Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [22]
"Duke Bhereu is dead," said Vangerdahast without preamble, his eyes on the princess. She gasped and flinched away, as if his words were blows, but she seemed in no imminent danger of swooning. "His Majesty and the baron are out of immediate peril, but still lie senseless under the effects of whatever killed the duke." Without a pause, his gaze turned to Bleth and sharpened. "Why did you leave us?"
Aunadar looked at Vangerdahast and blinked, as if he did not understand the question. The Royal Magician seemed to exude crisp, commanding power, but the slender noble stood like a stone that ignores the wind of a raging storm. Bewilderment flickered across his face for a moment before he said hesitantly, "I'm sorry. Was I needed?"
"You are the only conscious survivor of an attack on the king," said Vangerdahast flatly, only barely concealing his irritation. "Furthermore, all of you may have been touched by some malady, which might be poison, or spell, or a virulent and contagious disease. And the first thing you do upon returning to the palace is spread that potential disease to the heir apparent."
Bleth's face went dark red, and he sputtered, his eyes beginning to blaze. One of Tanalasta's slim hands reached up to squeeze his own. He looked down at it, put his other hand over her soft fingers, and seemed to remember both his own station and who he was addressing. He shook his head as if to clear it and said with dignity, "I'm sorry, Lord Wizard. I felt my place and duty was near my beloved. I wanted to be the one to tell her-"
"Tell me, then," said Vangerdahast, lowering his bulk into one of the thin-legged chairs that usually held the more petite derrieres of one of the princess's ladies-of-chamber. It creaked alarmingly. "And tell me everything."
Aunadar sat down next to the princess, pressed his hands together in his lap, frowned, and haltingly began to relate the tale he'd just told Tanalasta. Vangerdahast leapt on every other sentence or so, distressing the young noble and making him flush and stammer. Twice the old wizard demanded Aunadar recount once more the sequence of who attacked the golden beast when, and in what order it struck at them.
"Bhereu went down first, then His Majesty, then the baron," Bleth said at last, exasperation sharp and shrill in his voice.
"But if what you say is true, Baron Thomdor attacked the beast first," Vangerdahast said heavily.
"Both cousins did-one from each side!" Aunadar said, almost protesting. He looked to Tanalasta, as if hoping that she might end this interrogation by decree, but she was looking sadly from wizard to noble and back again, eyes wide and red-rimmed, lips set in a silent line. Aunadar sighed unhappily and added, "It was Bhereu who seemed affected first by the beast's breath."
The Royal Magician nodded as if he didn't believe a word and asked, "When the baron returned to the fray, did he seem affected?"
"Yes, I suppose he was… that is, he was pale and perspiring."
"You say you attacked with your cape held up over your face. Why did you do this?"
Aunadar blinked. "I thought it was a gorgon-a metallic beast with steaming breath that turns one to stone…"
"It wasn't," the wizard said flatly, "and it doesn't. It was an abraxus, a magical creation similar to a golem or automaton."
The younger noble started, eyes flaring in shock-and then narrowing to slits of suspicion. "So you've seen one of these before?"
"I have, or rather, my mentor told me of them," Vangerdahast said simply, and shut his mouth, letting the noble's unspoken question hang unanswered in the air between them. They stared at each other in silence, gazes locked in mute challenge, for two long breaths as the princess looked from one face to the other. Then, eyes still locked with Aunadar's, the Royal Magician whispered, "And after the royals fell, you snapped the wand and summoned the rescue party."
"I-" The noble tore his gaze free from the old wizard's and looked at Tanalasta, eyes almost pleading. Then he dragged his gaze reluctantly back to the wizard. "I pulled the wand out, but… I didn't