Legends of the Dragonrealm, Vol II - By Richard A. Knaak Page 0,395

the claws of the drake I’ll do so!”

She nodded. It would be best for them if the Tezerenee knew. It might even make them abandon this place as the Seekers had chosen to do. “We’ve met the one you made the pact with, Lochivan.” She paused to let that sink in. “I think what you’ve seen is its way of fulfilling that pact.”

“Impossible! I worked for the ssssurvival of the clan! These horrorsss are not what I desssired!”

“Ivor and the others were how the guardian thought your clan would best survive this land.”

“Stop right there!” Barakas roared. He pointed an accusing finger at the unsteady figure. “You will tell your tale later, and the truth had best be spoken!” The patriarch kicked at the rubble as he strode toward Sharissa and Gerrod, both of whom rose at his coming. “First, we will hear your story!”

Sharissa willingly related it. Gerrod and even Faunon also contributed, recalling as much as they could. All three were in unspoken agreement that if the Dragon of the Depths had dropped them here, it was to their interest to convince their captors of the urgency of their plight.

The Lord Tezerenee listened in silence, his only reaction to glance on occasion from one of his prisoners to another. The time difference interested him enough to provoke a question or two, but the rest was heard unhindered.

When Sharissa concluded with the second guardian’s decision to send the three here, Lochivan spoke up despite the threat of punishment from his father. “Their tale tells most of it… but I thought the scourge was the land’s doing, not this outcast abomination.”

“I am still not certain on that,” the patriarch said. “But that is neither here nor there.”

“We’ve told you the truth about everything, Father!” Gerrod insisted.

To the surprise of all, Lord Barakas smiled. “And I am certain that you have! If so, then the danger is past! You said yourself that the renegade fled from the Dragon of the Depths! He has saved us again!”

Sharissa grimaced. This was not going the way it should. “Have you forgotten what the Dragon of the Depths said? There is no guarantee that this is over or that something worse is not yet to come!”

He indicated the corpse. “The first of those appeared the day you vanished; the last, three days later. There have been none since, and I would say there will be none again!” Looking down at the remains of what had once been one of his subjects, the patriarch added, “Someone drag that away and bury it. Let him and the others be remembered with honor, victims of a foe now fled!”

“Typical!”

“What was that, Gerrod?”

“Nothing, Father! Only that you’ve not changed! I prayed that, at least for mother’s sake, you might have!”

“Alcia!” All triumph faded from the clan master’s rough-hewn visage. “The citadel!”

“Citadel?” Gerrod looked at Sharissa for clarification.

“Your father forced Darkhorse to help him build a glorious citadel to the south of here.” She pointed at the box that Lochivan carried. The bitterness could not be held back. “That is Darkhorse’s reward for his efforts, his prison!”

“My mother and the others are not here?”

“Alcia.” Barakas raised his hands above his head. “I sent a message announcing our imminent entrance into the caverns, but… nothing since then! They won’t have known! I must go to her and see!”

He stood there for several seconds, his eyes closed. The room was filled with a sense of expectation. Sharissa was the first to wonder why the patriarch still stood where he was when it was obvious he had intended to teleport to his lady.

That thought had also occurred to Barakas, for he lowered his hands and stared at her in wonder. “The power! I had it! Now… there is still some, but I cannot summon sufficient for the task!”

“You won’t find that power at your beck and call anymore!” It was Faunon who spoke, to the surprise of Sharissa. At a nod from Barakas, the guards released their hold. He purposely joined Sharissa and put an arm around her waist. She was a bit shocked at first, but found almost immediately afterward that she wanted him there.

“We are the only spellcasters here now, and our strength is not sufficient at this time to be of any aid.”

“Step away from her!” Reegan bellowed. He drew his sword and started toward the couple.

“Reegan!” The voice born to command froze the heir in place. Barakas then added, “Continue, elf! What great revelation have you to make?”

“Sharissa probably