Lord Marak rose off his bunk and gazed at the destruction. The cell door was gone, and he could see the remains on an Imperial guard in the corridor beyond. He ran to the door and gazed out. Another Imperial guard rested in an awkward position at the end of the corridor. His head was cocked at an impossible angle, and Lord Marak knew the man was dead.
Lord Marak strode to the hole in the rear of the palace and gazed out. He looked out into the garden behind the Imperial Palace and saw a few people pointing towards him. He also saw Latril standing by a bench. Although there was nobody near her, Latril’s mouth was moving rapidly. Marak realized that she was talking to Fardale. Swiftly, he wove an air tunnel of his own and directed it towards Latril.
“A male mage just destroyed my cell,” he said hurriedly. “Fisher is in the palace, probably in our quarters. Tell him that he must leave the palace immediately. The Imperial soldiers will not take this breach in security very well.”
Latril latched onto Lord Marak’s air tunnel and adjusted it to work in both directions.
“The Sakovans and Mistake are here, too,” she reported.
“Get them out of the palace,” ordered Lord Marak. “It is not safe for anyone who does not belong here.”
“Are you all right?” asked Latril. “You could just leave through that hole in the wall.”
“Physically I am fine,” replied Lord Marak. “I am not running from this battle. Hurry and get our friends out of here.”
Lord Marak did not wait for a response. He abandoned the air tunnel and walked to his bunk. He sat down and waited to be discovered. Amazingly, it took nearly five minutes for the first Imperial soldier to arrive. The soldier stared at the hole in the wall before even noticing Lord Marak sitting on his bunk. He shouted for reinforcements.
Several Imperial soldiers ran into the cell and drew their swords. They did not threaten Lord Marak, but their presence was meant to ensure that he did not escape. A few minutes later, Marshal Chack stormed into the room. He glared at Lord Marak and then the hole in the wall.
“Bind his hands behind his back,” ordered Marshal Chack. “And get some men in here to shore up this hole before the whole wall crumbles.”
Lord Marak rose and turned his back to the soldiers. He placed his hands behind his back and waited for them to be tied. Marshal Chack waited until Lord Marak was bound before he walked to the hole in the wall and gazed out. He shook his head in confusion.
“Why didn’t you run while you had the chance?” he asked Lord Marak.
“I will not flee from false charges,” Lord Marak answered. “I have faith that your investigation will clear me and find the true assassin.”
“You are a fool,” snapped Marshal Chack. “Do you really think the Emperor will show you any mercy after your people have killed Imperial soldiers and destroyed the Imperial Palace? You will hang before nightfall.”
“My people had nothing to do with this,” Lord Marak replied calmly. “Whoever framed me for the assassination wants me to escape. I will not oblige them.”
“Preposterous,” Marshal Chack responded as his face clouded over with doubt.
“What do we do with him now?” asked one of the soldiers. “Should we put him in another cell?”
Marshal Chack did not respond for several moments. Finally, he shook his head. “No,” the marshal said softly. “We will take him to see the Emperor. He is not leaving my side until he hangs. Bring him along.”
Two men stepped forward and grabbed Lord Marak by his arms. Marshal Chack strode out of the cell. The two soldiers guided Lord Marak as they followed. They climbed the staircase until they reached the top and proceeded to the Emperor’s office.
“Wait here,” Marshal Chack ordered the two soldiers as he opened the door to the office and walked in.
After a rather long wait, the marshal opened the door and ordered his men to bring Lord Marak into the room. He then asked the men to wait outside the door. Lord Marak noticed the Emperor staring at him. He met the Emperor’s gaze without emotion.
“There are very serious charges against you, Lord Marak,” stated the Emperor. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Only that I am innocent of the charges,” declared Lord Marak. “I have no wish to see you harmed, Emperor Bagora. I hope that your investigation will prove the truth of my words.”
“Investigation?” questioned the Emperor. “What need do we have for an investigation when you were caught at the scene of the attack?”
Lord Marak’s face frowned with worry. “You must investigate,” he demanded. “If you just assume that I am the assassin, your life will remain in danger. Even if you do not care what happens to me, you certainly must care for your own life.”
“So you think this mysterious assassin will try to strike me again?” the Emperor retorted with disbelief. “You told Marshal Chack that you thought someone was framing you for the assassination. If that is to be believed, then how can you justify your thoughts that I would be attacked again? There would be no need for another attack if you are already set to pay for the crime.”
“Unless my enemy is yours as well,” Lord Marak pointed out. “Can you dismiss the possibility that an enemy would like to see you dead and have me blamed for it?”
“I cannot,” conceded the Emperor, “but neither am I ready to accept it as fact. You were the only person present during the attack. You have already made it quite clear that you dislike the way Khadora is being run, and the weapon used to kill Lord Woton is undoubtedly yours. Why should I waste my time discussing your innocence?”
“The weapon was stolen from my quarters during the evening meal last night,” Lord Marak replied.
“And you failed to report it,” interrupted Marshal Chack. “That is hardly believable.”
Emperor Bagora turned and stared at the marshal. “How do you know he failed to report it?” he asked.
“Squad leader Botal gave me the same story when I gathered their weapons,” answered the marshal. “Supposedly they thought the loss was too insignificant to bother reporting it.”
“A star is hardly a valuable item,” interjected Lord Marak. “I bought my first one right here in the marketplace in Khadoratung when I was but a soldier under Lord Ridak.”
“Has Lord Marak had any visitors since he was captured?” asked the Emperor.
“Of course not,” Marshal Chack shook his head.
“Then I find it interesting that their stories regarding the theft agree,” stated the Emperor. “Continue, Lord Marak.”
“As for being at the scene of the assassination,” Lord Marak continued, “I was here because you sent for me.”
“I sent for you?” interrupted the Emperor. “That is a patent falsehood. I did not send for you.”
“But that is what I was told,” frowned Lord Marak.
“Who told you that the Emperor wished to see you?” asked Marshal Chack.
“An Imperial soldier,” answered the Torak lord. “I was in the garden with Latril. This was during the midday meal break from the assembly. We went out there to talk, and a soldier informed that the Emperor had asked to see me. He gave me directions and then asked if I required an escort. I declined the escort, but he still walked with as far as the staircase. I ascended the stairs and he went down. A moment later is when the assassination took place. I saw you and Lord Woton exit this room. I remember feeling disappointed that you were leaving when you had asked to speak to me. I heard the song of a star flying through the air and then looked up to see Lord Woton fall. A soldier pushed you into this office. I turned to search for the assassin and was then tackled and arrested.”
“What did this supposed Imperial soldier look like?” asked Marshal Chack.
“He was tall,” answered Lord Marak. “He had red hair and a rather square face. I do not remember anything else remarkable about him.”
Marshal Chack walked to the door and eased it open. He said words to the soldiers outside, but Lord Marak could not hear them. He closed the door and walked to the window and stared out. The Emperor nodded to himself as he observed the marshal’s actions.