Jimmy looked about, his head clearing. All around him the room seemed frozen in horrified tableau. Father Tully stood at Arutha’s side, while Tsurani guards surrounded the King, their eyes peering into every corner of the room. Everyone else looked at Anita, who was cradled in Arutha’s arms as he knelt upon the stones. Her veils and gown were spread out around her and she seemed to sleep while he held her. She was a vision in pristine white in the late afternoon light, except for the rapidly expanding crimson stain upon her back.
Arutha sat in shock. He leant forward, elbows on knees, as his eyes stared out into space, unfocused, not seeing any of those with him in the antechamber. He saw only the last minutes of the ceremony, again and again in his mind’s eye.
Anita had just pledged her vows, and Arutha was listening to Tully’s final blessing. Suddenly she had a strange expression and seemed to stumble, as if shoved hard from behind. He caught her, finding it strange she should fall, for she was so graceful by nature. He tried to think of a witticism that would break the tension, for he knew she would feel embarrassed at stumbling. And she looked so serious, with her eyes wide and her mouth half open as if she wanted to ask some important question. When he heard the first scream, he looked up and saw the man hanging backwards out of the cupola high above the dais. Instantly everything seemed to run together. People were shouting and pointing and Pug was rushing forward, incanting a spell. And Anita couldn’t seem to stand, no matter how he tried to help her. Then he saw the blood.
Arutha buried his face in his hands and wept. In his life he had never before been unable to control his emotions. Carline placed her arms about him, holding him tight, and her tears fell with his. She had been with him since Lyam and three guards had pulled him from Anita’s side, leaving the priests and chirurgeons to their work. Princess Alicia was in her quarters, near-prostrate from grief. Gardan was off with Martin, Kasumi, and Vandros, supervising the guards who were searching the grounds for any other intruders. By Lyam’s order, the palace had been sealed within minutes of the assassination attempt. Now the King paced the room silently, while Volney was off in a corner, in quiet conversation with Laurie, Brucal, and Fannon. They all awaited word.
The door to the outer hall opened and a Tsurani guard admitted Jimmy. He walked forward gingerly, for his legs had been strained and scraped badly. Lyam and the others watched as the boy thief came to stand before Arutha.
Jimmy tried to speak, but no words were forthcoming. Like Arutha, he had relived every moment of the attack over and over in his mind while an acolyte of Nathan’s order had bandaged his legs. His memory had constantly played tricks on him, as he would see Arutha’s face of days ago when he had told Jimmy his feelings of friendship, then suddenly he would see the Prince’s face as he had knelt holding Anita, uncomprehending shock on his features. Then Jimmy would remember Anita standing in the hall before going for a dress fitting. That image would fade and he would once more see Arutha slowly lower her to the floor as priests rushed to her side.
Jimmy again tried to speak as Arutha looked up. The Prince’s eyes focused upon the boy, and he said, ‘Why … Jimmy, I … didn’t see you there.’
Jimmy saw the grief and pain in those dark brown eyes and felt something break inside himself. Unbidden tears came to his eyes as the boy spoke softly. ‘I … I tried …’ He swallowed hard; something seemed to be choking off his breath. Jimmy’s mouth worked, but no sound came. Finally he whispered, ‘I’m sorry.’ Then suddenly he was on his knees before Arutha. ‘I’m sorry.’
Arutha looked on uncomprehendingly for a moment, then shook his head. He put his hand upon Jimmy’s shoulder and said, ‘It’s all right. It wasn’t your fault.’
Jimmy knelt with his head cradled in his arms upon Arutha’s knees, sobbing loudly while Arutha awkwardly tried to comfort him. Laurie knelt beside him and said, ‘You couldn’t have done anything more.’
Jimmy raised his head and looked at Arutha. ‘But I should have.’
Carline leaned over and gently ran her hand down the side of his face, wiping away the tears. ‘You went to investigate, which no one else did. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t.’ She left unspoken the thought that Arutha might be lying dead had Jimmy not kicked at Laughing Jack when he fired.
Jimmy was disconsolate. He said, ‘I should have done more.’
Lyam crossed to where Laurie, Carline, and Arutha were clustered around Jimmy. He also knelt beside the boy as Laurie made room. ‘Son, I’ve seen men who would fight goblins go pale at the thought of climbing out where you did. Each of us has fears,’ he said softly. ‘But when something terrible happens, each of us always thinks, I should have done more.’ He placed his hand over Arutha’s, which still rested upon Jimmy’s shoulder. ‘I’ve just had to order the Tsurani guards responsible for searching the hall not to kill themselves. At least you don’t have that twisted a sense of honour.’
Seriously Jimmy said, ‘If I could trade places with the Princess, I would.’
Lyam spoke solemnly. ‘I know you would, son; I know you would.’
Arutha, as if slowly returning from some distant place, said, ‘Jimmy … just so you know … you did well. Thank you.’ He tried to smile.
Jimmy, with tears still on his cheeks, hugged Arutha’s knees hard, then sat back, wiping at his face, returning Arutha’s smile. ‘I’ve not cried since the night I saw my mum murdered.’ Carline’s hand went to her mouth and her face turned white.
The door to the antechamber opened and Nathan came through. He wore only his white knee-length undertunic, having stripped off his ceremonial robes to supervise the care of the Princess. He was wiping his hands upon a cloth and he looked haggard. Arutha slowly rose, Lyam holding his arm. Nathan looked grim as he said, ‘She lives. Though the wound is severe, the bolt struck at a glancing angle that saved her spine. Had the bolt hit full on, death would have been instantaneous. She is young and healthy, but …’
‘But what?’ asked Lyam.
‘The bolt was poisoned, Your Majesty. And it is a poison fashioned with foul arts, a concoction using evil spells. We have been able to do nothing to counter it. Alchemy or magic, nothing works.’
Arutha blinked. Comprehension seemed to elude him.
Nathan looked at Arutha, his eyes reflecting his sorrow. ‘I’m sorry, Highness. She’s dying.’
The dungeon lay beneath sea level, damp and dark, the air musty with the sour smells of moulds and algae. A guard moved aside while another pulled open a protesting door as Lyam and Arutha passed through the portal. Martin waited off to one side in the torture chamber, speaking softly with Vandros and Kasumi. This room had not been used since before Prince Erland’s time, except for a short period when Jocko Radburn’s secret police had used it to interrogate prisoners during du Bas-Tyra’s reign.
The room had been cleared of the usual instruments of torture, but a brazier had been returned to its former place and irons were heating within. One of Gardan’s soldiers tended the burning coals. Laughing Jack stood chained to a pillar of stone, his hands above his head. Standing in full circle around him were six Tsurani, close enough that the groaning prisoner touched them as he moved. Each faced outwards, maintaining a level of vigilance unmatched by even the most loyal of Arutha’s Household Guard.
From another part of the chamber, Father Tully left the side of several other priests, all of whom had been present at the wedding. He said to Lyam, ‘We have established protective spells of the most powerful sort.’ He pointed at Jack. ‘But something seeks to gain access to him. How fares Anita?’
Lyam shook his head slowly. ‘The bolt was poisoned in some arcane fashion. Nathan says her time grows short.’
‘Then we must question the prisoner quickly,’ said the old priest. ‘We have no idea what we are combating.’
Jack groaned aloud. Arutha’s rage rose up and he nearly choked with fury. Lyam pushed past his brother, motioned for a guard to step aside, and looked the thief in the eyes. Laughing Jack looke
d back with eyes wide with fear. His body gleamed and sweat dripped off his hooked nose. Each time he moved, he groaned. The Tsurani had obviously not been gentle when they searched him. Jack tried to speak, wetted his lips with his tongue, then said, ‘Please …’ His voice was hoarse. ‘Don’t let him take me.’
Lyam stepped up beside him and grabbed Jack, his hand closing on the man’s face like a vice. Shaking Jack’s head, he said, ‘What poison did you use?’
Jack was near tears when he spoke. ‘I don’t know. I swear it!’
‘We shall have the truth out of you, man. You had better answer, for we can make it hard on you.’ Lyam indicated the burning irons.
Jack tried to laugh, but it became a bubbling sound. ‘Hard? You think I fear irons? Listen you, King of the bloody damn Kingdom, I’ll gladly let you burn out my liver if you promise you won’t let him take me.’ The last statement had a hysterical note in it.
Lyam threw a quick glance around the room. ‘Let who take him?’
Tully said, ‘He’s been yelling for an hour not to let “him” take him.’ The priest’s expression betrayed a thought. ‘He’s made a compact with dark powers. Now he fears to pay!’ he said with sudden certainty.
Jack nodded his head emphatically, eyes wide. With a half-laugh, half-sob, he said, ‘Aye, priest, as would you if you’d ever been touched by that darkness.’
Lyam grabbed Jack by his stringy hair and jerked his head back. ‘What are you speaking of?’
Jack’s eyes grew round. ‘Murmandamus,’ he whispered.
Suddenly there was a cold chill in the room and the coals in the brazier and the torches on the wall seemed to flicker and fade. ‘He’s here!’ shrieked Jack, out of control. One of the priests began to chant and after a moment the light brightened.
Tully looked towards Lyam. ‘That was … frightening.’ His face was drawn and his eyes wide. ‘It has tremendous power. Hurry, Majesty, but speak not that name. It only serves to draw it to its minion here.’
‘What was the poison?’ Lyam demanded.
Jack sobbed, ‘I don’t know. In truth. It was something the goblin kisser gave me, the Dark Brother. I swear it.’
The door opened and Pug entered, followed by the stout figure of another magician, this one wearing a bushy grey beard. Pug’s dark eyes mirrored the sombre tone of his voice when he said, ‘Kulgan and I have established wards around this part of the palace, but something batters them even as we speak.’
Kulgan, his face wan as if he had just finished some taxing labour, added, ‘Whatever is seeking to enter is determined. Given time, I think we could unravel something of its nature, but …’
Tully finished the thought. ‘… it will win past us before we can. So time is something we lack.’ To Lyam he said, ‘Hurry.’
Lyam said, ‘This thing you serve, or this person, whatever it is, tell us what you know. Why does it seek my brother’s death?’
‘A bargain!’ shouted Jack, I’ll tell you what I know, everything, just don’t let him take me.’
Lyam nodded curtly. ‘We shall keep him from you.’
‘You don’t know,’ Jack screamed, then his voice fell off to a half-sob. ‘I was dead. Do you understand? That bastard shot me instead of Jimmy and I was dead.’ He looked at those around the room. ‘None of you can know. I could feel life slip away, and then he came. When I was almost dead, he took me to this cold, dark place and he … hurt me. He showed me … things. He said I could live and serve him and he’d give me back life, or he’d … he’d let me die and leave me there. He couldn’t save me then, for I wasn’t his. But now I am. He’s … evil.’
Julian, the priest of Lims-Kragma, came up behind the King. ‘He lied to you, man. That cold place was of his fashioning. Our mistress’s love brings comfort to all who embrace her at the end. You were shown a lie.’
‘He’s the father of all liars! But now I’m his creature,’ Jack sobbed. ‘He said I had to go to the palace and kill the Prince. He said I was the only one he had left and the others would arrive too late, wouldn’t be here for days. It had to be me. I said I would, but … I botched it and now he wants my soul!’ The last was a piteous cry, a plea for mercy beyond the power of the King to grant.
Lyam turned to Julian. ‘Can we do anything?’
Julian said, ‘There is a rite, but …’ He looked at Jack and said, ‘You will die, man, you know that. You died already and you are here because of an unholy compact. What will be will be. You will die within the hour. Do you understand?’
Through tears and spittle Jack sobbed, ‘Yes.’
‘Then you will answer our questions and tell us what you know, and die willingly to free your soul?’ Jack’s eyes screwed shut and he cried like a child, but he nodded his head.
‘So tell us what you know of the Nighthawks and this plot to kill my brother,’ demanded Lyam.
Jack sniffed and gasped for air. ‘Six, seven months ago, Golden Dase tells me he’s tumbled to something that could make us wealthy.’ As he spoke, Jack’s voice lost the hysterical quality. ‘I asked him if he’d cleared it with the Nightmaster, but he says it’s not Mocker business. I’m not sure it’s a good idea playing fast and loose with the guild, but I’d not mind an extra sovereign on the side, so I say “Why not?” and I go with him. We met this fellow Havram, who’d worked with us before, and who asks a bunch of questions but isn’t giving with answers, so I get ready to chuck the whole deal, before I even know what’s going on, but then he lays this bag of gold on the table and tells me there’s more to be had.’
Jack closed his eyes and a half-choked sob came from his throat. ‘I came with Golden and Havram to the Willows, through the sewer. I nearly messed myself when I saw the goblin kissers, two of them, in the cellar. They had gold, though, and I will put up with a lot for gold. So they tell me I’ve got to do this and that and listen up to what’s coming along from the Upright Man and Nightmaster and Daymaster and tell them. I tell them that’s a death warrant, then they pull out their swords and tell me it’s a death warrant if I don’t. I thought I’d go along, then turn my bashers loose on them, but they took me up to another room in the Willows, and this fellow, all in robes, was there. I couldn’t see his face but he sounded funny, and he stank. I smelled that stink once when I was a kid, and I’ll never forget it.’
‘What?’ said Lyam.
‘In a cave once I smelled it. Snake.’
Lyam turned to Tully, who gasped. ‘A Pantathian serpent priest!’ The other priests in the room looked aghast and began speaking quietly with one another. Tully said, ‘Continue; time grows short.’
‘Then they start doing things like I never seen before. I’m no misty-eyed virgin, thinking the world’s pure and lovely, but these blokes were something I’ve never dreamt of. They brought in a kid! A little girl, no more than eight or nine. I thought I’d seen it all. The one in the robes pulls a dagger and …’ Jack gulped, obviously fighting down the contents of his stomach. ‘They drew these diagrams with her blood and took some sort of oath. I’m not one for the gods, but I’ve always tossed a coin to Ruthia and Banath on the high holidays. But now I’m praying to Banath like I’m robbing the city treasury in broad daylight. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but they didn’t make me take the oath …’ His voice broke into a sob. ‘Man, they were drinking her blood!’ He took a deep breath. ‘I agreed to work with them. Everything went all right until they told me to ambush Jimmy.’
‘Who are these men and what do they want?’ demanded Lyam.
‘This goblin kisser tells me one night that there’s some sort of prophecy about the Lord of the West. The Lord of the West must die, then something’s going to happen.’
Lyam shot a glance at Arutha. ‘You said they called you Lord of the West.’
Arutha had regained some measure of self-control and said, ‘Yes, they have, twice.’
Lyam returned to the questioning. ‘What else?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Jack, nearly exha
usted. ‘They would talk among themselves. I wasn’t properly one of them.’ Again the room shuddered and the coals and torches flickered. ‘He’s here!’ Jack shrieked.
Arutha came to stand at Lyam’s shoulder. ‘What about the poison?’ he demanded.
‘I don’t know,’ Jack sobbed, it was something the goblin kisser gave me. It’ – he nodded – ‘one of the others called it “Silverthorn”.’
Arutha looked rapidly around the room but could see no one who recognized that name. Suddenly one of the priests said, ‘It has returned.’
Several of the priests began incantations, then stopped, and one said, ‘It has won past our wards.’
Lyam said to Tully, ‘Are we in danger?’
Tully replied, ‘The dark powers may directly control only those who have willingly given themselves over to them. We are safe from direct attack here.’
The room began to chill as the torches flickered madly, and shadows deepened on all sides. ‘Don’t let him take me!’ Jack shrieked. ‘You promised!’
Tully looked to Lyam, who nodded and indicated that Father Julian should take charge.
The King motioned for the Tsurani guards to give the priest of Lims-Kragma room. The priest stood before Jack and asked, ‘Do you find in your heart the earnest desire to receive our mistress’s mercy?’
Jack couldn’t speak for terror. Through tear-filled eyes he blinked, then nodded. Julian began a low, quiet chant and the other priests made quick gestures. Tully came over to Arutha and said, ‘Stay calm. Death is now among us.’
It was over quickly. One moment Jack was sobbing uncontrollably, then abruptly he slumped down, prevented from falling only by the chains. Julian turned to the others. ‘He is safe with the Mistress of Death. No harm can come to him now.’