Thorgood got back to his feet, and the star sapphire in the crown seemed to come alive, shining like a flame from the top of the crown. The dwarf lords began to cheer wildly, but Illius fell silent, shaking with both rage and fear.
“Summon the guards,” Thorgood commanded. “Illius must pay for his treason, as will all those who conspired with him.”
“King Thorgood, I must speak,” Alex said quickly. “I have spent the night searching your city, discovering the truth of what was being done. Illius is alone in his treason, and even the soldiers he sent to Darvish did not know why they had been sent. Illius told them it was by your wish that they were going and that they would receive instructions once they reached the city.”
“No, he’s lying,” Illius shouted. “I have many allies, many followers who wish for me to be their king.”
Thorgood ignored Illius’s ranting. “I will send the swiftest riders after the soldiers at once so they will not trouble the oracle. Illius will be tried for his crimes, but I will not place his evil on the house of Burnlap. Now, my friend, if you have finished, I must ask you to leave us. You have given my lords and myself many things to discuss this day.”
“As you wish, great king,” Alex answered, bowing.
Alex left Thrang in the council chamber and followed the guards who were dragging the ranting Illius away. Illius was shouting commands that the guards ignored, and Alex thought that the dwarf might have lost his mind.
“I’ll have my revenge on you, wizard. You’ve not won yet. I’ll hunt you across the known lands and make you pay for this day,” Illius shouted as the guards pulled him toward the dungeons.
“Be careful what you wish for, Illius,” Alex replied coldly. “If you live long enough to come hunting me, you will find something much more deadly than a wizard waiting for you.”
Alex turned away from his newest enemy and made his way back to the rooms where his friends were waiting. He was glad he had been able to restore the crown of Set to Thorgood, but he felt oddly sorry for Illius. Illius had not started out as an evil dwarf—no one ever started out evil—but he had let his love of power and riches destroy him.
Thrang returned to the company late that evening, looking worn out by the day’s events. As he entered the common room, he greeted Alex and quietly thanked him for all he had done.
“I have been afraid for many years that someone might find the crown,” Thrang said as they sat beside the fire. “If the wrong person had found the crown, the dwarf realm could have fallen into civil war.”
“Then it is lucky that I found it,” said Alex.
“Lucky?” Thrang questioned. “The longer I know you, the less I believe in luck.”
“Well, all is right now,” said Arconn. “How long will we remain in Benorg before returning to Telous?”
“Tired of the city already?” Thrang questioned.
“I could live here a hundred years and not grow tired of this city or its people,” Arconn answered. “Yet the adventure is complete; our work in Thraxon is done.”
“Yes, you are correct,” said Thrang. “We will stay for ten days, anything less would be rude. Then we will return to Telous and conclude our adventure.”
“Ten days of parties and stories? A high price to pay for success,” Alex said with a laugh.
In the end, Alex and his friends stayed in Benorg for twelve days, and each day ended in a grand feast and a retelling of their adventure. Alex was pleased that Thrang told the same story as he had that first night and that nobody seemed to guess the truth about the dragon that had carried the oracle to the empty tower.
When they finally did leave the city, the streets were lined with dwarfs, and the company could hear the cheering long after they had left the main gates behind them. It was only when they were well away from the city that they began to talk of what the future held. Alex, of course, was planning to meet Whalen in Telous; he had already sent a message to tell his friend when he would be arriving. Arconn would be going to Vargland with Thrain to visit the elves who lived there. Barnabus and Nellus both planned to return to their own homes, and Thrang would wait in Telous for a company of dwarfs traveling from Vargland to Thraxon.
“Though perhaps I will ride with Arconn and Thrain into Vargland,” Thrang said. “I can meet the trading company on the road.”
“That would be nice,” said Thrain. “I wish Fivra could come as well.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure young Fivra will find an oracle to visit soon enough,” Arconn said with a smile.
For a moment, Alex thought he might like to return to Vargland and visit his friends as well, but he knew that was not possible right now. Whalen had found a new home for him in Alusia, and he wanted to see it and start getting settled there. He also had a great deal to tell Whalen, things he had been unable to put into writing.
“I suppose you will be thinking about retiring again,” Alex said to Thrang on their last night in Thraxon. “The payment for this last adventure will surely be enough to keep you comfortable for many years to come.”
“It will indeed,” said Thrang with a grunting laugh. “Yet I would miss the open road and the chance to be with good friends.”
“And it would be too easy for his relatives to find him if he settled down.” Arconn laughed.
It had been a pleasant night, and Alex didn’t want it to end. It had been the same on his first two adventures: he was sad, knowing that he would soon be parted from his friends, but he was also happy because there was a good chance he would see them all again someday. There were always new adventures and new friends to come.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A New Home
It was almost noon when Alex and his friends arrived in Telous, and as always, the Golden Swan had plenty of food and drink ready for them. A message had arrived that morning for Alex, informing him that Whalen would be arriving the next day. So with nothing much to do after they had eaten, Alex and Arconn walked the streets until the sun was setting.
Their evening feast was as grand as any Alex had ever eaten at the Swan, and he was glad that Thrang did not make too long a speech at the end of it. They were all a little sad that Kat was not there with them, but Thrang was quick to point out that her absence was, in fact, a good thing. They finished their evening with a toast to the new Oracle of the Empty Tower and a wish that they might all travel together again someday.
Alex went to bed tired that night, and if he had dreams he could not remember them when he woke in the morning. The company met for breakfast, and then Thrang led them across the street to the building where they could donate to the Widows and Orphans fund. They could all afford to be extremely generous, not only because they had gathered a great deal of treasure on their adventure, but also because Thorgood had insisted on giving them an advance against the treasure he would owe them in the future.
“Thorgood will keep his word, but it was easier for him to pay us while we were in Thraxon,” Thrang said with a smile. “I know you’ve all agreed to collect what the dwarf realm sends from here, but it will be costly to ship so much treasure to Telous.”
“Perhaps we should have let Thorgood hold our wealth and simply collect it whenever we are passing through Thraxon,” Arconn said with a smile.
“It would be good to return to Thraxon,” Nellus added. “I, for one, would like to return often, if only to visit the oracle.”
“A good idea,” Barnabus said. “Several members of my family wish to visit an oracle, and it would be good to visit one I know.”
“Do not wear your friendship with the oracle thin,” Alex warned. “She may be our friend, but that holds no promise. As the oracle, she may not see the people you take to her.”
“You don’t really think she’d say no, do you?” Thrain questioned in concern.
“I don’t think so, but we should not test her,” Alex answered.
“And, as I told you before, Thrain, it is not wise to openly claim friendship with an oracle,” Thrang added.