With that, Meliadus summoned his slaves who brought his litter. He climbed into it, waved farewell to Kalan, and directed the girls to take him to the Palace of Time.
Chapter Three
Taragorm of The Palace of Time
IN TARAGORM'S STRANGE palace, shaped like a gigantic clock, the air was full of clanks and whirrs and the whistling of pendula and balance wheels and Taragorm, in his huge clock mask which told the time as accurately as the other clocks in the palace, took Meliadus's arm and guided him through the Hall of the Pendulum where, a short distance above Meliadus's head, the huge brass bob, made to resemble an ornate, blazing sun, flung its fifty ton weight back and forth across the hall.
"Well, brother," Meliadus shouted above the noise, "you sent me a message that you said I would be pleased to hear, but the message only told me to come to see you."
"Aye. I felt it best to tell you in private. Come." Taragorm led Meliadus through a short passage and into a small room in which stood only one ancient clock. Taragorm closed the door and there was relative silence. He indicated the clock. "It is probably the oldest clock in the world, brothera 'grandfather' it was called and it was made by Thomas Tompion."
"I have not heard the name."
"A master craftsmanthe greatest of his age. He lived well before the onset of the Tragic Millennium."
"Indeed? And has this something to do with your message?"
"Of course not." Taragorm clapped his hands and a side door opened. A lean, ragged figure stepped through, his face covered by a cracked, plain leather mask. He bowed extravagantly to Meliadus.
"Who is this?"
"It is Elvereza Tozer, brother. You remember the name?"
"Of course! The man who stole Mygan's ring and then vanished!"
"Exactly. Tell my brother Baron Meliadus where you have been, Master Tozer…"
Again Tozer bowed and then sat himself down on the edge of the table, spreading his arms wide. "Why, I've been to Castle Brass, my lord!"
Suddenly Meliadus sprang across the room to grab the startled Tozer by the slack of his shirt. "You've been where!" he growled.
"C-castle B-Brass, your honour…"
Meliadus shook Tozer, lifting him clear of the ground. "How?"
"I reached the place by accidentI was captured by Hawkmoon of KolnI was held prisonermy ring taken from mewithout ring could not remainescapedarrived b-back here…" Tozer gasped in fright.
"He brought some information with him that's more interesting," Taragorm said. "Tell him, Tozer."
"The machine which protects themwhich keeps them in that other dimensionit's in the dungeons of the castlekept carefully protected. A crystal thing they got from a place called Soryandum. It took them there and it ensures their safety."
Taragorm laughed. "It is true, Meliadus. I've tested him a dozen times. I've heard of this crystal machine but did not suspect it existed still. And with the rest of the information Tozer has given me, I think I can achieve some results."
"You can get us through to Castle Brass?"
"Oh, much more convenient than that, brother within a short time I am fairly certain that I will bring Castle Brass back to us."
Meliadus looked silently at Taragorm for a moment and then began to laugh. His laughter was so great then that it threatened to drown the noise of the clocks.
"At last! At last! Thank you, brother! Thank you, Master Tozer! Destiny is patently upon my side!"
Chapter Four
A Mission For Meliadus
IT WAS ON the following day, however, that Meliadus was summoned to King Huon's Throne Room.
As he made his way to the palace, Meliadus scowled in concentration. Had Kalan betrayed him? Had the scientist told King Huon the true results of the mentality machine's test? Or had King Huon guessed for himself? After all, the monarch was immortal. He had lived for two thousand years and had doubtless learned much. Were Kalan's faked records too clumsy to deceive Huon? Meliadus felt panic rise within him. Was this the end of everything? When he arrived in the Throne Room would Huon order the Mantis Guard to destroy him?
The great gates swung open. The mantis warriors confronted him. At the far end was the Throne Globe, black and mysterious.
Meliadus began to walk towards the Throne Globe.
Eventually he reached it and bowed before it, but for a long while it remained solid, mysterious black. Was Huon playing with him?
At length it began to swirl dark blue, then green, then pink and then white, revealing the foetus shape with its sharp, malevolent eyes staring down at Meliadus.
"Baron…"
"Noblest of Rulers."
"We are pleased with you."
Meliadus looked up in astonishment. "Great Emperor?"
"We are pleased with you and we wish to honour you."
"Noble Prince?"
"You know of course that Shenegar Trott left on a special expedition."
"I do, Mighty Monarch."
"And you know where he went."
"I do not, Light of the Universe."
"He went to Amarehk, there to discover what he could about the continentto see if we should meet resistance if we landed a force there."
"It would seem, then, that he did meet resistance, Immortal Ruler…?"
"Aye. He should have reported back a week or more ago. We are concerned."
"You think he is dead, Noble Emperor?"
"We should like to discover thatand also discover who slew him if that is the case. Baron Meliadus. We wish to entrust you with the second expedition."
At first Meliadus was filled with fury. Meliadus play second to that fat buffoon Trott! Meliadus waste time questing about on the coasts of a continent in the hope of discovering Trott's droppings! He would have none of it! He would attack the Throne Globe now, if that senile fool above him would not be sure to have him cut down in an instant. He swallowed his temper and a new scheme began to form in his skull.
"I am honoured, King of All!" he said with mock humility. "Do I choose my crews?"
"If you wish."
"Then I'll take men who I can be sure of. Members of the Order of the Wolf and the Order of the Vulture."
"But these are not sailors. They are not even marines!"
"The Vultures have sailors among them, Emperor of the World, and those are the men I will select."
"As you say, Baron Meliadus."
Meliadus was astonished to discover Trott had sailed to Amarehk. It made him even more resentfulHuon had entrusted the Court of Sussex with an assignment rightfully his. Another score to settle, he told himself. He was glad now that he had bided his time and acceptedor appeared to have acceptedthe king's orders. His opportunity, in fact, seemed to have been handed to him by the creature he now considered to be his arch enemy after Hawkmoon.
Meliadus pretended to think for a moment. "If you believe the Vultures to be untrustworthy, Monarch of Space and Time, then may I suggest I take with me their chief…?"
"Their chief? Asrovak Mikosevaar is deadkilled by Hawkmoon!"
"But his widow inherited the Constabulary…"
"Flana! A woman!"
"Aye, Great Emperor. She will control them."
"I would not have thought that the Countess of Kanbery could control a rabbit, she is so vague, but if that is your wish, my lord, then so be it."
For a further hour they discussed the details of the plan and the king gave Meliadus all possible information relating to Trott's first expedition.
Then Meliadus left, his hidden eyes full of triumph.
Chapter Five
The Fleet at Deau-vere
OVERLOOKED BY THE turreted city of Deau-Vere, flanked on three sides by quays of scarlet stone, the small fleet lay at anchor in a livid sea. On the wide roofs of the buildings stood thousands of ornithopters, fancifully fashioned to resemble birds and mythical beasts, their wings folded; and in the streets below their pilots swaggered in masks of Crow and Owl, mingling with the sailors in their Fish and Sea Serpent helms and the infantry and cavalryPig, Skull, Hound, Goat and Bull who were preparing to cross the Channel not by ship but by the famed Silver Bridge Across The Sea which could be seen on the other side of the city, its great curve disappearing into the distance, all delicate and shining and loaded constantly with traffic coming to and from the Continent.