger had found Rotapan's heart instead of leaving him to chance. No matter, he is out of the way, and I don't have to pay him. Perhaps, Saelin, you would do well in his old position.'
The assassin bowed and smiled under his dark mustache. It was enough to make him forget all about the lost chroniclave.
Ogwater bounced along atop Womba's massive shoulders like a bag of melons. The orcess had not slowed her pace since she had thrashed her way out of the jungle and into the forest that surrounded the selkies' river. Og had no idea where she was taking him, but wherever it was, he thought it was too far.
Until he saw Dunsan. The sentry ran toward them, his face hot with exertion.
'Where have you been? We have been searching for you at Wiggulf s most urgent order. Do you not know that the mountain falls also? This place will likely remain dry, but you could be trapped here until the river recedes.'
At the sound of Dunsan's voice, the battle frenzy departed from her, and Womba looked at him as though she did not comprehend his words. But Dunsan's appearance had stopped her long enough for Og to squirm loose from her grip and drop gracelessly to the ground.
'I have to find Cheyne. Does he yet lodge with Wiggulf?' the songmage asked.
'He left to go to his father. They are up the path a bit. I can lead you,' said Dunsan, slicing through the ropes still binding Og's hands.
Og strode quickly after him, with Womba right on his heels. Dunsan wove through the forest until they came upon Cheyne's party. Yob and a Neffian were with him: they were transporting a wounded man between them, moving along the path Cheyne and Og had taken to the selkies' lodge earlier.
'Cheyne! Yob! Help!' he cried.
