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The wrinkled face of Lentro swam before my eyes.
That seemed both odd and normal at the same time, yet I couldn't think why it should seem either one. I took a deep breath and moved slightly. Nothing seemed to hurt, which was a blessing.
I sat up with a jerk, causing Lentro to start. He leaped to his feet and moved away. Behind him I could see the throne of Kukran Epthel, the cadaver himself sitting upon it, watching me. I ignored him and looked round. The audience chamber was as I remembered it. I didn't count the zombies, but noted the addition of six guards who lined the back wall either side of the throne. They were brawny, competent looking men in mail armor that I recognized as having been looted off our noble dead. One wore mine, including the belt that made his form shimmer slightly. My swords were at his belt, his hand resting idly on the longer blade. I turned my head further. Sapphire was bound hand and foot, yet managed to look relaxed, sitting nearby and looking at me. The smile was gone from his face, his expression was neutral and his eyes as cold as ever.
“What happened?”
“We failed,” he said.
Beyond him I could see Meran. Like me he was not bound. He stood glaring about, clenching and unclenching his hands. He locked eyes with me and raised an eyebrow. I shook my head and climbed to my feet.
Lentro moved further away. I checked my fingers and found they was bare of rings, my tattoo had gone and my hands were my own.
“Sumto, I thought you had decided to obey me.”
“You were wrong,” I said mildly. My heart hammered in my chest as I wondered what further outrages they would now heap upon me. Living death? I looked at the eight zombies that lined the walls, noting this time the wealthy dress style of Gerrian chieftains. Those who had not accepted his incitement to rise against us, no doubt. No wonder their people had capitulated; suddenly led by whichever man had been chosen to take the position made so drastically vacant.
“In the long run I am never wrong. I can wait. You will serve me. They all do in the end. One way or another.
“All slaves together? I don't think so.”
“Those who obey me are not called slaves.”
“Called slaves or not, everyone who obeys you is a slave so long as you wear the last king's amulet.” I had finally remembered where I had seen the symbol of the amulet he wore. In a book, of course, a history of our own people, telling the story of the last true king. The last king of the city had had it made, soaking a stone into its metal to fuel the power that it embodied. Obedience, it demanded. It murmured the concept unceasingly, day and night to all who saw it; 'obey me.'
He locked his dull dead gaze on mine and said nothing.
Lentro looked round, taking in the amulet and frowning slightly. His eyes narrowed as he craned slightly forward the better to see.
“Don't you recognize it Lentro? Our ancestors killed him for making it. As soon as they saw its properties in action and knew it for what it was they resisted and slew him. He was the last true king of the city and now we have none, save in name to honor better men.”
“Be quiet,” Kukran spoke in the same unmoved tones, not raising his voice one iota, but I recognized his unease.
“Why? Were it not true you would not fear it said. Where did you come by it? The histories say it was destroyed but I guess the histories lie. Histories are always dubious, written by the victor. Did you know that we have a practice of inviting parallel works from the vanquished? We keep them in the public libraries where everyone can read them. Don't we Lentro?”
“Yes,” he answered, his attention still focused on the amulet.
A small black-skinned figure appeared behind Sapphire and cut his bonds. Taking the knife and moving as though he had all the time in world, Sapphire brought his arms forward, the small knife in one hand and cut viciously at the ropes that bound his ankles. Swords rang from their sheaths at once and a voice I recognized said a word I did not. “Bogani'iodya,” it could have been. Dubaku was pointing at Kukran Epthel. I stood frozen for a moment, aware and ready to move but not yet committed.
Kukran Epthel did not seem surprised. “Will you never give up?” he asked, and raised one weary hand holding the ten carat stone. The spirit Dubaku had called manifested and wrapped itself around him, instantly he burst into flames. “What?” He looked at his hands and arms, calmly. “Douse me,” he said as he turned to the frozen guard to his left. “Bring a tapestry and smother the flames.” The guard sprang to obey after only a moment's shocked hesitation.
Sapphire was on his feet and moving, taking advantage of the momentary distraction that had held the guards in thrall. They moved to meet him but it was already too late for the first whose initial step was his last. Sapphire's knife slashed across his throat so deep I thought I saw a flash of bone before the blood gushed out of the wound. Spinning away, the dead guard's sword now in his hand, Sapphire attacked his next target calmly. It was only then that I moved, unarmed as I was, heading after the guard who was intent on bringing down a tapestry. I tackled him from behind, hitting him hard so that we bounced off the wall together and fell to the ground.
A thunderous concussion shook the room but no one seemed to react to it and I certainly didn't have time.
“Douse me!” Kukran Epthel commanded again. “You,” I had no idea who he meant and cared less. The barbarian I grappled was turning in my grip despite the fact that I had my arm across his throat and was trying desperately to make my fist meet my own shoulder as I attempted to choke the life out of him. He was stronger than me. It was that simple. With my left hand I sought a weapon, scrabbling about his waist as I quested for a knife but he had me there too, one big hand gripping my wrist and pushing my hand away. I'd locked my legs about him, my ankles crossed and his right arm trapped beneath my leg. At least he couldn't get to a weapon himself. He got his elbow on the ground for leverage and started to sit up, taking me with him.
Light streamed suddenly into the room as one of the drapes was ripped bodily from the wall. At that moment a thin black skinned fist and arm nipped around me, the fist held a small knife that glinted with wicked sharpness as it moved. The barbarian I was desperately resisting stiffened and arched his back, then twitched and writhed in my arms. Dubaku flitted away as I pushed my burden off me, glancing around to see what might threaten, even as I dragged his sword free of its sheath.
Another mighty concussion shook the building. I ignored it as best I could. It wasn't in the room with me.
“All of you, kill them!” Kukran Epthel cried. He had finally risen to his feet and begun to move across the room, purposefully heading to the windows where one of the eight zombies stood holding a heavy drape in both hands. It was shuffling backwards, dragging it across the floor as its master came to meet it. It had not reacted immediately, I noted. Resistance to the command or simply a consequence of its nature? I shelved the thought as I continued to glance around the room, taking in the details that would dictate my next actions.
Sapphire seemed briefly held at bay by the three hulking guards, but one went down even in that brief glance and I stopped worrying about him, my gaze continuing to traverse the room. The doors had been flung open and in the center of the room Meran faced a guard; the other who had been standing outside lay writhing nearby.
I came to my feet, gaze flitting back past Sapphire and his two opponents. I met Lentro's eyes for a moment. They were wide and horrified. I had no time for that. He knew what had been done to his mind and I knew that he knew. Kukran Epthel wore the last King's Amulet. No matter what happened here I knew Lentro would spread the word amongst those of us who had survived. Even if we died here, Kukran Epthel would fall at their hands. We do not suffer a tyrant to live, and only a tyrant would use such a tool as the amulet.
Kukran Epthel had taken the drape and enfolded himself in it. The stink of smoke had filled the room unnoticed. I made a decision and moved. Fast but controlled, I crossed the room to Kukran. He clearly reasoned the fire was out and was slowly and clumsily trying to work his way free of the enshrouding drapery. I moved with controlled energy, emulating Sapphire. His hands found the edge of the drape and pushed it up. The drape was large and heavy, he adjusted and pushed upward again. I picked my moment, stepped and chopped hard at his
