Call of Kerberos: Twilight of Kerberos, The - Jonathan Oliver Page 0,63

But then I had to go and give myself to Makennon's cause when she came a-calling, only for her sorcerers and alchemists to turn me into a walking blasphemy! And then, you had to go and kidnap me, taking me on this dreadful voyage which is likely to kill us all!"

"Emuel, come on. Calm down." Dunsany put a hand on his shoulder.

"Get off me!" Emuel shouted, and shoved Dunsany hard in the chest.

Dunsany fell against one of the Stone Seers, sending him crashing to the floor, his lectern falling beside him.

For the first time the song faltered.

A great shudder passed through the room and a fine rain of dust fell from the ceiling. Silus felt his ears pop as the air pressure suddenly dropped. Immediately, several of the stone seers rushed to help their colleague to his feet as another of their number quickly took up his part in the song.

The walls groaned and Silus could have sworn he saw one of them begin to sag, as though it were melting. But, with the harmony of the song restored, the room began to stabilise and Silus saw Win breathe a sigh of relief.

Dunsany brushed himself down and walked over to Emuel, holding out a conciliatory hand. But the eunuch shot him a murderous look and stormed from the building

"I think that it's time we left," Win said.

Back outside there was no sign of Emuel.

"Perhaps one of you should go and look for him?" Katya suggested.

"No, I think that it's best if we leave him to work it out of his system." Dunsany said. "I don't think that anything any of us could say would calm him down right now."

Win nodded and gestured to a passing Stone Seer. "Arklyn, would you see to it that our friend is okay? Perhaps you could speak to him of the song. It does have many healing properties."

The seer nodded and set off in the direction Emuel had taken.

"Do not worry my friends," Win said, turning back to the crew. "Emuel will be in good hands. Now, shall we return to the palace for refreshments?"

Later, as they sat down to lunch, Emuel returned. He was considerably calmer than he had been before and he was humming a tune under his breath. Kelos offered him a drink but he refused and, instead, went to his room, saying that he wanted time to pray and consider what he had learned.

"Well, it's certainly been an eventful day," Kelos said, sitting down and helping himself to a hunk of bread.

"Win, I'm curious to learn more about Kerberos, the Allfather," Silus said. When I was a young man, I often wondered what it would be like to fly through those azure clouds and see whether anything more lay beyond them. Ever since I was a child I've heard its call."

"Silus, if you ever feel like remaining on Morat, I'm sure that we can find you a role amongst the priests of the Allfather," Win said. "You certainly talk like one of them."

"Yes," Kelos said, "he is a most unique individual."

For a moment Silus glared at Kelos, afraid that he was about to tell Win of his burgeoning powers and his link to the Chadassa but, instead, the mage smiled and poured himself another glass of wine.

"I'd like to meet the priesthood, certainly," Silus said. "For many nights now I have been dreaming of Kerberos. I would have dismissed these dreams as nothing but fantasies, but they've come to me night after night."

"But dreams don't necessarily mean anything do they?" Katya said. "I mean, we all have them."

"Yes, but it's almost as though Kerberos itself is trying to tell me something."

"Oh, here we go," Jacquinto laughed. "Apparently, fish boy here is the chosen one."

"No, don't mock," Win said. "Visions are just one of the ways the Allfather communicates with us. Perhaps a visit to the temple would not be such a bad idea after all."

"If you think it will help I have no objections. Unless - " Silus looked over at Katya.

"No, it's fine. Go."

Win nodded. "Good. We'll finish our meal, then if you and Kelos would care to accompany me, I'm sure the priests will be happy to talk to you."

As they ascended the terraces to the Temple of the Allfather, the sky began to open up around them once more. Silus was glad to feel the warmth of the sun on his skin again. The cheer that it brought, however, was marred by the sight of the black canker