Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol. III

Madrac, one of the many splinter personalities that formed with each new incarnation. It had taken the full might of Darkhorse, who knew the ancient warlock best, to defeat Madrac.

Shade had returned again much later, but this time entirely confused, his personalities shifting back and forth without warning. Darkhorse, ever both friend and foe, had taken it upon himself to end the travesty, if only for the warlock’s own sake.

Queen Erini, who had become for a time Shade’s pawn, had been there at the end. Shade and Darkhorse had made their peace, and the warlock had given up his own life to prevent a disaster that he himself had been in great part responsible for creating. There and then, it should have been ended.

Darkhorse, however, had not been able to accept such a death. Shade had meant more to him than any of his mortal companions could have known. The gray mage was the only one who, in his own way, could understand the shadow steed, could comprehend the emptiness the leviathan kept buried within. There was no one else in the Dragonrealm like the black stallion, no one who could understand his longings, his fears. Immortal himself, save if killed, it was only natural that he be drawn to Shade.

Because of that, the shadow steed had spent the next several years utilizing much of his time searching for any trace of the vanished warlock. Part of Darkhorse wanted to make certain that Shade was dead, for if he was not, then the Dragonrealm risked great danger. Yet another part of the ebony stallion-and this only a handful knew-hoped that the warlock was alive, that the one creature who understood the loneliness he suffered was still there for him.

The obsession had almost cost Cabe his life. Ashamed, Darkhorse had all but abandoned his futile search . . . yet, there were times when the shadow steed would vanish to places unknown for long periods of time. No one was certain what Darkhorse did during these episodes, but the Bedlams feared that the obsession was growing again.

“What happens if we can’t find him? The audience in Talak is drawing very near. Now that it’s settled that Darkhorse is permitted there, it would seem a bit foolish if he was not at least asked.”

The warlock sighed. “Kyl and Melicard will simply have to be annoyed. No one rules Darkhorse. I told Kyl I would do what I could, but I didn’t promise a miracle. Even if I find Darkhorse, he might choose not to come.” He shook his head. “I don’t know why Kyl felt it so necessary that he be there. I don’t know why Kyl does anything he does. . . .”

His wife came and put her arms around him. They held each other close.

“This isn’t just about Darkhorse,” she whispered. “This is about the same thing we always talk of.”

“We tried to raise him as best we could, Gwen. Look at Grath. Look at our own children. I’m fairly confident about them, although Aurim’s recklessness with magic is probably going to be the end of me soon. What happened to Kyl?”

“He was older, Cabe. He had already begun developing his own personality. We did what we could. Considering who he is, we’ve not done too badly.”

“Did we? Of late, I’ve noticed myself thinking thoughts I’d have found reprehensible in others.”

“Kyl is in great part responsible for that.” The sorceress released him and stepped back. “Believe that. There are drakes here who would admit to it. As a ruler, Kyl may do great things, but as a person, his attitude lacks a certain responsibility.”

They both knew that they were in part thinking of their own daughter, but neither desired to say any more on that subject for now. The two were certain . . . almost . . . that Valea was simply infatuated with Kyl’s exotic appearance. She was too intelligent to think that there could be anything between them . . . they hoped.

Cabe made a cutting motion with his hand. “None of this solves the present problem. I’m going to see if I can find Darkhorse myself. The more I think about it, even if he doesn’t appear in Talak, I want him to know what’s going on. If anyone is planning to disrupt the event or, worse, strike out at the emperor-to-be, it wouldn’t hurt to have Darkhorse nearby.”

She cocked her head to one side and smiled a bit. “You know, I think this is all a ploy! I think you just planned this sudden little excursion so that you can escape the preparations for the journey!”

They both laughed at her joke, all the while aware that it was simply an attempt to lighten Cabe’s ever- darkening mood. “Now why would I want to escape arranging and rearranging Kyl’s caravan? I couldn’t think of anything more entertaining!”

“Then I will go in your place, husband dear!”

“Not likely!” He took her once more into his arms. “If you leave it to me to organize this, we will be ready to depart by some time late next year!”

“Too true. . . .” The sorceress grew quiet, then said, “If you must go searching, you can avoid the region around Talak. I made mention to Erini that she should let us know if Darkhorse appears there.”

“Then that’s one place less. I have some other notions of where he might have run off to. I’m certain there’s nothing to worry about.” He kissed her. “This won’t take long. If Darkhorse is at none of the places I have in mind, I’ll leave him a sign that he won’t fail to recognize. Then it will simply have to be up to him as to whether he answers or not.”

“All this running around sometimes seems so futile, doesn’t it? I shall be glad when Kyl is crowned so that we can at last breathe again.”

Cabe forced his smile to remain where it was. “That’s all I’ve ever asked.”

He kissed his wife once more . . . then was gone.

As the warlock vanished, Lady Bedlam heard a knock on the door. She turned toward it and bid the newcomer to enter.

It was Benjin Traske. The huge, bearded scholar was clad in the colors and garments of his special calling-a gray, cowled cloak with gold trim on the collar and ebony robes beneath. The cowl was presently pushed back, revealing gray hair with a very slight peppering of silver. Like Cabe, Gwen sometimes thought that the tutor resembled more a condemning judge than the scholar he was. She noted also that he still wore a blade on his belt, despite such armament going against his calling. Traske had lost his family in the fall of the city of Mito Pica some years back and had always regretted that he had not had even a knife with which to protect them.

Something about his expression disturbed her. It was nothing that she could put her finger on. He seemed almost pensive, but that was not quite it.

“My pardon, lady. I thought Master Bedlam also here.”

“He has left.”

“I see.” For a breath or two, it seemed the massive figure did not know what to say.

“I am Lady Bedlam, scholar. You can trust me with whatever it is you wished to speak to my husband about.”

His expression became somewhat rueful. “My apologies. I did not mean to infer such . . .”

“What is it you want, Scholar Traske?”

He took a deep breath. “I realize that you have much on your mind and that I would only be further adding to your troubles, but I wish to speak to you about the excursion to Talak. . . .”

This is getting to be a habit!

The wind howled around him. Everything was white, but it was the whiteness of death, the eternal winter. Snow and ice were everywhere. A few misshapen hills, possibly only large snowbanks, dotted the otherwise flat landscape. In the distance, the warlock could see some taller mounds, but he knew it would be a waste of time to go and investigate them. If Darkhorse was not here at the very spot on which Cabe now stood, then he was not in any part of the Northern Wastes.

Snow fluttered around the silent spellcaster but did not alight on him. The same spell that shielded him from the cold also shielded him from the other gifts the inhospitable wasteland offered. Snow that sought perch on him simply faded away.

He had come here because this, of all the places that the eternal frequented, was the most likely spot that Darkhorse would have chosen to return to had his obsession taken root once again. Here, in the emptiness of the Wastes, Shade had perished . . . or so Queen Erini said. She had witnessed it all. Years later, during a quest much like the one he was on now, Cabe had been brought here by the novice sorceress, who had explained to him the