did not sound at all feigned.
“Don’t mock, my Lord. The Elder Races had their secrets, and their sorcery was quite as powerful as our own, perhaps even more powerful. Lord Ilmarec has already demonstrated the power of his new weapons.”
“Really?” Azaar was not so impolite as to imply disbelief but his voice held a certain sly mockery.
“Really, sir, really. A few of Kathea’s retainers objected to her being closeted away with Lord Ilmarec and tried, as they saw it, to release her. Lord Manesi threatened to attack the tower with his regiment. His wizards were ordered to summon a company of elementals.”
“What happened?” Sardec asked. He noticed an odd quality had entered Esteril’s manner. He had seen something similar among humans at religious meetings.
“They were destroyed, my young friend, destroyed instantly and forever. The regiment, the wizards, the elementals — all were destroyed in a moment.”
“There are many sorceries that could do that,” said Azaar. “Particularly if they were attempting to assault a fortress as strong as the Serpent Tower.”
Azaar sounded a little disturbed.
“This was no common sorcery. I saw it with my own eyes. A beam of green light emerged from the Tower and the soldiers were slain. There were only scorched fragments left of their bodies. A whole regiment slaughtered in a heartbeat, despite all the wards and mystical protections the wizards had erected. In all my days, I have never seen magic of such power.”
Sardec thought he was starting to understand some of what had happened here. Esteril, although he would never have admitted it, was more frightened of Ilmarec than he was of Azaar. And if Ilmarec really had destroyed Kathea’s bodyguard there could be little doubt as to where he stood, could there? He had definitely aligned himself with the enemy.
The further import of Esteril’s words sank in. If Ilmarec really had access to some dreadful Elder World weapon, things could go very badly wrong for the Azaar’s army. He might be able to destroy their entire force before they could ever breach the walls of his tower.
“You have spoken to Lord Ilmarec since he did this, of course?” said Azaar.
“I have not, my Lord. My orders came from Queen Kathea under her seal and Lord Ilmarec’s. I have spent time on my estate rallying my forces for the coming struggle. What are you going to do with my men?”
Azaar considered for a moment and said. “The standard terms. I will enlist those who wish to join my army. Those who don’t can go home without their weapons or gear.”
“It’s not total war then,” said Esteril, he sounded relieved. “In the fashion of Koth.”
“You know me better than that, my friend.”
“Of course,” said Esteril, but his tone made it plain that he was not so sure. Azaar had not taken to the field since Koth had completely changed the way wars were fought. “It’s good to know that there are still some who hold to the old ways.”
“Obviously Ilmarec does not,” said Azaar pointedly.
Silence fell between them and then Esteril said, “I regret to inform you that I cannot join your army, Lord Azaar. My sympathies are with the Purple Faction and the Queen-Empress.”
“I understand perfectly, Lord Esteril. If you will give me your word that you will return to your palace and not take to the field against me or my Queen again during this war, you are free to go.”
Lord Esteril rose and bowed. Something inside him seemed to break at that moment. “Lord Azaar, if you will take my advice, do not go near the Serpent Tower with your army. Although it pains me to say it, I do not think you will find that Lord Ilmarec will fight as honourably as you and he has access to a weapon the like of which we never dreamed of in the old days.”
“Thank you for your council, sir. I will certainly give it due weight in my deliberations.”
“By your leave, Lord Azaar, I would like to make preparations for my departure.”
“By all means,” said Azaar. Esteril bowed and left.
Azaar turned to Sardec. “It seems the situation in Kharadrea is more complicated than I thought.”
“It would seem so, sir.”
“It does not surprise me. Things are rarely simple, particularly not when ambitious Terrarchs sense an opportunity for self-advancement.”
“You mean Lord Esteril, sir.”
“He certainly sought glory attacking us, but he is not who I mean. I was thinking of Lord Ilmarec.”
“The Serpent Tower is said to be impregnable, sir.”
“I have every reason to agree with that assessment.”
“What can we do about it, sir? If Ilmarec really has Queen Kathea and intends to side with the Dark Empire, this war is over before it has even started.”
“I think our first order of business should be to find out what Lord Ilmarec’s intentions really are. Don’t you Lieutenant?”
“Indeed, sir.”
“Excellent, I knew you would be the officer for the job.”
Chapter Seven
Lady Asea strode down to the stream. Rik and his comrades accompanied her. Her bodyguard, Karim, silent as a shadow, drifted along behind them. Asea inspected the bodies that remained in the water waiting to be dragged away and burned. The pyres had already been built behind them, and Rik could hear the regimental chaplains chanting the words of the ceremony.
Asea paused for a minute and contemplated the carnage. “Do you have any idea where you saw the Serpent Man statue?” she asked eventually.
“I reckon I could find it, milady,” said Weasel. “We left a track a blind man could follow when we blundered away from the river last night.”
“Lead on then,” she said.
Weasel found the riverbank where they had struggled ashore, and the bushes they had trampled as they walked away. Rik was not sure a blind man could have followed their tracks, but Weasel certainly could.
“Best be careful, milady,” Weasel said as they continued along the track. “There may be enemy around here who fled the battle. They’d see us as a nice juicy target.”
Asea simply tapped the hilt of the wand that was holstered on her belt. “If they do, they may be surprised.”
“As you say, milady.”
“May we ask why you are interested in this Serpent Man site, Lady Asea?” Rik asked. All three of them were dying to know, but he seemed to be the only one with the nerve to raise the question.
“I am interested in anything to do with these creatures. They are said to have died out in this part of the world millennia ago.”
“Could there be ghosts, milady?” the Barbarian asked. He seemed tongue-tied, quite in contrast to his normal manner of speech.
“Perhaps. There are strange sorcerous currents in this area and tau is strong and tainted here.”
Rik was not at all reassured by even the possibility of some ancient and doubtless infernal being involved in last night’s encounter. Enough of his temple orphanage upbringing remained to occasionally make him fear for his soul.
They emerged beside the shores of the circular lake. Asea looked at it thoughtfully.
“Is this artificial?” Rik asked. “It looks more like a carp pond than a lake. Like someone made it, but it’s so big.” He realised something else now that he looked at it in the daylight. “The edges are so steep it is almost like a crater.”
Asea said, “Legend has it that an ancient fortress of the Serpent Men stood on this spot.”
“What happened to it?” Rik asked.
“No one knows. It may be only a legend. Certainly there is no sign of it now. We’d best get on if we are going
