"My brother, what an unexpected pleasure," said Garimeth, emerging from her own dressing chambers. She was wearing a gown of Hylar design, shimmering silver foil embroidered with large diamonds. The gems winked and glittered almost as brightly as her eyes as she took in Darkend's scowl. Oddly, the thane noted, she was also wearing a helmet of bronze, an affectation of fashion that the thane decided he didn't care for. With a polite curtsy his sister waited for him to speak.
"Unexpected, to be sure. As for pleasure, we'll see what you say in a few minutes."
"It is always a pleasure to be in your presence and to hear your wishes, Brother."
"It is my wish that emissaries from the other thanes be shown directly to me, not imprisoned in the houses of my relatives. It is my wish that those who bring me important news are not impeded in the performance of those tasks."
If she was shocked by his knowledge, Garimeth was shrewd enough to give no sign. Instead she frowned slightly the delicate and feminine pout that had been in her arsenal of expressions since girlhood.
"My dear Brother, I had every intention of arranging a meeting between you and my only son. Unfortunately events have conspired against me. This affliction of Chaos has struck my own house. Surely you noticed the debris in the courtyard, the wreckage of stone, the grieving of the servants?"
In fact, Darkend had been studying his sister too intently to pay attention to his surroundings. She had a point, but he would not be distracted.
"\ understand that this emissary-your half-breed son! — could have provided us with warning of this threat, the very Chaos that you claim so afflicts you. Yet he was drugged and held here until it is too late. Why?"
Garimeth's eyes narrowed, and Darkend knew she was trying to decide how he could have gotten such detailed information. No other sign of discomfort disturbed her graceful features as she replied.
"Tarn was worn and shaken by the journey. I merely gave him something to help him sleep. Apparently he was confused when he awakened and fled away from here before I could give him an explanation. Indeed, my lord and Brother, if my actions have in any way cause you difficulty, I extend my most humble apologies."
"You may extend your neck under my executioner's blade, and that will still not recompense for the harm that has been done," declared Darkend.
He thought about telling her the rest of what he knew, that Tarn had been a prisoner here for several days, that his drugging had nothing to do with the rigors of the trip from Hybardin to Daerforge. But for now he decided to hold his tongue. After all, there might be future need for his spy in this house, and it would not do to endanger his sources of information.
"Tell me this: where is Tarn Bellowgranite now?"
"He departed abruptly," Garimeth said smoothly, impressing Darkend with the ease of her dissembling-no admission that he had been a prisoner or that he had escaped! "I believe he intended to seek you, though no doubt he expected to find you at the Life-Tree. In fact, it was this agent here who summoned him and told him to await your pleasure." She pointed at Slickblade.
"She lies, Sire!" cried the assassin, his eyes widening behind the slit of his robe.
"Why do you deny this?" asked Garimeth smoothly, blinking in what Darkend took to be a reasonable facade of surprise. "Could it be that you-? But no, I don't understand!"
"There is no truth in her words! I did not come for the half-breed. Why would I?" Slickblade's tone was shocked, his manner grim.
"Indeed, why would Slickblade do such a thing?" asked the thane.
"Who knows?" Garimeth shrugged. "Perhaps he wanted to make you believe that I was betraying you."
"Lies! Let me kill her now, my lord," said Slickblade, his voice dropping to a soft and deadly hiss.
Darkend seriously considered the request, then shook his head. "No. There is more here than I know, and I will have some answers. Do not kill her. Not yet, anyway."
"Of course I am worried about my son, too. Where did you take him?" Garimeth asked Slickblade innocently.
"What?" The assassin's rage exploded. "\ beg you, Sire. Please let me put the blade to her! Or to her bastard son!"
"Perhaps you have an idea," Darkend replied dryly. "In light of the recent, unforeseen events, he is probably no longer useful to me. Yet if I could find him, he could still serve one purpose admirably."
He turned to Slickblade, who had moved to glower from the shadows near the door. "You must find the half-breed and kill him. When you are done, I command you to bring his head here, so that his mother may admire his likeness for as long as she desires. His head will serve as a reminder of the price of treachery against Darkend Bellowsmoke."
"With pleasure, lord." His eyes flashed with delight.
Garimeth's face whitened as she heard the death sentence, but she was obviously shrewd and selfish enough not to betray her feelings. Instead, she merely stared after the dark figure of the royal assassin as Slickblade nodded and glided smoothly out the door.
"You don't believe me?" she asked sadly. "I tell you, your killer dwarf was here and came here with-according to him-a message for my son."
Darkend shrugged, then chuckled cruelly. "If you speak the truth, he will have no trouble finding the lad."
"Perhaps. But Tarn is resourceful."
Suddenly they were interrupted by a distant rumble. Quickly, Garimeth led Darkend outside to the vast balcony that overlooked the sea and the lower city. Columns of steam curled and twisted through the air. They watched as one of the fiery serpents veered away from the center of the cavern and started winging closer and closer to the two Daergar.
A great missile of fire, like a blazing meteor, coursed through the air over the Urkhan Sea and angled downward toward the balcony and the two dark dwarves.
Darkend turned his eyes away, wincing against the blinding light. He was only vaguely aware of a stark black figure amid the brightness of the fire dragon.
The great dragon flexed its broad flaming wings and came to rest in a cloud of sparks and smoke. Darkend still held a hand before his eyes to shield against the painful glare, but even so he could discern the tall, regal creature, manlike in visage, with skin that was smooth and featureless. The black figure dismounted and stalked forward to loom over him. Fire hissed and crackled with excruciating brilliance, a burning heat that felt painful against Dark-end's face.
The thane knew with certainty that he was about to die.
Interlude of Chaos
Zarak Thuul felt a profound attraction, a compulsion that drew him across the vault of space and sea. Thoughts beckoned to him. A presence reached inside his head and touched him like no being-not even Primus-ever had.
He was astounded to see before him a she-dwarf and to know that it was her will that had drawn him. He could tell she felt awe at his beautiful appearance and that she coveted his mighty power. These twin emotions were immensely pleasing to the daemon warrior.
Laughing aloud, the harbinger of Chaos seized the female and lifted her into an embrace. She became one with him in spirit, desire, and mind. This was a worthy being, he knew, so different from the pathetic insects that were the rest of these mortals.
He put her down again and fell on his face before her, overcome with wonder and keen, soaring delight.
Chapter Eighteen
Assassin's Mate
"Just suppose I agree with you. How would we go about stealing a boat?"
Tarn decided to ask the question, though he was pretty certain he would regret following this gully dwarf plan. Perhaps the rank air, the sticky goo on the floor, and the odor of the pungent grog-which he had thus far avoided sampling-had combined to cloud his judgment. Even so, he admitted to himself that the notion was better than anything he had been able to come up with.