Krondor the Betrayal (13 page)

KRONDOR THE BETRAYAL

Gorath had traveled with, Owyn and Locklear, were in another room.

‘‘What did you see?’’ asked the Prince.

‘‘I cannot find any falsehoods, Highness,’’ said the girl in a weary tone. ‘‘But I cannot find the truth, either. His mind is

. . . alien, chaotic.’’

Prince Arutha’s brown eyes narrowed as he regarded Gorath. ‘‘He hides his thoughts?’’

The bearded magician said, ‘‘Highness, Gorath is moredhel, and even with Gamina’s exceptional talents for reading thoughts, his mind may have many innate psychic defenses. We have never had the privilege of studying a moredhel. From what I learned in my time with the eldar—’’

At mention of the ancient elven lore keepers, Gorath’s eyes narrowed. ‘‘You are Pug,’’ he said.

Pug nodded. ‘‘I am.’’

‘‘We have heard of you, who studied with the eldar,’’ said Gorath.

Arutha said, ‘‘The point?’’

‘‘I think he’s telling the truth,’’ said Pug.

‘‘As do I,’’ said Makala. ‘‘Forgive me,’’ said the Tsurani magician to Prince Arutha, ‘‘but I presumed to use my own arts to watch as the Lady Gamina examined the moredhel. It is as she has stated; there is confusion and an alien mind there, but no guile. Despite his differences from us, he is as honest a creature as you will meet.’’

‘‘For what cause did you presume to use your arts without leave?’’ asked Arutha. His tone was one of pointed curiosity, rather than anger.

‘‘War in the Kingdom would have many wide-ranging consequences, not the least of which would be a disruption of trade between our two worlds, Your Highness. The Light of Heaven would be most displeased if such occurred, let alone the risk if such as these‘‘—he indicated Gorath—’’gleaned the secrets of the rift.’’

Arutha nodded, his expression thoughtful. Gorath spoke.

‘‘Trading agreements notwithstanding, war benefits no one, Prince. Despite that, you must prepare your army for war.’’

Arutha’s words were pointed, but his tone was even. ‘‘What 85

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I must or must not do will be my burden, renegade. And my decisions will be based upon more than simply the word of one dissident chieftain. If not for Locklear’s faith in you, you’d be in our dungeon making the acquaintance of our torturer, not holding hands with Lady Gamina.’’

Gorath glared at the Prince of Krondor. ‘‘I would tell you no different under hot iron, the lash, or the blade, human!’’

Pug asked, ‘‘Then why do you betray your own, Gorath?

Why come to Krondor with a warning when your nations have sought to dislodge humankind from this world as long as either race can remember? Why betray Delekhan to the Kingdom of the Isles? Are you seeking to have our army do what you cannot do by your own might, and destroy an enemy?’’

The dark elf studied the magician. Despite his youthful appearance he was a man of great power, and to this point he had spoken to Gorath only in tones and terms of respect. Softly, Gorath said, ‘‘Delekhan may be a bitter draught to the Kingdom, but he is poison in the throats of our people. He enslaves and conquers, and he seeks to claim greatness, but—’’ He took a deep breath.

‘‘My people are few in number,’’ he said slowly. ‘‘We will never count as many swords and arrows as you humans. We rely upon those who willingly serve us, the goblins, mountain giants, trolls, and renegade men.’’ His tone took on a bitter edge. ‘‘Two sons and a daughter I have mourned, and of two wives, one I have seen travel to join the Mothers and Fathers, while the other left me for being the one to call retreat at Sethanon. My last blood kin died at my own hands the night I met young Owyn.’’ He looked directly into Arutha’s eyes. ‘‘I can never go back, Prince of Krondor. I will die in an alien land among people who despise my race.’’

‘‘Then why?’’ asked Arutha.

‘‘Because my people cannot withstand another war such as we had at Sethanon. Delekhan appears, wearing the dragon helm of Murmandamus, and swords are raised and blood oaths sworn, but while we have courage and dedication in abundance, we lack strength of numbers. Should enough of us die in futility again, the Northlands would lie open to human 86

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conquest. We would be as echoes on the wind, for within a hundred years no moredhel would remain alive.’’

‘‘We are content to stay on this side of the Teeth of the World. We have no ambitions in the Northlands,’’ said Arutha.

‘‘You may not, here in your warm castle in Krondor, Prince, but there are those among your race who would conquer to win a title, and you know this. If one came to your king with word that he had seized the town of Raglam and had occupied Harlik, and now controlled a third of the Northlands, would your king offer him a hereditary title and income from those lands?’’

‘‘He would,’’ admitted Arutha.

‘‘Then you see my point,’’ said Gorath.

Arutha rubbed his chin. He stood lost in thought a long moment, then said, ‘‘You are persuasive, Gorath. I will take what Makala and Gamina say at face value and assume you have no guile in you. But what now must be decided is if what you know to be true is, indeed, truth.’’

‘‘What do you mean?’’ demanded Gorath.

Pug said, ‘‘What he means is you may be an unwitting tool.

If this Delekhan knew of your animosity, might he not have given you the information you seek to bring to us, to cause us to rush to meet him at some place of his choosing?’’ Pug indicated the maps and notes Locklear had brought from the barn at Yellow Mule. ‘‘There are at least a half dozen false messages here, to be conveniently found by the Prince’s agents, all stressing attacks at unlikely places, Tannerus, Eggly, Highcastle, even Romney.’’

Gorath’s head came up. ‘‘I have heard that name.’’

‘‘Romney?’’ said Arutha. ‘‘What do you mean?’’

‘‘Only that I have heard Romney mentioned by those who are in service to Delekhan. There are agents working for him in that area.’’

‘‘Would you know them?’’

Gorath shook his head in the negative. ‘‘Only a few close to Delekhan might know who is working for him among the humans: Nago’s brother Narab, his senior-most advisor, his son Moraeulf, and The Six.’’

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‘‘Who are The Six?’’ asked Pug. ‘‘You’ve mentioned them before.’’

‘‘No one knows. They are swathed in robes as dark as those of your Tsurani friend and yourself, with deep hoods.’’

‘‘Pantathians?’’ suggested Pug.

‘‘Not snake priests, I’m certain,’’ said Gorath. ‘‘They speak as you or I do, though there is an accent to their voices. Yet, they serve Delekhan and give him the might to unite the clans.

Their magic was powerful enough to force Nago and Narab to heel on two occasions when they sought to distance themselves from Delekhan. And among our people, they were the mightiest of Spellweavers.’’

Arutha said, ‘‘Pug, would you bring that map over here, please?’’

Pug got the map indicated by the Prince, one of the central third of the Kingdom. He placed it on the table next to the one brought by Locklear from Yellow Mule. ‘‘What cause would Delekhan have to operate out of a river town in the heart of the Kingdom?’’

Pug said, ‘‘Perhaps
because
it is in the heart of the Kingdom?’’ He pointed to the location. ‘‘When Murmandamus came against us, he moved through Highcastle, and crossed the High Wold, moving to the southwest to enter the Dimwood and strike south to Sethanon. What if this time Delekhan ran this pass here, and came down the River Cheston by barge?’’

Arutha nodded. ‘‘At Romney he could turn to the River Silden and north of the City of Silden he could turn westward and force march to Sethanon. It’s his fastest route and his easi-est if I’ve got the Armies of the West tied up at LaMut and Tannerus and a dozen other places from here to Yabon. He’d be west of the King’s Armies, too.’’

Arutha looked at Gorath. ‘‘At last something starts to make sense.’’

Gorath said, ‘‘If I go to Romney, I may be able to find you the proof.’’

Arutha said, ‘‘It’s a long step from belief to trust, Gorath.

Our people have been enemies too many years for trust to come easily.’’

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‘‘Send me with your soldiers, then,’’ said Gorath. ‘‘Delekhan must be stopped. If you blunt his attack, send him back to the North with his nose bloodied, his own supporters will throw him down and my people will be saved. As will yours.’’

Arutha considered, and said, ‘‘I’ve got just the person to put on this task. But Jimmy is out conducting some other business for me right now—’’

‘‘Nighthawks?’’ asked Gorath.

‘‘What do you know of that?’’ asked Arutha.

Gorath explained the encounters in the sewers with the false Nighthawks and Squire James.

Arutha nodded. ‘‘Someone’s anxious for me to send the army into the sewers, cleaning out the Mockers while I’m at it. The two things may be related, but they also may be coincidence.’’

‘‘I think them related,’’ said Gorath. ‘‘I have not heard anyone speak of the Nighthawks, but I have heard them speak of Delekhan having sources of information throughout the Kingdom.’’

Makala said, ‘‘And from what young Locklear said, agents working within the Empire, as well.’’ He held up the ruby Locklear had returned to him. ‘‘These thefts have been under way for some time now.’’ The Tsurani magician looked at Arutha. ‘‘I think these events are all somehow related.’’

Arutha nodded. He looked at Gorath, and said, ‘‘I’m returning you to your room, under guard. I’ll send for you in the morning, and we’ll map out your journey to Romney. It’s weeks out and back by even the fastest horses, and we need information in as timely a fashion as possible.’’

Gorath rose from the table, and, with a slight nod to Gamina and Pug, he left the room.

Arutha let out a sigh of frustration. ‘‘So much of what he knows is based upon overheard conversations and rumor. I believe his warning is sincere, but is it accurate?’’

Knight-Marshal Gardan, who had remained silent while the moredhel was in the room, said, ‘‘I don’t trust him, Highness.

We fought them too often over the years to trust any of them.’’

‘‘But what other choice do I have, Marshal?’’ asked Arutha.

‘‘If his warning is true, we face another Great Uprising, and if 89

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we don’t guess right, we may be in the same situation as we were last time, with armies racing to converge on Sethanon, with the moredhel already there.’’

‘‘Why Sethanon?’’ asked Makala, looking at the map. ‘‘Why do they believe this Murmandamus is imprisoned there?’’

Arutha glanced at Pug, and said, ‘‘That is where he disappeared. There’s some rumor about the place, and Murmandamus was deluded into thinking that if he seized that city, he would cut the Kingdom in half and defeat us.’’

It was a weak lie, and Pug knew it, but Makala said, ‘‘Often in war decisions are based on bad assumptions. Is there some proof, though, that Murmandamus is indeed dead?’’

‘‘Only my word,’’ said Arutha. ‘‘For I was the one who killed him.’’

Makala looked at Arutha, and said, ‘‘And we can pretty safely assume they will not take you at your word, correct?’’

Arutha nodded.

Pug shook his head in frustration. ‘‘My daughter and I must leave for a while, but we’ll be back, Arutha. I am more concerned by these mysterious six magicians than all the other news brought by Gorath.’’

‘‘Yes,’’ said Makala. ‘‘The mysterious magic users. We of the Assembly will be glad to aid you, Pug, if we can. Just call on us.’’

Pug asked, ‘‘Are you coming to Stardock?’’

Makala said, ‘‘I have some messages to pen to those back on Kelewan. I will join you at Stardock soon.’’

Pug nodded, took an orb out of his robe, and placed his arm around his daughter’s waist. He activated the orb, and, with a buzz, the pair vanished.

Arutha said, ‘‘Would that the rest of us could flit from place to place with such speed.’’

Makala said, ‘‘To prevent armies from doing just that is one reason my brotherhood of magicians guards these devices so, Highness. We shall have to be cautious of our part in such matters, though given our Emperor’s disposition’’—he referred to the fact that Ichindar, Emperor of Tsuranuanni, was in favor of close ties with the Kingdom—‘‘you can expect aid quickly, should you need it.’’

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Arutha gave him thanks, and Makala and Gardan departed.

Prince Arutha sat in his chamber late into the night, weighing and judging the warning brought by the renegade moredhel chieftain, and no matter how often he wanted to put it aside as a charade, or nothing more than the jockeying for domination between factions in the moredhel nations, he couldn’t. Another war was coming; he could feel it in his bones. Unless his prized agent, a former thief turned courtier, could somehow steal that war out of the very hands of those who sought to unleash it.

Arutha picked up a bell on his table and rang it. Instantly a page appeared at the door. ‘‘Highness?’’

‘‘Send word to the guard to notify me the moment Seigneur James returns to the palace, whatever the hour.’’

‘‘Highness,’’ said the page, closing the door as he left to do as he was bid.

Arutha still didn’t return to his own quarters, for even having made the decision to send Jimmy with Gorath to Romney, he had a thousand other questions to consider, and foremost among them was ‘‘Who are The Six?’’

Gorath was awake as soon as the door began to open. He rose, fists ready, for while unarmed, he was ready to defend himself. He was not confident that no assassin could find his way into the palace. He remembered events from many years ago where the Princess of Krondor almost died at the hands of one employed by Murmandamus.

Gorath relaxed when he saw his visitor was Squire James.

‘‘Greetings,’’ said the young man.

‘‘Greetings,’’ said Gorath. He sat down in a chair next to a window overlooking a garden. ‘‘Am I to be questioned again?’’

‘‘No,’’ said James. ‘‘We’re going on a trip to Romney.’’

Gorath rose. ‘‘As I have nothing to pack, I am ready.’’

‘‘Provisions are prepared, though we will be traveling light.’’