stepped forward and offered it to Ghian. Cradling it on the fingertips of both hands Ghian raised the bowl high in salutation. Once more those assembled below roared their approval. Bringing the bowl to his lips the Grelfine Lord, Master of Vedra drained the contents. After handing the empty bowl back to his servant, he dismissed him with a contemptuous flick of his hand. The servant bowed low, backed away from the platform and out of his master’s presence. As he hurried along a side alley towards the vast black temple his lips twisted in a grim smile. The grelfons would be flying soon and there was much to do.
The brown-robed servant silently materialised just inside Ghian’s apartment and quickly crossed his master’s study. Pulling aside a large woven wall-hanging he pushed his fingertips hard against one of the smooth dressed stones. A small section of the wall swung away revealing a dark cavity. Thrusting in his hand, he briefly groped around before lifting out a grey metal casket. The servant pushed the section of wall back into place and carefully straightened the wall hanging. Clutching the casket, he looked about him. From the top of the heavy dark-wood desk he removed four small objects and slipped them into the deep pocket of his robe. After one more glance round the room he shimmered and vanished. A servant no longer, but a warrior of the Jadhrahin, he would not be coming back. Not for a while anyway.
* * *
Lady Evalin and Mordas arrived at Symon’s apartment just as Symon and Karryl had finished a rather belated lunch. The tall physician-mage appeared to have fully recovered from her attempts to destroy the Wraith-infected crystal. Her eyes sparkled, her long auburn hair shone, and Karryl sensed something different about her that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
As Symon made himself comfortable in his fireside armchair, Evalin took his hand. “Well, my old friend, do you think you’re fit for a bit of travelling?”
The little magician inclined his head, his eyes twinkling as he frowned up at her in mock annoyance. “Not on a full stomach dear lady! I should like to sit for a while before we depart for wherever it is we’re going. Anyway, Karryl has something I think you should see.”
Crossing to the hearth, Karryl reached onto the mantelpiece and took down the box he had brought back from the house of Hieronymus Smeers. While Karryl was preparing lunch Symon had used vinegar to clean off the accumulated grease and grime. Now the images of the medallion and the third artefact carved into the rich golden-brown wood were clear and unmistakeable. The large and ornate bronze key was passed from hand to hand with much interest as Karryl related his experiences of that morning. Evalin placed the key back in the box and gently closed the lid.
She handed it to Karryl. “So, what do you plan to do now? Dig up the floor?”
Karryl shook his head as he returned the box to the mantelpiece. “I don’t think that will be necessary. I detected a warding over the flagstones of the pantry floor. Once that’s removed, I think, or rather I hope a way down will be revealed.”
Symon clasped his hands beneath his chin. “I do so wish I could come with you but it would seem that forces are conspiring to keep me out of the way.” He looked up at Evalin. “I have a small bag packed with a few essentials, so I think I’m ready now.”
Giving the diminutive magician a warm smile, Evalin nodded. Turning to Karryl and Mordas she placed a slender forefinger across her lips as she gave a knowing wink. Her hands clasped prayerfully in front of her, her expression softened as she gazed into the middle distance. Karryl felt the tell-tale prickling of his skin and raised an eyebrow at Mordas. She returned a little warning frown, and they waited.
A sparkling pale green oval shimmered just above the floor in front of them, the carefree sound of light-hearted laughter reached their ears, and a half dozen tiny
The brown-robed servant silently materialised just inside Ghian’s apartment and quickly crossed his master’s study. Pulling aside a large woven wall-hanging he pushed his fingertips hard against one of the smooth dressed stones. A small section of the wall swung away revealing a dark cavity. Thrusting in his hand, he briefly groped around before lifting out a grey metal casket. The servant pushed the section of wall back into place and carefully straightened the wall hanging. Clutching the casket, he looked about him. From the top of the heavy dark-wood desk he removed four small objects and slipped them into the deep pocket of his robe. After one more glance round the room he shimmered and vanished. A servant no longer, but a warrior of the Jadhrahin, he would not be coming back. Not for a while anyway.
* * *
Lady Evalin and Mordas arrived at Symon’s apartment just as Symon and Karryl had finished a rather belated lunch. The tall physician-mage appeared to have fully recovered from her attempts to destroy the Wraith-infected crystal. Her eyes sparkled, her long auburn hair shone, and Karryl sensed something different about her that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
As Symon made himself comfortable in his fireside armchair, Evalin took his hand. “Well, my old friend, do you think you’re fit for a bit of travelling?”
The little magician inclined his head, his eyes twinkling as he frowned up at her in mock annoyance. “Not on a full stomach dear lady! I should like to sit for a while before we depart for wherever it is we’re going. Anyway, Karryl has something I think you should see.”
Crossing to the hearth, Karryl reached onto the mantelpiece and took down the box he had brought back from the house of Hieronymus Smeers. While Karryl was preparing lunch Symon had used vinegar to clean off the accumulated grease and grime. Now the images of the medallion and the third artefact carved into the rich golden-brown wood were clear and unmistakeable. The large and ornate bronze key was passed from hand to hand with much interest as Karryl related his experiences of that morning. Evalin placed the key back in the box and gently closed the lid.
She handed it to Karryl. “So, what do you plan to do now? Dig up the floor?”
Karryl shook his head as he returned the box to the mantelpiece. “I don’t think that will be necessary. I detected a warding over the flagstones of the pantry floor. Once that’s removed, I think, or rather I hope a way down will be revealed.”
Symon clasped his hands beneath his chin. “I do so wish I could come with you but it would seem that forces are conspiring to keep me out of the way.” He looked up at Evalin. “I have a small bag packed with a few essentials, so I think I’m ready now.”
Giving the diminutive magician a warm smile, Evalin nodded. Turning to Karryl and Mordas she placed a slender forefinger across her lips as she gave a knowing wink. Her hands clasped prayerfully in front of her, her expression softened as she gazed into the middle distance. Karryl felt the tell-tale prickling of his skin and raised an eyebrow at Mordas. She returned a little warning frown, and they waited.
A sparkling pale green oval shimmered just above the floor in front of them, the carefree sound of light-hearted laughter reached their ears, and a half dozen tiny
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