Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [208]
Was it her imagination, or was the sphere growing smaller?
The abraxus hissed again, and through the rising smoke of its breath, she dimly saw Aunadar bend double and blindly stagger away, only to strike the far side of the sphere. He clawed weakly at it, and then slid down into the swirling smoke. The sphere was drawing in around the golden monster!
Up on the dais, Giogi and Dauneth both caught sight of sudden sweat bursting into being on Vangerdahast's brow. They turned to the old wizard, opening their mouths in identical protests of concern. The sweat was running off his old nose and dripping from the Royal Magician's beard.
The sphere grew smaller, and the wizard began to tremble. The two men caught hold of Vangerdabast's shoulders and elbows gently and held him up, even when his body began to shudder and spasm, folding up in violent, wrenching contortions.
"What can we do, sir wizard?" Dauneth hissed, but Vangerdahast set his teeth and made no reply. His eyes were steady on the sphere below him, the sphere that was dwindling rapidly now. It reached the edges of the abraxus itself, which stood hard and golden against it, though only for a moment. Then the golden automaton bent over sideways with a deafening crack of shattered metal. Tortured golden plates shrieked in protest as the sphere closed inward steadily. There was a splash of crimson as the body of Aunadar Bleth was broken along with the golden creature. Then there was another scream, the inhuman scream of crumpling metal.
Something tugged at Tanalasta's hands. It was Cat, placing the oval talisman into them. She closed the fingers of the crown princess around it, gave Tanalasta an encouraging smile, and stepped a pace away, raising her hands in a quick, deft spell-weaving.
On the dais, between Wyvernspur and Marliir, Tanalasta noticed Vangerdahast sagging like a man gravely wounded. Cat lifted her hands in shaping gestures, and Vangerdahast shouted a single tortured, almost unintelligible word.
The sphere vanished, consumed in a sudden ball of flames. Tanalasta flung a hand over her eyes an instant before the fire became blindingly bright.
Then the Hall of the Dragon Throne rocked under the force of a blast that hurled flames up in a roaring column to scorch the ceiling, but touched nothing else.
Cat Wyvernspur, whose spell had directed the flames harmlessly upward, reeled back into the Obarskyrs, father and daughter. Azoun's other arm found its way around her as well. The spent sorceress sagged against the king's shoulder briefly, then immediately disengaged. The ragged panting of the magess was suddenly loud in a chamber that had grown silent again. All within the Hall of the Dragon-royals, spellcasters, Purple Dragons, and nobles-were silent for a moment.
The sphere was gone, leaving only a scorched circle on the marble tiles. Aunadar Bleth was gone. The abraxus was gone.
And on the steps beside the throne, the old wizard rose unsteadily, his hands on the shoulders of two faithful nobles. Vangerdahast cleared his throat and roared, "The king is restored to us! Long live the king!" The ceiling echoed back the Royal Magician's words, and they rolled out and down the room.
Someone in the crowd of nobles cried, "Long live the king!"
Other voices joined in an instant later: "The king! The king! Long live the king!"
"Azoun!" roared the Purple Dragons, their swords flashing straight up in salute. "Azoun!"
"Long live the king!" The chant was spreading beyond the room now, resounding through the palace as wondering people flooded toward the Hall of the Dragon Throne.
"Long Live the king!" The roar echoed around the Hall like thunder, and then an old noble burst into tears and went to his knees. "Azoun-lead us!"
"Long live the king!" the chant came again, but it seemed to be coming almost entirely from outside the chamber now. Inside the Hall, man after man after highborn lady were going to their knees-another, and then another-until only the king, Tanalasta, and Vangerdahast remained on their feet. Dauneth dropped to one knee, but kept his sword