Black wizards - Douglas Niles [97]
"We only learned of your imminent arrival yesterday," Devin explained bluntly. "Hence, we cannot offer you better accommodations."
"What you have done for us already is more than sufficient," replied Tristan. "How can we repay you?"
"You cannot. You can simply do what you need to do, and then leave me and my daughter in peace." The man shrugged. "My lord Roarke has asked me to assist you in any way that I can. This I shall do."
"All right," he said. "We'll make our plans and be gone as quickly as we can."
The prince wondered about Devin's loyalty to the bandit lord and the risks he was taking for them. As if reading his mind, the fellow looked him in the eye and explained. "I was Lord Roarke's captain of the guard before the Scarlet Guard came to the cantrev. My men resisted and died to the last lad. My lord, myself, and a few others escaped – including Fiona here. The two of us came to Callidyrr, and now we serve our lord in whatever way we can. If it comes about that you can return his lands to him and remove the evil puppet that sits upon our throne, then my help comes willingly. But if you seek to betray or harm my lord in any way, rest assured that my vengeance will find you!"
Tristan was taken aback by the threat, but found his voice. "Rest assured that your lord's objectives and my own are the same. By helping us, you are helping him."
"Very well. Fiona, fetch us something to drink. Our guests will eat as soon as they have refreshed themselves. And, as for getting into the castle, there might be a way…"
* * * * *
Robyn gasped for air, trying to see through a red haze. She willed her muscles to move, but they would not answer her mental commands. Wide-eyed, feeling like a fish cast upon the shore, she watched the huge cleric lumber toward her. Those fat lips opened into a grin of pleasure, and she looked into his mouth. It was like staring at the maw of a devouring dragon.
The ground convulsed again, tossing her to the side. Again the ground heaved, and she felt pain as the dirt smashed into her face. The heaving ground had forced the wind from her lungs. Wide-eyed, she saw the huge man stalk closer to her.
"Cease!"
Genna's command instantly stilled the quaking ground. Robyn tried to wriggle away from the advancing figure, but she moved at an agonizingly slow crawl. He was almost to the arch. In moments he would enter the circle!
"To the mother! Fall!"
Again, Genna's sharp voice carried through the night, and now Robyn felt a deep straining in the ground beneath her – a sympathetic effort, as the land strived to work the will of the goddess. The advancing cleric paused.
Robyn could see the broad crosspieces atop many of the druidic arches, and all of those in her field of vision began to wobble. Balanced upon sturdy pillars, the heavy stones had not budged during the convulsions of the earthquake, but now they twisted and rolled.
With a thunderous crash, one of the crosspieces fell to the ground nearby, crushing a score of skeletons that had begun to advance. Then another and another crashed to the earth, crushing all of the undead beneath them, and leaving a barrier before each of the arches.
The crosspiece of the arch in front of her struck the ground with enough force to throw Robyn several feet into the air. She saw the cleric's face twist into a snarl of frustration as he leaped backward to avoid being crushed. Flecks of spittle flew from his lips.
Newt buzzed to the ground before her, peering anxiously into her eyes.
"Robyn? Are you all right? That was awful! Did you see the look on his face? Genna showed him, though – when that rock fell, I thought he was going to be splattered all over! Are we winning yet? Get up, Robyn – we can fight some more!"
"Where is he?" she gasped, as her lungs finally filled with oxygen. She grabbed her staff from the ground beside her and stood shakily. She leaned against the block of stone for support and looked over the top into the darkness. There was no sign of the cleric.
But he was near, she knew. Her fear forgotten,