The king drained his mug and wiped off his lips with the back of his hand.
“Aye, I know that,” he agreed. “And I know that I have to think as the ruler of my people should and not just as a warrior. But damn it all! To be coddled like a babe in arms goes against my very nature. I hate it and I won't lie and say that I don't.”
“But?” Hallic said encouragingly.
Shandon sighed.
“But you are all right. From now on, no matter where I go in the palace, one of your people will come with me, Odella.”
“Good,” she said with satisfaction.
“But not to the lavatory!” Shandon added sharply. “I draw the line there. I will bathe and use the washroom alone, thank you very much. Understood?”
Hallic snickered and the king shot him a hard look.
“Sorry, but I'm fairly certain that Odella and her mages weren't going to follow you into the lavatory,” he chuckled.
Shandon's glare softened and then he laughed.
“No, I don't suppose they were. Anyway, now that that has been decided, we need to talk about something else.”
“Which is?”
“My son,” Shandon said, his tone becoming glacial. “It appears that he has increased the stakes now. Today's attempted assassination was his boldest move yet against me. If I'd ever hoped to conclude this conflict between us peacefully, that hope has been dashed.”
He bowed his head and stared at his hands. His fists were clenched so tightly that they were shaking.
Falder seemed to be at a loss for words and Hallic just watched the king silently.
Odella reached over and delicately put one her hands on top of Shandon's.
“Your anger covers a broken heart, my lord. That much is certain. And I grieve for you. To lose a child, even one as treacherous as your son seems to have become, is one of the hardest things in the world.”
Shandon raised his head and looked at her. His eyes were dry, but the grief behind them was unmistakable.
“This is my fault,” he whispered. “This is all my fault. If I had taken the slightest interest in his well-being. If I had only cared enough to learn that he had even been born, perhaps Corbin would have taken a different path.”
“You are blameless, my lord,” Hallic stated.
The king looked at him.
“You are not at fault,” the rogue continued. “Corbin's mother never told you that she was with child. She never asked for your aid, or invited you to be a part of your son's life. How could you have known about him? The answer is that you could not. But when you did learn of his existence, you did what you could to elevate him. And see what it has gotten you? My lord, you have a good heart, but now you have to put your feelings aside. Your son tried to kill you this day. He is a traitor. Nothing more.”
With a resigned sigh, Shandon nodded once. He stood up and walked over to the keg sitting on the bar. As he began refilling his mug, he started humming absently under his breath.
Odella watched him sadly for a moment and then looked at Hallic.
“Is it possible that you simply let the assassin get away?” she asked him quietly. “Not on purpose, of course. I know of your skill, Hallic. But even the best of us makes mistakes.”
The rogue smiled at her.
“True enough,” he replied. “And I think that I would prefer that scenario. But no, whoever the attacker was, they disappeared completely and there was nowhere for them to hide. It had to have been magic, Odella.”
“Very well,” she said. “When Larin returns, I am sure that he will undertake the task of investigating this further. His skill is greater than mine and he may be able to find traces of the spell used to spirit away that assailant and follow it back to its source.”
“When Larin returns?” the king said sharply, looking over his shoulder. “Returns from where? I wasn't aware that he had left.”
He finished filling his tankard, walked back to his chair and sat down heavily. He looked at the others around the table.
“Did anyone else know of this?” Shandon asked Hallic and Falder.
Both dwarves shook their heads.
“This is the first that I've heard about it,” the rogue said. “I thought that he was doing some research in his quarters. Where did he go, Odella?”
She picked up her tea cup and took a quick sip.
“To Cindercore. When you sent your daughter to contact the master of the guild-house there, she took a lodestone, I believe?”
“She did, yes.”
“Well, the master, Annia I think is her name, contacted Larin and requested his help. And since my quarters are next to his, he took a moment to knock on my door and tell me where he was going. He said that he would return as soon as he could. That is all I know.”
“Trouble?” Shandon wondered, looking at Hallic.
“Perhaps. Neither Mel nor Annia would call for magical aid unless there was a real problem. Odella, how long ago did he leave?”
“Early yesterday morning.”
“Yesterday? And you didn't think to inform me?” the king asked her irritably.
Odella looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
“No, my lord. Why would I? Larin is not due to guard you for another day or so. Until then he is free to do as he pleases, is he not?”
“Yes, of course he is, but...”
Shandon's voice trailed off and he grinned a bit sheepishly.
“Sorry. Larin's free time is his own. I should concentrate on my own concerns and allow him to do the same.”
“I'm certain that if he needs any help, he will get in touch with Odella or one of the other mages,” Hallic assured him. “Larin's very capable.”
“I know that. I just hope that everything is all right in Cindercore. If our focus becomes scattered, our enemies might take advantage of that.”
“I don't know if Corbin is clever enough to think strategically,” Hallic mused. “But Cindra might be. If they were to launch attacks against us in different settlements across the empire at the same time...”
Shandon's face darkened.
“They could divide our forces, have us running around trying to put out a dozen fires at once,” he said. “Damn it, I wonder if that is their plan? There are garrisons in every major city, but the smaller towns are manned by local militia, not warriors trained by the crown. They are not as disciplined or as steadfast as regular troops. Faced with a foe who can use magic against them, those towns might not be able to respond effectively to an attack.”
He drank some ale while the others considered his words.
Odella set down her cup and stared at her hands. She wore several rings and she began twisting one on them absently.
“We are operating in the dark here,” she said thoughtfully. “Larin told me that you were going to be delivering lodestones to all of the major guild-houses across the empire,” she added, looking at Hallic. “Is that correct?”
“Yes. I've had them sent off already,” the rogue replied. “Did he not give you and the other mages the mates to the ones I have had distributed to the masters?”
“Not yet. I suppose he was going to when the situation in Cindercore came up, whatever that is. I'll feel a little more reassured once we are using those stones though. Then, if there is an attack in one of the far-off cities, we'll hear about it quickly.”
The king was frowning at Odella and she looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“Is there a problem, your majesty?” she asked him.
“Hmm? Oh. No, not really. It's just that I was wondering why you or one of the other mages wasn't here when I returned from my walk with Hallic. Weren't one of you supposed to be on duty at all times?”
Before she could reply, the king hastened to soften his criticism.
“I am not complaining,” he added politely.
“I understand that,” the mage replied with a smile. “Josper came to my quarters and told me that you were strolling around the palace with Hallic. He sugge
sted that I start my shift a bit early, while you were away from your quarters, and I was on my way here when your page found me. But I can see that there was a small window of opportunity when Cindra might have attacked you while our shift changed. For that reason, from now on we will not leave you alone until the next mage shows up to take over from whomever is watching you, just to be on the safe side.”
“Much appreciated.”
The sound of a door slamming shut came from the front room and everyone turned to look in that direction.
“Now what?” Shandon muttered.
Jergen Moss hurried into the room. His face was markedly pale behind his black beard and his expression was grave. He was breathing heavily and he seemed to have been running, which was not an easy thing to do in full armor.
The king's initial expression of pleasure at seeing his friend faded quickly and he stood up and stepped away from his chair.
“Jergen? What is it?” he asked.
“My lord, there's been an attack,” the armored dwarf panted.
“An attack? Where? By whom?”
There was a short silence as Jergen glanced over at Odella. She caught her breath at the expression that crossed his face.
“The mages' district. It's in flames.”
Odella gasped and stood up immediately.
“In flames? Who attacked us?” she asked him.
“I have no idea, lady mage,” Jergen replied more steadily as his breathing slowed. “One of the royal guards who was standing watch outside of the gates into the area met me at the entrance to the palace. I was walking the perimeter as I usually do at this time of day. He reported the attack and I ordered him to call out the firefighting brigade. I also told one of our guardsmen to immediately send a squad to assist them. And then I came here to report to you, my lord.”
“Thank you, Jergen,” Shandon said. “Odella, I...”
“Your majesty, I have to go,” she said, cutting him off. “But I cannot leave you unguarded! This may be a distraction to pull my people away from you so that you are left vulnerable. I...I don't know what to do!”
Shandon looked at her sympathetically and then turned to Falder.
“Inform the other mages about the attack. Tell them that they have my permission to lend their aid to their people.”
The seneschal nodded.
“At once, my lord,” he replied.
“Hallic, come with me. Odella, can you Gate the three of us to the mages' quarter?”
“The four of us,” Jergen said firmly.
The king glanced at him and smiled.
“The four of us,” Shandon said.
He quickly crossed the room and opened a cupboard. Reaching inside, he pulled out a heavy battle axe and turned around to look at Odella.
“Can you?” he asked her.
The mage looked relieved.
“Of course, your majesty. Everyone, please gather around me.”
Hallic got up and moved around the table to stand next to Odella. Shandon and Jergen joined him and the mage looked at all three of them.
“Take a deep breath, gentlemen,” she advised. “This can be a bit uncomfortable.”
She muttered a spell and waited a moment, looking at the king.
Shandon nodded.
“Do it,” he said firmly.
“Invectis!”
Chapter 18
Catastrophic. It's a word rarely used by most people. It is a word usually reserved for war or natural disasters. But when the four dwarves materialized in the main square of the mages' quarter, it was the word that best described what they saw.
Odella groaned as she stared around her.
“Oh gods,” she gasped. “My people.”
Dwarven buildings were constructed mainly of stone and metal, but their interiors were not. And that fact was painfully obvious to Hallic and the others as they stood in the center of the square.
All around them, smoke was billowing from open doors and windows. Flames licked the edges of some windows, while from others black smoke obscured the interiors. The clanging of alarm bells signaled the approaching fire brigade and that added to the cacophony of screams and cries and the roar of the many fires burning on all sides.
“Everyone, lend whatever aid you can!” Shandon bellowed.
Odella ran toward a large building directly in front of her and the others followed on her heels.
Inside they could hear the high-pitched screams of children and Hallic felt a cold hand grip his heart.
“The school!” Odella exclaimed. “The children would have all been in class right now.”
People were running in all directions, panic-stricken, and the group dodged around them as they reached the front doors of the schoolhouse.
Hallic tore open the double-doors and then staggered back as flames belched out at him.
“Get back,” Odella ordered. “I've got this.”
The rogue jumped out of the way as she moved her arms in a circular motion and muttered an incantation. An icy wind blasted from her outstretched hands and engulfed the open doorway, extinguishing the flames and leaving the walls coated in a rime of ice.
Shandon and Jergen leaped through the opening, coughing at the smoke. They followed the sounds of the distressed children and reached a closed door. The king pounded on it.
“You can open up,” he yelled. “It's safe. The way out is clear.”
It took a moment and then someone tentatively opened the door and peered out. It was an elderly dwarven female, dressed in what must have once been a crisp dark waistcoat and neat trousers. Now though, her clothes were covered in soot and her gray hair was streaked with dust and dirt.
“Are you the teacher?” Shandon asked her, squinting through wisps of smoke.
She nodded silently, her eyes wide with fright.
“Are the children all with you or are there others in the building?” Jergen barked, making the woman jump.
“Sorry about that,” he added in a softer tone. “But we need to get you all out of here, right now.”
“They are all in here,” she replied weakly. “I managed to get them all inside when the fire started. We were cut off from the exit and I couldn't think of anything else to do!”
Over her shoulder, a group of small children could be seen huddled together. Many of them were crying and the king's heart went out to them.
“You did exactly the right thing,” Shandon assured the teacher. “Now, let's get all of you to safety.”
While the king and Jergen were clearing out the schoolhouse, Hallic and Odella hurried around the square, listening for any sounds of people in distress. Before they had made a full circle of the area, the fire brigade raced into the square, alarm bells ringing.
The brigade used a mechanical trolley-like vehicle that was covered with brass pipes. It constantly emitted puffs of steam and it hissed and belched as it rolled up and stopped in front of Hallic.
A dozen firefighters leaped off of the trolley and looked around the area. All of them were wearing thick, fireproof suits made of some kind of silvery material and one of them, the leader, had a red band around his right arm. He pulled off his hood revealing the grizzled face of a older dwarf whose narrow eyes seemed to be darting everywhere at once.
“What in the blazes happened here?” he asked the rogue sharply. “I've never seen so many fires at one time.”
“This was a deliberate attack,” Hallic replied loudly, trying to be heard over the cacophony of yelling, the sound of the fires raging and the hissing of the fire trolley.
“The king himself is here to lend a hand,” he continued as he pointed across the square.
Shandon was herding the children out of the schoolhouse and the fire chief's eyes widened as he recognized him.
“I see. Okay, lads and lassies,” the chief shouted to his crew. “Break out the hoses and let's get to work!”
Odella and Hallic watched them for a moment and then the mage pulled Hallic aside.
�
��We have to check around the neighborhood,” she told him. “Cindra or some other rebels may still be here somewhere or there might be others who are trapped in their houses. We have to be sure everyone is safe.”
“I agree,” he replied. “I'll take the west side of the quarter if you will take the east. The neighborhood isn't that large, so we should be able to cover it fairly quickly.”
She nodded and they ran off in opposite directions.
As he left the central square, Hallic's senses were on full alert. He had a suspicion that Cindra herself would never have dared risk returning to her old home, in case she was confronted by other mages. Instead, he believed that she had sent daemons to do her dirty work for her. And those monsters might still be present.
He touched his new daggers, feeling somewhat reassured. He had had them blessed after his last knives had been destroyed in his fight with a daemon. If one of the creatures was hidden somewhere in the mages' quarter, it was in for a surprise.
Outside of the town square, some buildings were still burning but they were scattered about randomly. Hallic ran from one to another, listening closely and peering through flames and smoke, trying to find survivors. But most of the doors of these homes were open and he saw groups of robed figures streaming toward the main gates leading out of the neighborhood, so he assumed that all of those who could escape had already done so.
He looped around the outskirts of the quarter, making sure that no one had been left behind. As he turned one corner, he almost ran into Odella, who was leading several other mages.
“Ah, there you are,” she said with a tired smile. “My friends have told me that everyone has been evacuated. We should get out of the area and let the fire brigade do their job.”
The rogue looked past her at the other robed dwarves. All of them were soot-stained and red-eyed and several of them seemed to be in shock as they stared back at him vacantly.
“That sounds like a good idea,” Hallic told Odella. “Lead the way. I will cover your escape, just in case.”
The mage nodded once, clearly understanding what he was implying.
“As you wish. Come along, my friends,” she said to the others. “Let's get you to safety.”
The Dwarven Rebellion Page 23