Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol II - By Richard A. Knaak Page 0,109

laughed. Even now, he could sense the warlock’s presence elsewhere in the palace. This time, there would be no escape. This time, Darkhorse would confront him.

And one of us will play the final hand… perhaps both of us, if need be!

The shadow steed laughed again, but it was a hollow laugh, devoid of even the least bit of humor.

IN THE PLACE where he had chosen to wait, Shade nodded to himself and whispered, “So. Now comes the time. At last.”

XIX

TWO MEN HAD been left to guard Mal Quorin’s cell. Even though at the time the king had been shorthanded and no one had known that Quorin’s men would rout, Melicard had decided that sparing two men was still worth the price. It said something about the importance of the prisoner—and how much King Melicard desperately wanted his former advisor to remain where he was until Talak could mete out proper justice to a man who had betrayed everyone.

For the last few hours, their prisoner had remained quiet. It had been a welcome change from the first hour, when Quorin had recovered somewhat from the princess’s assault and started ranting how they would all pay when his lord and master crushed the city beneath his paw. The guards, still weak themselves from their own ordeal, had been taking turns napping, trying to build up their strength. Once in a while, the one awake would look through the barred window in the door of Quorin’s cell and make certain that the prisoner had not slipped through the cracks in the cell walls or some such impossibility. Each time, Quorin had still been there. The ten-minute ritual quickly became something of a joke—until one of the sentries stood up, stretching his worn legs, and glanced inside.

The chains hung loosely. Of the traitor, there was not the slightest sign. The cell had no other openings… unless the prisoner had slithered through the cracks.

Though the panicked guard and his soon-to-be-panicked companion could not have known it, Mal Quorin had vanished from his place of confinement just about the time Darkhorse had opened the lid of the box. Even had they known and been able to make the connection, there still remained one more question, one that greatly outweighed the question of how he had escaped.

That question was, of course, where was he?

MELICARD PACED THE room, trying to explain again to his headstrong bride-to-be what he wanted of her and why.

“Erini, I want you to stay back here—”

“Where it’s safe?” The princess shook her head vehemently. “This will one day be my kingdom, too—unless you’ve changed your mind about me—”

“Never!”

“Then let me defend it with you, Melicard.” Erini took a deep breath and stepped away from the king. She was more nervous than she wanted to admit. Does it ever become easier? Darkhorse seemed to take the entire thing in stride, as if combatting immortal warlocks and sinister Dragon Kings was an everyday matter—and perhaps it was with him. The princess, on the other hand, while ready to give her life for the protection of her people, still contained within her a very human desire to be safe and secure from the troubles around her.

“Without Mal Quorin to lead them, the traitors have no one to turn to. It will be over in an hour, maybe less. We have a fair idea now who belonged to him, thanks to some of our prisoners. At worst, we shall round up everyone, replace the gate complement with men loyal to me, and sort out the innocent and guilty here in the palace. Crude but effective. Hardly something requiring your talents—which I will need when the drakes arrive.”

“The drakes…” Erini shook her head, not because she disagreed with Melicard’s summation but because the lack of sleep was finally taking its toll upon her. She stumbled momentarily.

Melicard succeeded in grabbing her arms, preventing her from causing herself any harm by slipping. “This is the reason I especially do not wish your aid in this matter. I want to protect you; I will not argue that point. I know, however, that your abilities make you invaluable to the safety of my—our—people. That is why I want you to take the time you have to sleep. Rest. You have not fought the battles I have. You have not had to go without sleep for days. What happens when the Dragon King arrives and you don’t have the concentration to make use of your abilities? What happens then?”

What, indeed? Erini knew he was