A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond Feist Page B

with
fear.”
    Jimmy regarded
the assembled prisoners, who stared with fascination at the
proceedings while the second man was judged innocent of being an
assassin. Now the guards grabbed the first man to be truly tested. He
had the half-captivated look of a bird confronting a snake and was
led quickly to the altar. When four other men were led without
protest, Arutha crossed to stand next to Laurie and Jimmy. Shielding
them from the gaze of the prisoners by turning his back on the
proceedings, he whispered, “This isn’t going to work.”
    Jimmy said, “We
may not have dragged a Nighthawk up there yet. Give it time. If
everyone comes through the test, you still have them all under
guard.”
    Suddenly a man
near the front of the prisoners made a dash for the door, knocking
aside two temple guards. At once Arutha’s guards at the door
blocked his exit. The man hurled himself at them, forcing the guards
back. In the scramble he reached for a dagger and attempted to strip
it from a guard’s belt. His hand was struck, and the dagger
skittered freely across the floor, while another guard smashed him
across the face with the haft of a spear. The man dropped to the
stone floor.
    Jimmy, like the
others, was intent upon the attempt to restrain the man. Then, as if
time slowed, he saw another prisoner calmly bend over and pick up the
dagger. With cool purpose the man stood, turned, reversed the dagger,
and held the blade between thumb and forefinger. He pulled back his
arm, and, as Jimmy’s mouth opened to shout a warning, he threw
the dagger.
    Jimmy sprang
forward to knock Arutha aside, but he was a moment too late. The
dagger struck. A priest cried, “Blasphemy!” at the
attack. Then all looked toward the Prince. Arutha staggered, his eyes
widening with astonishment as he stared down at the blade protruding
from his chest. Laurie and Jimmy both caught his arms, holding him
up. Arutha looked at Jimmy, his mouth moving silently as if trying to
speak were the most difficult task imaginable. Then his eyes rolled
up into his head and he slumped forward, still held up by Laurie and
Jimmy.

    Jimmy sat
quietly while Roald paced the room. Carline sat opposite the boy,
lost in her own thoughts. They waited outside Arutha’s
bedchamber while Father Nathan and the royal chirurgeon worked
feverishly to save Arutha’s life. Nathan had showed no regard
for rank as he had ordered everyone out of Arutha’s room,
refusing even to let Carline glimpse her brother. At first Jimmy had
judged the wound serious but not fatal. He had seen men survive
worse, but now the time was dragging on and the young man began to
fret. By now Arutha should have been resting quietly, but there had
been no word from within his chambers. Jimmy feared this meant
complications.
    He closed his
eyes and rubbed at them a moment, sighing aloud. Again he had acted,
but too late to stave off disaster. Fighting back his own feelings of
guilt, he was startled when a voice next to him said, “Don’t
blame yourself.”
    He looked to
find Carline had moved to sit beside him. With a faint smile he said,
“Reading minds, Duchess?”
    She shook her
head, fighting back tears. “No. I just remembered how hard you
took it when Anita was injured.”
    Jimmy could only
nod. Laurie came in and crossed to the door of the bedchamber to
speak quietly to the guard. The guard quickly entered and returned a
moment later, whispering an answer. Laurie went over to his wife,
kissed her lightly on the cheek, and said, “I’ve
dispatched riders to fetch Anita back and lifted the quarantine.”
As senior noble in the city, Laurie had assumed a position of
authority, working with Volney and Gardan to restore order to a city
in turmoil. While the crisis was likely over, certain restraints were
kept in force, to prevent any backlash from angry citizens. Curfew
would stay in effect for a few more days, and large gatherings would
be dispersed.
    Laurie spoke
softly. “I’ve more duties to