'What will happen once they have entered the city?'
Balkan glanced at the King. 'We will continue to fight them for as long as we can.'
The King turned to one of the other captains. 'Have the Houses evacuated?'
'Most have left,' the man replied.
'And the rest of the people?'
'The gate guards report that the number of people leaving the city has increased fourfold.'
The King looked at the map again and sighed. 'I wish this map included the slums.' He looked at Lord Balkan. 'Will they be a problem during the battle?'
The Warrior frowned. 'Only if the Sachakan decide to conceal themselves there.'
'If they do, we could set the buildings alight,' Ilorin suggested.
'Or burn them now, to ensure they don't use them to their advantage,' another courtier added.
'They will burn for days,' Captain Arin warned. 'The smoke will help conceal the enemy, and falling embers might set the rest of the city alight. I recommend leaving the slums standing unless we have no other choice.'
The King nodded. He straightened, then looked at Lorlen.
'Leave me,' he ordered. 'Administrator Lorlen and Lord Balkan may stay.'
The guard promptly left the room. Lorlen noted that the two King's Advisors remained.
'Do you have good news for me?' the King asked.
'No, Your Majesty,' Lorlen replied. 'Lord Sarrin has not been able to discover how to use black magic. He sends his apologies and says he will continue trying.'
'Does he feel he is even close?'
Lorlen sighed and shook his head. 'No.'
The King looked down at the map and scowled.
'The Sachakans will be here in a day, two if we are lucky.' He looked at Balkan. 'Did you bring it?'
The Warrior nodded. He drew a small pouch from his robes, opened it and tipped its contents on the table. Lorlen drew in a quick breath as he recognized Akkarin's ring.
'Do you intend to call Akkarin back?'
The King nodded. 'Yes. It is a risk, but what difference will it make if he betrays us? We will lose this battle without him anyway.' He picked the ring up by its band, and held it out to Lorlen. 'Call him back.'
The ring was cool. Lorlen slipped it on his finger and closed his eyes.
He waited, but no answer came. After counting to a hundred, he called again. Still no reply. He shook his head.
'He isn't responding.'
'Perhaps there is something wrong with it,' the King said.
'I'll try again.'
No answer came. Lorlen tried a few more times, then sighed and took off the ring.
'Perhaps he's asleep,' he said. 'I could try again in an hour.'
The King frowned. He looked up at the windows. 'Call him without the ring. Perhaps he will answer that.'
Balkan and Lorlen exchanged worried glances.
'The enemy will hear us,' the Warrior pointed out.
'I know. Call him.'
Balkan nodded, then closed his eyes.
Silence followed. Lorlen sent out his own call.
Lorlen gasped as another mind thundered against his own like a striking hammer. He heard other mental voices shouting Akkarin's name mockingly before he drew away with a shudder.
'Well, that was unpleasant,' Balkan muttered, rubbing his temples.
'What happened?' the King asked.
'The Sachakans answered.'
'With mindstrike,' Lorlen added.
The King scowled, then turned away from the table and clenched his fists. He paced for a few minutes, then turned to regard Lorlen.
'Try again in an hour.'
Lorlen nodded. 'Yes, Your Majesty.'
The house Tayend's directions led Dannyl to was a typical magician-designed mansion. Impossibly fragile balconies fronted the street. Even the door was magician-made - a sheet of delicately sculpted glass.
A long moment passed before there was any response to Dannyl's knock. Footsteps could be heard approaching, then a shadowy figure appeared beyond the glass. The door opened. Instead of a doorman, Tayend greeted Dannyl with a grin and a bow.
'Sorry for the slow service,' he said. 'Zerrend's entire household has left for Elyne, so there's no one here but...' He frowned. 'You look terrible.'
Dannyl nodded. 'I was up all night. I—' He choked as emotion welled up and cut off the words.
The scholar ushered Dannyl inside and closed the door. 'What happened?'
Dannyl swallowed hard and blinked as his eyes began to sting. All night he had remained in control, comforting Yaldin and Ezrille, then Dorrien. But now...
'Rothen is dead,' he managed. He felt tears spill out of his eyes. Tayend's eyes widened, then he stepped close and embraced Dannyl.
Dannyl froze, then hated himself for doing so.
'Don't worry,' Tayend said. 'As I said, no one is here except me. Not even servants.'
'I'm sorry,' Dannyl said. 'I just—'
'Worry that we'll be seen. I know. I'm being careful.'
Dannyl swallowed hard. 'I
'So do I,' Tayend said. He leaned back and looked up at Dannyl. 'But that is how it must be. We'd be fools to think otherwise.'
Dannyl sighed and wiped his eyes. 'Look at me. I am such a fool.'
Tayend took his hand and pulled him through the guestroom. 'No, you're not. You just lost an old and close friend. Zerrend has some medicine for that, though my dear second - or is it third - cousin might have taken the best vintages with him.'
'Tayend,' Dannyl said, 'Zerrend left for a good reason. The Sachakans are only a day or two away. You can't stay here.'
'I'm not going home. I came here to see you through all this, and I will.'
Dannyl pulled Tayend to a halt.
'I'm serious, Tayend. These magicians kill to strengthen themselves. They'll fight the Guild first, because it is their strongest opponent. Then they'll look for victims to replace the power they've lost. Magicians will be useless to them, as we'll have exhausted our strength fighting them. It's ordinary people they'll target, particularly those with undeveloped magical ability. Like you.'
The scholar's eyes widened. 'But they won't get that far. You said they'd fight the Guild first. The Guild will win, won't it?'
Dannyl stared at Tayend and shook his head. 'From the instructions we've been given, I don't think anyone believes we can. We might kill one or two of them, but not all. Our orders are to abandon Imardin once we've exhausted ourselves.'
'Oh. You'll need help getting out, if you're exhausted. I'll—'
'No.' Dannyl took Tayend's shoulders. 'You must leave
The scholar shook his head. 'I'm not leaving here without you.'
