“In what way, tainted?”
“There are traces of corruption in it. It is not pure tau. Such stuff existed on Al’Terra. Using it drove some sorcerers mad.”
“You think he has dabbled in forbidden sorcery and gone crazy.”
“Ilmarec has access to the tainted power. He channels it through the jewel in his amulet. He is drawing on its energies enormously for his own purposes. It is quite possible that it might have driven even one of his experience insane.”
“So the Serpent Tower and all its alien weapons are in the hands of a maniac?”
“I fear it may be so, and that even Ilmarec may not be able to harness so much power. I tremble to think what might happen if it runs out of control.”
“What was that thing with him, Lady? His bodyguard.”
“A demon of an ancient sort. That he could raise it here speaks of how much his power has grown in recent years. I did not think it was possible for anyone to contact the Planes of Ahenna from this world. I could not.”
“What ritual do you think Ilmarec will perform?”
“I wish I knew. With the energy of the Tower, he could summon an army of demons.”
“That is not a reassuring thought. That would be insane.”
“Ilmarec no longer seems entirely sane.”
“You think he would move against us?”
“He has the future Queen of Kharadrea in his power. He has access to Elder World sorcery and weapons. From his point of view, he is in a very strong position. He very well might.”
“Do you think he could be persuaded to stand beside us and against the Dark Empire?”
“What can we offer him that he does not already have? How can we force him to allow our army safe passage? He can sit up there in his impregnable fortress and laugh at us.”
“Then there is very little we can do.”
“I believe I may have the means to put a man inside the Tower.”
“What good would one man do? Unless he can open the gates for us. Even then we would have to dash up that causeway under the gaze of the Serpent’s eye and its green light.”
“I think it would be better to think in terms of what we can get out rather than what we can put in.”
“You mean to rescue Kathea? We would still have to get her away from here, and that might prove difficult. That accursed light can sweep anything from the surrounding countryside.”
“If you have a better plan I am willing to listen, otherwise you might want to hear me out.”
“Please proceed, milady, and forgive my lack of courtesy.”
“I will need the use of some of your men, particularly the one called the Halfbreed.”
“Why him, milady?”
“He has the talents I require and as a half-breed he will be more receptive to the magic I need to work.”
“Whatever you require I will provide if it’s within my power, but how can you get him inside?”
“There are certain sorceries. They are risky but they must be attempted. Once they have been woven one man might be able to pass the gate guardian.”
“To do what?”
“To locate the Queen and bring her out.”
“Do you really think that is possible? Won’t it put Kathea’s life in jeopardy?”
“If Ilmarec meant to kill her, he would have done so already.”
“There’s a difference between killing someone you hold secure and who is of use to you, and killing someone who is in the process of escaping and will become your sworn enemy if they do so.”
“Thank you for pointing the obvious out to me, Lieutenant.”
“My pleasure, Lady,” said Sardec, grinning. She smiled back.
“There are other possibilities we need to consider.” Sardec did not like the tone in which she said that.
“What you said about Kathea applies just as much from our point of view as Ilmarec’s.”
“What are you saying, Lady?”
“I am saying it would be better for Kathea to be dead than against us.”
“I am not sure I can countenance assassination, Lady Asea.”
“Even if it means the defeat of our country, and its fall to the Dark Empire?” Sardec considered this. Asea was right, of course. If Kathea had turned against them, all her subjects would too.
“Ilmarec seems to be just as much against the Dark Empire as we are,” he said, to give himself more time to think.
“Are you absolutely certain of that, Lieutenant, and are you absolutely certain it will stay that way. At the moment, we have only his word for it, and he seems quite mad.”
“It would be best if we had Queen Kathea alive,” he said.
“Agreed, but if we cannot?”
“Then as a last resort, and only as a last resort, she should be killed. There is another alternative I am surprised you have not suggested.”
“What is that?”
“We could have your man kill Lord Ilmarec.”
“I am not certain that is possible. His bodyguard is all but invulnerable.”
“But if it was possible?”
“If the opportunity arises, I agree it would be the best.”
“It is something to factor into our plans then.”
“Yes,” she said. “It would be best.”
“It probably won’t come to it. And anyway, the odds are not much in our favour.”
“I know this is a desperate roll of the dice, Lieutenant, but what is the alternative — to do nothing and wait for disaster to roll over our army and our country? Military solutions are impossible. We could not get Ilmarec out of the Tower with a score of dragons and an army ten times the size of Azaar’s. Not in the next few years, anyway.”
“What do we need?”
“A plan of the Tower. Fortunately I have one.”
“You have?”
“In a life as long as mine you learn to prepare for any contingency, Lieutenant. When Ilmarec took the Tower as his residence, the possibility that we might need to get him out of it arose.”
Sardec looked at her. That scheme must have been born at least five centuries ago. He thought of the use such a plan might be put to: to get an assassin inside the Tower for instance.
“We also need a plan for getting us out of the city unnoticed and a way to keep ourselves safe while we do so.”
“All of these things can be managed. We will also need a way to get your man into the Tower.”
“I have thought of it. We will need to contact the local thieves. I will send some men to get what we need.”
“What makes you think they will help us?”
“I have done business with them before,” said Asea. Somehow this knowledge did not surprise Sardec. “If you will excuse me, Lieutenant, I would talk with my agent.”
“As you wish.” Sardec bowed and left.
“I have a task for you, one that is very dangerous,” said Asea.
“You want me to kill Tamara and Jaderac?” Rik thought he had better bring the matter of Tamara up first, just in case Asea was about to.
“Not at the moment. I want you to enter the Tower of the Serpent and free Queen Kathea.”
Rik laughed outright. “Perhaps you would like me to grow wings and fly you to the moon as well. The Tower is impregnable. Trust me, I am an expert.”
“I can get you inside.”
“Then you are a magician indeed.”
“Sorcery won’t be necessary, at least not on my part.”
Rik studied her carefully. She was serious. Perhaps she had figured out a way to get him into the Tower. Still,
