DragonCrown Saga - The Grand Crusade Part 13

Thesullandrireeled back, raising a hand to his flattened nose. He pinched it with fingers and drew it up with a startling number of pops. Nefrai-laysh snorted, blowing black blood and mucus down to the stone where it bubbled and smoked. He brought his hand away, flicked more fluid from his fingers, and studied Erlestoke with eyes that were balefires.

Nefrai-laysh doubtless intended to say something, but never got the chance. Alexia flew into him. Having come at a run, she leaped and smashed both feet into his chest. The blow hit thesullandrias hard as Chytrine's spell had hit Kerrigan, lifting him from his feet and knocking him back against the crenellated wall that ringed the roof. His shoulder caught one of the merlons, twisting him, then, in an eyeblink, he somersaulted backward and disappeared.

Erlestoke leaped over Alexia and ran to the wall. Shouts and screams came from the street below.

People scurried in panic. Nefrai-laysh cut at some, lunged at others, killing no one but wounding several and speeding the rest away. All the rest save two.

A large man held a thick staff ready for combat. "Is this all you're about now, Leigh?"

Thesullandristopped. "Nay?"

"You've changed little."

"Nay, Nay, what a day. I'm glad it's you I spy. Pray, prey, then we'll play, because now, my friend, you'll die." Nefrai-laysh darted forward with blinding speed, sweeping his blade down in a cut that would take Nay's legs off at the knee. Though the man swung the staff down to block, thesullanciri'sblade would have sheared right through it.

The intervention of another blade prevented that from happening. Borell cast aside the scabbard that had encased the sword Eye and caught Nefrai-laysh's blade before it bit into his father's staff. Thesullanciri pulled back, surprised, then whipped the blade up and around in a cut that should have cloven Borell's skull right above the line of his mask.

The youth ducked, then lunged, stabbing Nefrai-laysh through the stomach. Thesullancirigasped and leaped back, pulling himself off the blade. Borell bore in, blocking another cut, then twisted his sword up over Nefrai-laysh's guard and drove the point into one of those balefires.

Thesullanciri'sbody jerked back, ripping the sword from Borell's grasp. Nefrai-laysh's back bowed and he screamed fire to the heavens. His feet came off the ground and he seemed to hover there for a heartbeat or two, then the fire in his eyes went out and a flaccid body fell like an empty glove to the cobblestones.

Alexia shouted down to Nay. "Take his sword and come up here, the both of you."

Erlestoke turned and headed back into the room. He found King Augustus crouched near Bok. Over by the door Rymramoch had sunk to one knee beside Kerrigan. The prince moved to the urZrethi. "How is he?"

Augustus shook his head. "Not dead, but hurt badly and probably dying. I've sent someone for healers."

Erlestoke looked up at the wall. Plaster had cracked where Bok had hit it, and dark blood stained the wall where he slid down. He did seem to be breathing, but the rattle coming from his chest was not a good sign.

The prince rose and crossed to where Alexia stood with Rymramoch. Kerrigan's limbs had been straightened and, save for muscle twitches, he would have appeared dead. "What did she do to him?"

The puppet shook its head with a jerky motion. "Magick of her own devising. It was very powerful.

Even being in the proximity of him makes my ability to control this sh.e.l.l difficult."

Alexia knelt and took one of the young mage's hands in hers. "He's cold. Is he dying?"

"Most likely."

Alexia sat back on her heels and looked up. "What happened? Why are you here?"

"Why didn't I keep him safe, you want to ask?" The puppet started to gesture, but his right arm froze awkwardly. "On Vael Kerrigan progressed swiftly. He learned things and was able to devise a spell that pinpointed Chytrine's location. He cast his spell to find her and learned she was in Narriz. With the help of another dragon, we arrived last night, stealthfully. Here in Narriz he cast his spell again, but very gently, so she would not notice. Apparently she did not notice.Hecame here directly and you saw the rest."

Erlestoke shook his head. "He cast another spell at her. What was that?"

"A little annoyance spell. It's something most mages learn very early and casting a counter to it is almost reflexive." Rymramoch canted his head. "In her case it was, and she was exposed."

Alexia sighed heavily. "She's been here in our councils the whole time. She knew everything we would do. She urged us to do things that would waste time and misdirect forces. Because of her half the army that could have been at Fortress Draconis was off freeing Okrannel. She raised the point about Adrogans having dragonels, and who better to know the truth of that situation than she?"

"Easy, Alexia, this is in no way your fault." Erlestoke crouched beside her. "She was able to stir up trouble, yes, but her exposure will unite everyone."

The princess blinked at him. "Unite them? Have you lost your senses? They'll be slaughtering each other out of fear. They'll think every other lordling is an Aurolani agent. They'll accuse your father of being a sullanciri. It will be madness. And that madness will be compounded when they learn that Sayce is carrying Will's child, and is now in the hands of Chytrine."

Erlestoke smiled. "At least you know you'll have the Murosan troops with you."

"Sure,if Idecide to go haring off to Aurolan to save Sayce, which is not the object of our exercise."

"No, you're right. The object is to destroy Chytrine." Erlestoke rose as Nay and Borell came through the door. He nodded to them, then turned to face the a.s.sembled n.o.bles and soldiers. "I expect you will all want to go report to your superiors what has happened here. Let's make certain you are all aware of whatdidhappen."

He looked around the room, meeting the gazes of all a.s.sembled openly and coolly. "Chytrine's imposture was exposed before any strategic or tactical planning could be discussed. The basic material we had covered should have been obvious to all of you. More importantly, she will now be operating off what she thinks we are thinking. All of those problems we faced before will now require even harder work, but we have an advantage that we did not have before.

"Second, and of vital import, this young man, Borell Carver, slew asullanciri. Chytrine has been deprived of one of her prime lieutenants. Throughout this war she has lostsullanciriat an alarming rate. Without them, her ability to control her troops is sorely impeded."

Venes shook his head. "What about her getting the new Norrington?"

Erlestoke shrugged mightily to cover the shiver running down his spine. "Princess Sayce may indeed be carrying Will Norrington's child. The fact is, however, that the child will not be born until the autumn.

Lest you forget, the Norrington Prophecy is not a good one for Chytrine. By taking the child, she is just clasping a snake to her breast. That, however, is immaterial as far as we are concerned. Our job is to smash her armies and chase her back home. We'll get there in time to save Sayce and let her child be born in a civilized land." He waved them to the doors. "Go, report. We shall resume tomorrow." The soldiers and n.o.bles filed from the room, leaving only Augustus, Bok, Alexia, Kerrigan, Rymramoch, and the trio of Oriosans. "Is there anything you can do for Bok?"

The puppet looked toward the urZrethi. "If someone could convey me over there, I do believe I might help."

Nay and Borell grabbed him at the elbows and carried him toward Bok. When the puppet was a dozen feet from Kerrigan, he regained use of his limbs. He completed the journey on his own and knelt to attend to the urZrethi.

Alexia laid a hand on Erlestoke's shoulder. "Thank you for what you said."

He shrugged. "I know how you must be feeling."

"How's that?"

"People think my father is Chytrine's plaything. At least you had a bit more generational insulation on that count."

Alexia laughed. "Okay, you do know." She shook her head, then laughed again.

"What?"

"I was just thinking, remembering. I don't know how long Chytrine has a.s.sumed Tatyana's ident.i.ty, but I hope it's been at least ten years." The Okrans Princess smiled. "The first time I met her, I bit her."

Erlestoke smiled. "You did, did you? I never bit my father."

"Try it."

"No thanks. We have too much work to do." He gave her a wink. "We're going to figure out a way you'll get to bite her again, and this time we'll make it really hurt."

Alexia hesitated for a moment at the top of the steps and looked down into the semicircular amphitheater that normally housed Saporicia's Congress of Guild Masters. The stairs she stood poised to descend split the various tiers and led directly to the open half circle in which Guild Masters would stand to debate various points of law and policy. Against the back wall, beneath gorgeous murals of Saporician history, a dais had been built. Upon it sat one large throne, which King Fidelius occupied as he would in normal times. To his right and left sat smaller thrones for King Scrainwood and King Augustus, respectively.

Others had gathered below in various factions, but Alexia's attention was drawn to the low table that had been placed before the throne. On it lay Kerrigan, shrouded from throat to toes in a white sheet. His body still twitched and shivered, but the damage done by Chytrine's magick could not remain hidden.

Her spell had wasted his body. Had he not been so fat to begin with, Alexia was certain, he'd have long since been wholly consumed.

She slowly descended and heard the sc.r.a.pe of Crow's boots as he followed her. On that main floor three groups were prepared to argue. Centermost was a knot of sorcerers from Vilwan. Off to the left waited Peri and Resolute. To the right, Dranae, Rymramoch, and a powerfully built female, who apparently was another dragon in human form, had gathered.

The leader of the Vilwanese contingent turned, saw Alexia, and smiled. "Very good. Now that they are here, we can proceed."

Alexia recalled the woman's name and rank from the general councils. "I have only just been summoned, Magister Tadurienne; I do not know what this is about. Has there been some change in Kerrigan?"

The woman folded her hands into the sleeves of her grey robe, which had black striping at cuffs, collar, and hem. The color matched her hair and proclaimed her to be skilled in the arts of conjuration. "No change in his condition, but there is a change in his status."

Alexia frowned as she joined her sister and Resolute. Crow stood behind her. The princess looked toward King Fidelius. "Please, Highness, enlighten me."

He gestured with his good hand toward the Vilwanese. "Because Kerrigan is a minor citizen of Vilwan, they are pet.i.tioning to take custody of him and return to Vilwan with him."

Alyx frowned. "They wish to extradite him like a criminal? On what charge?"

"No charge, Princess." Tadurienne kept her voice respectful. "This is not extradition. It is a compa.s.sionate repatriation."

" 'Compa.s.sionate'? How can that be, Magister? Unless I am misinformed, you've not been able to figure out what is happening with him."

"True, but we have hopes." She waved a hand toward the dragons. "Even they have been unable to unlock the magick Chytrine used, but on Vilwan we have the greatest minds a.s.sembled, who will be able to do what they cannot."

Crow cleared his throat. "How is it that Kerrigan is a citizen of Vilwan? I understood that all students on Vilwan were subject to the nation of their birth until they reached the age of consent, at which time they may renounce their old citizenship and become citizens of Vilwan. Heslin never did that, and remained an Oriosan until Chytrine took him."

Tadurienne smiled. "It is simple. Kerrigan was born on Vilwan."

"That is a lie." The puppet Rymramoch clapped gloved hands together. "Had he been born on Vilwan, the taint would have been there. I studied him. He did spend virtually his entire life on Vilwan, and he may have been born on an island, but it was not Vilwan."

The Vilwanese Magister held a hand up and conferred with her compatriots. "I have no information about the place of his birth. His parents are full Vilwanese citizens. He has no other home. He is ours."

Resolute glanced over at Rymramoch. "Why do you say he was born on an island?"

"It's obvious."

Dranae smiled easily. "Resolute, for us, reading the traces and taints on a person is as easy as reading gibberkin sign is for you. I never read Kerrigan, but with you the mark of Vorquellyn is strong, no matter that you've spent ten times as many years away from there."

Tadurienne opened her hands. "As fascinating as this discussion about taints and traces is, it really has no bearing on the case at hand. Kerrigan Reese came from Vilwan, was trained on Vilwan, and is of Vilwanese extraction. No one here has the capability of helping him, and we do. If you want what is best for him, you will give him to us now. Time, you can all plainly see, is of the essence."

Crow again spoke. "With all due respect, Magister, but Kerrigan's last tutor, Orla, gave him deathbed instructions. She told him he was to stay away from Vilwan. In Meredo he defied your attempts to lure him back."

"He is but a child, subject to childish fancies."

"But Orla was not. She was your equal in rank. He sought to obey her orders, and she gave the responsibility for him to Resolute and me."

"Did she?" Tadurienne pointed to the twitching body. "And you chose to leave him on Vael for instructions in magicks no human has ever mastered, andthisis the result! I would submit, King Fidelius, that Crow has proven himself unsuitable as a guardian. Regardless, Orla had no authority to turn her charge over to either of these adventurers. Before she left Vilwan she had a discussion with her superior which, I have been led to believe, resulted in a difference of opinion. That doubtless prompted her giving Kerrigan the orders she did, not any true concern for the boy."

Scrainwood toyed with his goatee. "Magister Tadurienne's objection to Crow's stewardship of Kerrigan Reese does bear weight. By his own admission, he who lost the Norrington now has lost Adept Reese."

King Fidelius nodded in accord, but King Augustus waved that notion away. "By all accounts, Adept Reese was powerful and wise beyond his years, and certainly more skilled at magick than the Vilwanese a.s.sembled here. He had the trust of the Draconis Baron, which we all know was not easily earned.

Kerrigan Reese, could he speak for himself, would undoubtedly hold all but himself blameless for his current condition."

Fidelius nodded. "Your point is well-taken, Augustus, but the legal problem still exists. Orla did not have the authority to transfer custody to anyone. While she might have suggested he stay with Crow and Resolute, she could not give him over to them. Their claims in this matter must be rejected. As to why or if she told Kerrigan to stay away from Vilwan is likewise immaterial."

"Thank you, Highness." Tadurienne smiled cautiously. "If there are no other objections."

"I have one." Rymramoch raised a hand. "You referred to this as a compa.s.sionate repatriation, and you cited having the greatest magickal minds present on Vilwan to help deal with this problem. I would submit that is not true."

The grey-robed woman bowed her head. "I will agree we do not have dragons with us, but were you wishing to come, we would welcome your a.s.sistance."

"You mistake me, but I do not think deliberately so. I will be going nowhere until my compatriot, Bok, is ready to travel." The puppet clasped its hands together. "My point was simply this: all the minds you have gathered there will be unable to plumb the depths of this spell."

Tadurienne's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I can appreciate thatyouhave had difficulty in that matter, Rymramoch..."

The dragon's puppet cut her off. "And you've had less than I?"

"No, but..."

^Permit me a question. Do you knowwhyyou have had difficulty learning -roything about the magick on him?"

The Vilwanese woman grew cautious. She spoke in low tones with the other two sorcerers, then shook her head. "No."

"It is because that is the nature of the spell she cast. It is meant to frustrate magick cast upon it." The puppet looked up at the three kings. "Even I have heard the story of Chytrine's first a.s.sault on Fortress Draconis. She cast a spell that undid the healings that had been performed. This spell functions much along the same lines. If it were a swordsman, it would be adept at parrying every attack thrown at it. The pitifully simple fact of the matter is that there are a limited number of diagnostic spells available to any race. I have tried all I know and they have failed. Even the magick I use to move this sh.e.l.l around is affected by the one she cast."

Fidelius sat back and rubbed his right hand over his face. "So you are saying there is nothing the Vilwanese can do to save his life?"

"There is no way they can determine what her spell is doing to him. They are afraid of something, however." Rymramoch nodded toward the body. "They're afraid the spell she cast will change Kerrigan Reese into one of hersullanciri"

Alexia gasped and pressed back against Crow. That possibility had never occurred to her. "Could that be happening?"

Tadurienne held her hands up. "It cannot be discounted. If he were to become asullanciri, he would be most powerful and dangerous. On Vilwan he could be contained and destroyed."

Crow laughed. "I am unaware of anysullanciriwho have been slain by Vilwanese agents-save Neskartu, whom Kerrigan slew after he distanced himself from Vilwan."

The King of Oriosa shook his head. "Please, Hawkins, no petty displays of temper and jealousy."

Alexia felt Crow shiver at the accusation coming out of Scrainwood's mouth. She reached back, found his right hand, and squeezed it. "More games, lover." She kept her voice a whisper and felt her hand squeezed in return.

Fidelius frowned. "It is likely true that he could be best contained on Vilwan. It seems the only course is to grant their pet.i.tion."

"Wait, Highness." Resolute held up a hand. "There is a question that has yet to be answered. Magister Tadurienne, you said you have no information about where Kerrigan Reese was born. Did I hear you correctly?"

"Yes."

"I would like you to tell us, then, the purpose of the Vilwanese expedition that went to Vorquellyn at the time of his birth. There your people engaged Aurolani forces in fierce fighting, then withdrew again."

Alexia had no idea what Resolute was talking about, but the blood drained from Tadurienne's face. "I believe you are mistaken, Resolute."

Rymramoch waved a hand and, just for a heartbeat, Resolute's magickal tat- os glowed blue. "Of course, yes, the island. Kerrigan Reese has the same taint you, Resolute. He was born on Vorquellyn."

Resolute's voice gained an edge. "How many were there, Magister? How many ere born on Vorquellyn? Were you thinking the children born there would be ble to forge a link to the homeland as we do? Had you heard of Chytrine's breeding experiments and the dismal results, then decided you could do it better than she could?"