Shards of a Broken Crown (71 page)

More than his
duty to the crown, given to him at birth without his consent by his
father and grandfather, this duty to a ragged bunch of thieves and
thugs was far more binding upon him, for it was a duty he elected,
one chosen as a matter of honor, and he knew he would never fail in
that duty short of death.

Dash set out
through the sewers that would be a second home to him for the rest of
his life.

Pug stood.

The students who
joined him, Miranda, Nakor, and Gathis looked around the cave
curiously. Two torches burned, cutting the gloom.

Pug said, “We
come together tonight to ratify a vow each of you has already given
to me in private. Others will come to join us over the years, and a
few of you will leave, but this group will endure.

“We meet
in a conclave, for no one outside this group may know we exist. We
must linger in the shadows, hidden from the sight of those who live
in the world of light.”

Pug looked from
face to face, and said, “Each of you will act on behalf of
people who will never know you exist, who might even fear you or
oppose you if they knew of you, out of ignorance or because they are
misled.

“Death
will be the reward for many who choose this path.”

Pug pointed to
the mouth of the cave. “Out there are men who have taken a path
that leads into the darkness. Some are allies, others are ignorant of
one another; some are unaware of who they truly serve, and others
willingly embrace the evil we face. They will all seek to destroy us.

“Some of
you will leave us, seeking to find our enemies. Others will be
looking for new students to send here for training. Others will
remain here, to teach and organize.

“The
school at Villa Beata will continue as it was, and those who find us,
without us seeking them, as many of you have done, will be welcomed
here as before. Again I repeat, no one outside of this group may know
we exist.

“We will
deal in dreams and nightmares, in a war few out there can imagine. We
are brothers and sisters in this calling, and we must be obedient to
the needs of this conclave. No one of us can be above that need. If
our lives are the price, so be it.”

No one in the
room spoke.

Pug said, “We
are the Conclave of the Shadows and we oppose the madness of the
Nameless One and his agents.

“We have
endured the Riftwar and we have survived the Serpentwar. We now
prepare for the next struggle, one that few will know of, one that
will be fought where few can see. It will be a war in the shadows.”

Pug put out his
hand and Miranda took it. He nodded to Nakor and Gathis, and led his
followers out of the cave, down the path to their home.