The witch queen raised an eyebrow. 'Do you really care?' she asked.
Rhodes shrugged. 'Not particularly,' he replied. 'She's always been more of a bother than she's worth.'
'My sentiments exactly,' Clayre said. 'As granddaughters go, she certainly lacks a certain … well, reverence.' Her attention returned to the model. 'Now, let us begin.'
And she started to weave her spell. Inside the king, Kalasariz wriggled with delight. It was good to be back on a winning side again.
The only thing troubling him was that Rhodes didn't seem very enthusiastic. Was it because of this Jooli person? The one Kalasariz guessed might be the king's daughter?
If so, perhaps his reluctance was understandable, even though Rhodes plainly disliked his own child.
Although Kalasariz had little empathy for people stricken with parental love, he had a professional understanding of that all-too-human malady. The spymaster had relied on it many times as a lever to get his own way.
Then he caught a stray thought from Rhodes. And, dammit, he was still wondering about that horse!
That's the trouble with kings, Kalasariz thought. They can't seem to keep their minds on the job at hand.
Important tasks. Like killing people!
A blue light formed over the model of the Kyranian stronghold. Tiny figures began to appear. Men and women. Children and animals. And then the figures came to life!
Clayre said, 'One thing I noticed about Palimak and his friends when they were visiting Charize was that they absolutely hate and fear rats.'
She placed a cage next to the now-living model of the Kyranian stronghold. Inside was a large gray rat.
She poked it with a long needle and it squealed in pain and fury.
Clayre laughed as it attacked the bars of the cage. 'I'll give them rats,' she said, 'like they've never seen rats before!'
And then she opened the cage and the enraged rodent leaped onto the model.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Leiria watched the crowd of angry villagers march up the hill from the market place. She leaned easily on her spear, smiling as if they were only a few friends coming to call for dinner, instead of an unruly mob in the making.
She whistled a casual little tune. Behind her Renor and Sinch took her signal and slipped through the gatehouse entrance. They shut and barred the door. As planned, they would take up position inside in case things really got out of hand and the crowd took it into its minuscule group mind to break through.
Besides herself, she had only Coralean-who stood at her right-and five other soldiers loyal to Palimak.
'I think we can manage well enough,' she said to Coralean. 'There's only a hundred or so of them.'
'Sometimes there's profit in violence,' the caravan master said. 'Although, as all who know Coralean would confirm, I loathe to engage in that sort of business. Unless, of course, there's no other way of conducting one's affairs. After all, a good family man must consider the well-being of his wives and children. And only the greatest liar in the world would cast doubt on Coralean's dedication to his family.'
Leiria nodded at the approaching crowd. 'Do you see any profit there?' she asked.
Coralean stroked his beard, considering. Then he shook his mighty head. 'They have nothing of value,'
he said. 'Only their own foolish thoughts.'
Leiria sighed. 'I'm afraid this is turning out to be one of my least favorite days,' she said. She glanced up at the empty sky. 'I wish Biner and Arlain were here with the airship,' she said. 'That'd sure keep this group peaceful.'
The circus troupe had taken the airship out on a routine surveying expedition. There were no decent maps of Syrapis and Leiria had been intent on filling that gap since their arrival on the island.
Unfortunately, the latest mission had coincided with what appeared to be turning into an uprising.
'It is probably for the best they aren't here,' Coralean said. 'Our Kyranian friends hold the circus folk in awe. And if Biner was forced to act against them on our behalf, they'd lose all influence over them.'
He shrugged his massive shoulders. 'Only two people can truly help us in these circumstances. Safar, who is ill. And Palimak, who is unavailable.'
When Leiria had risen this morning she'd found a note waiting for her from Palimak. He'd said he was involved in a long and dangerous job of spellcasting. Under no circumstances was anyone to disturb him or enter Safar's room.
Leiria had checked the door to the room and found it barred. She'd smelled the faint scent of magical incense and ozone wafting through the crack under the door. She knew from things that Safar had said in the past that if she ignored Palimak's wishes, it might result in the deaths of her two friends.
Then she'd received a much more disturbing message from Masura-who'd apparently overthrown Foron as chief of the Council of Elders. The new headman said that he and the other villagers demanded an immediate hearing. Since she didn't dare disturb Palimak to get help, she'd politely asked Masura for a delay.
The headman, however, was evidently so intent on a confrontation that he'd sent back a note refusing her request. He'd even had the temerity to threaten herself and Coralean with immediate expulsion.
The result of this heated exchange of paper was presently being played out in the mass march on Palimak's headquarters.
Leiria heard a faint scraping noise and turned to see Jooli climbing out through one of the fortress's windows. The royal hostage dangled by her fingertips for a moment, then dropped lightly to the ground.
She casually brushed herself off and strode over to join Leiria and the others.
'You shouldn't be here, majesty,' Leiria said.
'Just call me Jooli,' the young queen said. She nodded at the crowd coming up the hill. 'This doesn't look like the best time to stand on court formalities.'
Leiria looked at her through narrowed eyes. 'Whatever I call you,' she said, 'the point is that you are supposed to remain in your quarters. We're responsible for your safety.'
Jooli chuckled. 'How safe will I be if your friends have their way? I doubt if those people will honor any agreement you have with my father.'
'She does have logic on her side, Captain,' Coralean pointed out.
'I'm also bored to tears,' Jooli put in.
She stretched her long arms and worked her shoulders, getting the stiffness out of her muscles.
'I could use a bit of exercise,' she said. 'And I thought perhaps your fellow Kyranians would provide it.'
Then she indicated Leiria's sword. 'Loan me your blade,' she said, 'and I'll stand with you.'
Leiria hesitated. Queen Jooli had mystified her from the very first meeting. She clearly despised her father. Had been instrumental in freeing Palimak and Safar from the monsters in the cavern. And had spent her short term as a hostage acting more like one of Leiria's warrior companions than the daughter of their greatest enemy.
At that moment Leiria realized she'd grown to like Jooli. And was possibly even beginning to trust her.
She drew the sword and handed it over. 'Have at it,' she said.
Jooli smiled, took the sword and gave it a few experimental swings. 'Nice balance,' she said. Then she turned to face the villagers, who were nearing the top of the hill.
Naturally, Masura was leading the crowd. But Leiria noted with extreme interest that only four other members of the Council of Elders were present. Foron, the ousted former headman was notably absent.
Obviously, Masura's victory was far from unanimous.
Then she heard a commotion and saw another group approaching the crowd-angling in from a path that village boys used when taking the goats to pasture. It was a much smaller group, but it included Khadji Timura, Safar's father, and Foron. Several other influential villagers were also present.
'With fortune,' Coralean observed, 'wiser heads might prevail.'
