As he crossed the courtyard, he couldn't help smiling. The Palace was the one important place left in Imardin he had never been able to sneak into. Now, with the Guard defeated and the heavy Palace gates hanging from their supports, nobody was going to prevent him exploring.
Not even the Ichani. According to the watchers posted by the Thieves, the Sachakans had left the Palace an hour ago. They had been inside the building for only an hour or two, and could not have destroyed everything in that time.
He stepped over the charred bodies of guards and peered through the broken doors of the building. A large entrance hall lay beyond. Delicate staircases wound up toward the higher levels. Cery sighed with appreciation. Moving inside, he wondered why the Ichani hadn't destroyed them. Perhaps they didn't want to waste their powers. Or perhaps they had quite sensibly left the stairs standing so they could reach the upper floors.
Cery looked down at the mullook symbol on the floor. He doubted the King was still in the Palace. The ruler had probably left Imardin once the Inner Wall fell.
"Avala is going to be a problem."
"Probably. She likes to wander. I expect she'll wander away from Kyralia soon enough."
"Got her eye on Elyne, I suspect."
Cery spun around. The voices were distinctly Sachakan, and were coming from beyond the Palace entrance. He cast about, then ran toward an archway at the back of the hall. Just after he had skidded through it, he heard their footsteps echo on the hall floor.
"We all heard Rikacha's call, Kariko," a third voice said. "We know how he died. He was a fool for eating their food. I don't see why we need to come back here to discuss his mistake, and Avala and Inijaka probably agree."
Cery smiled. So Faren's nasty little trick had worked.
"Because we have lost three already," Kariko replied. "Any more, and it might be more than bad luck."
"Bad luck?" the first Ichani scoffed. "The Guild got Rashi because he was weak. And Vikara might still be alive. We can only be sure that our slaves are dead."
"Perhaps," Kariko agreed. He sounded distracted. "But there is something else I want to show you. See these stairs? They look fragile, don't they? As if they shouldn't be able to hold their own weight. Do you know how they stop them falling down?"
There was no reply.
"They put magic in them. Watch this."
Silence followed, then a tinkling sound. The sound grew louder, until the hall suddenly filled with a crashing and shattering. Cery gasped and peered through the archway.
The staircases were collapsing. As Kariko touched one railing after another, the beautiful structures buckled and dropped to the floor, fragments scattering everywhere. One slid in Cery's direction. An Ichani glanced toward the archway, and Cery quickly ducked out of sight.
Leaning against the wall, Cery closed his eyes. His heart ached that something so beautiful could be so carelessly destroyed. From the hall he could hear Kariko laughing.
"Magician-made, they call it," the Ichani said. "They put magic in their buildings to strengthen them. Half the houses in the middle of the city are made this way. What does it matter that the city is deserted? We can gather all the magic we need from the buildings." His voice lowered. "Let the others wander for a while. If they had returned here, as I instructed, they would know this, too. Come with me and we'll see how much power the Guild has left us." Footsteps followed, then stopped. "Harikava?"
"I'm going to have a look around here. This place is probably full of magically strengthened structures."
"Just don't eat anything," the third Ichani said.
Harikava chuckled. "Of course not."
Cery listened as the footsteps retreated and faded away. One set remained, however, and his heart sank as he realized they were growing louder.
He's coming this way.
Looking around, he saw that he was in a large room. Several archways broke the walls on his left and right. He hurried through the closest one. A corridor ran parallel to the room and a passage intersected with it opposite each archway. Cery cautiously peered out.
The Ichani stood within the room. He glanced around, then looked in Cery's direction. As he started toward the archway, Cery felt his mouth go dry.
How does he know I'm here?
He didn't fancy waiting to find out. Turning from the archway, he dashed away into the Palace.
36
An Unlikely Rescuer
A distant boom echoed through the passage. Akkarin exchanged a glance with Sonea, then moved to a ventilation grille set into the wall. She looked out into the alley beyond and listened carefully. Normally there would have been a constant hum of activity, but instead there was only an eerie silence.
Akkarin frowned, then signalled for their guide to continue. For several minutes the only noises were the soft sound of breathing and the tap of booted feet on the floor. Then Akkarin stopped abruptly and his gaze shifted to the distance.
"Takan says messengers are reporting that Kariko has come back out of the Palace again. The Ichani are destroying buildings."
Sonea thought of the faint boom she had heard, and nodded. "They're wasting their strength."
"Yes." He smiled and his eyes gleamed with an old, familiar predatory light.
Approaching footsteps drew their attention to a shadowy figure farther down the passages.
"Looking for the foreigner?" The voice was aged and female. "He just broke into a house near here."
Akkarin started toward the old woman. "What can you tell me of the place?"
"Belongs to House Arran," she said. "Has a big stable, and a yard in front, and a house the other side. Walls around it. No passages under it. Have to get in from the street."
"How many entrances?"
"Two. The main one at the front, and a gate to the yard. The foreigner got in through the front."
"Which is closest?"
"The gate."
Akkarin looked at Sonea. "Then we'll go in that way."
The old woman nodded. "Follow me, then."
As they started through the passages again, Sonea touched the ring on her finger.
- What are you planning?
- I'm not sure, yet. But I think it might be time to use your method.
- My method? You mean Healing?
- Yes.
- Then I should do it. He'll probably recognize you, but he might not recognize me.
Akkarin frowned, but didn't answer. The woman led them to a small door, which they squeezed through one by one. On the other side was a room full of barrels.
"We're inside a house on the other side of the street," the woman explained. "Just go up those stairs, and out the door at the end of the hall." She smiled grimly. "Good luck."
Following the woman's instructions, Sonea and Akkarin reached a sturdy servants' door. The lock was broken. Akkarin peered out, then pushed through. They stepped out into a typical Inner Circle street. Across the road was a plain wall, broken by a pair of large wooden gates. Akkarin strode swiftly to them, and looked through the narrow gap between.
"There are two entrances to the house from the courtyard," he said. "We'll enter through the closest."
He glanced at the lock, and it clicked open. Sonea followed him through and shut the gate behind her. A large rectangular yard spread before them. To the left was a long building with several wide doors - the stable. To the right was a two-story house. Akkarin hurried to the house, manipulated the lock of a door, and they slipped inside.
A narrow corridor lay beyond. Akkarin gestured for silence. A distant creaking and footsteps from the floor above reached their ears.
Seeing a movement in the corner of her eye, Sonea glanced out a small window beside the door. She caught her breath as she glimpsed two magicians and a richly dressed man hurrying toward the stables.
Akkarin moved to her side. The three men reached one of the large stable doors. The magician's companion threw the door wide, obviously expecting it to be heavier than it was. Sonea caught her breat
h as it smacked against the wall.
Hurried footsteps sounded above her. The three men disappeared inside the stable, leaving the door open. Silence followed. Sonea felt her mouth go dry as more footsteps sounded above. There was a pause, then a door closed and an Ichani strolled out into the yard. He stopped at the center of the courtyard and looked around carefully. Seeing the open stable door, he started toward it.
"I don't like it, but you're right. Inijaka will recognize me," Akkarin murmured. He looked at Sonea. "We don't have time to come up with a better plan."
She felt a chill run down her spine. It was up to her, then. All the possible ways the Healing trick could fail ran through her mind. If the Ichani shielded, and she couldn't touch him, and then she wouldn't be able to use her Healing powers, and...
"Will you be all right?"
"Yes," she replied. She glanced outside and saw the Ichani disappear inside the stable.
Akkarin drew in a deep breath, then opened the door for her. "I will be watching. If it doesn't work, shield. We'll fight him openly instead."
Sonea nodded, then stepped out into the yard and hurried across to the stable entrance. Peering inside, she tried to make out details in the dim interior. A figure was walking down a wide aisle between stalls. The Ichani, she guessed. He moved through a door in the far wall and out of sight.
She stepped inside. As she started down the aisle, three figures hurried out of a stall. They saw her and froze. At the same time, Sonea saw the face of the richly dressed man and felt a shock of recognition and dismay.
- You didn't tell me it was the King!
Kyralia's ruler looked her up and down, his eyes widening in recognition. Watching him, she felt dislike and anger stirring. A memory rose of the Guildhall. Of the King endorsing the Guild's punishment of exile. Then she thought of the Purge and of her aunt and uncle being driven out into the slums. She thought of the dwells hiding in the passages, never warned of the coming invasion.
Why should I risk my life for this man?
The moment the question ran through her mind she hated herself for asking it. She could not abandon anyone to the Ichani, no matter how much she disliked them. Straightening, she stepped aside.
"Go," she told them.
The three men hurried past. As they moved out of sight, Sonea heard a noise in the room beyond the far wall. Turning around, she saw the Ichani returning. His eyes met hers, and he smiled.
It was not hard to feign terror as he started toward her. She backed toward the doorway and felt the sting of a barrier. The Ichani waved a hand and she felt a force push her forward. Resisting the urge to throw it off, she allowed herself to stumble toward him. When he was a mere step away, he looked her up and down.
"So there are a few Kyralian women here," he said.
Sonea struggled as the force enveloped her, holding her arms against her body. Her heart began to race as the Ichani moved closer until she could feel his breath on her face. He slid his hands under her shirt. She stiffened with alarm and horror as she saw his expression change to a lecherous sneer.
A wave of panic rushed over her. She couldn't move, so she couldn't touch him. If she couldn't touch him, she couldn't use her Healing powers on him. And if he proceeded much further, he would discover the black robes beneath her ordinary clothes.
- Fight him, Akkarin urged.
She sent out a wave of force. The Ichani's eyes widened in surprise as he was pushed away. Striding after him, she attacked quickly and rapidly. He planted his feet, raised his hands and sent a strike in return. She staggered backward as it pounded her shield.
He laughed. "So they were robes I felt under that shirt. I wondered where all the magicians went."
Sonea felt a surge of hope. He thought she was an ordinary Guild magician. She could still attempt to trick him if she pretended to grow weak with exhaustion.
- I'm outside the door, Akkarin sent. What do you want me to do?
- Wait, she told him.
When the Ichani struck again, she let herself stagger away until her back met the wall. He advanced, and she cringed as he struck again. At the fourth strike, she let her shield waver. He smiled maliciously as it fell, took out his knife and held it between his teeth.
She moved as if to dodge as he reached for her. Catching her arm, he hauled her back and pressed her against the wall with one hand. She grabbed his wrist, closed her eyes and sent her mind into his body.
She found his heart at the same time as pain flashed across her arm. Deciding she could not Heal herself and harm him simultaneously, she concentrated on his heart. Once it stopped, what could he do?
His grip tightened as she exerted her will. She heard him gasp in pain and opened her eyes to see his face turning white. He glared at her accusingly. A hand shifted to her arm.
A terrible lethargy spread from her arm through her body. Though she tried to move, no muscle would obey her. At the same time, she felt magical strength draining from her at a frightening speed. A movement in the corner of her eye beckoned, but she could not even summon the strength to shift her gaze. Then the draining eased. The Ichani's expression had changed from anger to confusion and horror. She saw the knife slip from his hand. He let her go and clutched at his chest.
Control came back to Sonea in an instant. She picked up the knife and slashed it across his neck. As blood sprayed down, she grabbed his throat and drew in his strength.
Power flooded into her, but not as much as she had gained from Parika. The fight with the Guild had weakened this Ichani. As his strength ebbed, he fell backward onto the floor and lay still.
Behind him stood Akkarin. He gazed at her with an odd expression. She looked down at her blood-splattered clothes and shuddered in disgust.
After it's all over, Sonea thought, I will never use this power again. Never.
"I felt the same when I returned from Sachaka."
She looked up at him. He extended a hand.
"There's bound to be something in the house for you to change into," he said. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."
Getting up was difficult even with his help. Though she wasn't tired, her legs were shaky. She stood still for a moment, swaying. Looking at the dead Ichani, she felt shock change to relief. It worked. And he didn't get a chance to call to Kariko. She had survived, and had even saved...
"The King?" she asked.
"I sent him to the house across the road, and Takan warned Ravi to be prepared to receive him."
As she imagined what that encounter would be like, Sonea felt her mood lighten a little. "The King rescued by the Thieves. Now that's something I'd like to see."
The corner of Akkarin's mouth curled upward. "I'm sure there will be some interesting consequences."
Cery ran down yet another corridor and skidded to a halt beside a door. He tested the handle. Locked. He moved to the next. The same. The sound of distant footsteps grew louder. He bolted for the door at the end of the corridor, and gasped with relief as the handle turned.
Beyond was a long room with windows facing the gardens at the center of the Palace. Cery hurried past chairs decorated with gold and sumptuous fabrics to another door at the end of the room. Savara's pendant hammered against his chest under his clothes.
Please don't be locked, he thought. Please don't be a dead end.
He grabbed the handle and twisted, but it would not turn. A curse escaped him and he fumbled through his coat for picks. He drew them out, glad that he had never lost the habit of carrying them. Selecting two, he inserted them into the lock and began to feel for the mechanism.
Behind him, the faint sound of footsteps grew louder.
His breath rushed in and out of his throat. His mouth was dry and his hands sweaty. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly, then gave the picks a quick turn and push.
The lock clicked open. Cery grabbed the picks, pulled open the door and dashed through. He yanked the door behind him, stopping it just as it was about to slam, and drew it closed as quietl
y as he could.
A quick glance told him that he had entered a small room filled with mirrors and small tables and chairs. A dressing room for entertainers, Cery guessed. There was no other door or entrance to the room. He turned his attention back to the lock and set to work on closing it again.
The mechanism was easier to trigger now he knew the type. It closed with a satisfying click. Sighing with relief, Cery moved to a chair and sat down.
As he heard footsteps outside the room, his relief evaporated. If Harikava had been following him, he would guess that there was nowhere else that Cery could have gone but through the door - locked or not. Rising, Cery took a step toward the small windows on one side of the room. He had to get out somehow.
Then the lock clicked and his blood turned to ice.
The door swung open with a faint squeak. The Ichani peered inside. As he saw Cery, he smiled.
"There you are."
Cery backed away from the door. Reaching inside his coat pockets, he felt the handles of his knives against his palms. He grasped them tightly.
This isn't good, he thought. He glanced toward the windows. I won't get to them. He'll stop me.
The Ichani took a step closer.
If he catches me, he'll read my mind. He'll find out about Sonea and Akkarin.
Cery swallowed hard and loosened the knives from their sheaths. But he can't read my mind if I'm already dead.
As the Ichani took another step, Cery felt his determination weaken. I can't do it. I can't kill myself. He stared at the Ichani. The man's eyes were cold and predatory.
What's the difference? I'm going to die anyway.
The High Lord bmt-3 Page 48