Cormyr_ a novel - Ed Greenwood [38]
"Noble lords, the sage Dimswart has discerned-I know not how-that the beast's breath carried a venom," she gasped without salutation, her eyes meeting those of the court wizard. "The venom spreads a blood disease resistant to conventional magic. That is why my spell had no effect on the late duke. This magic-resistant blood disease in the venom eats at internal organs and destroys the body from within! And once the body is slain, the resistant nature of the disease prevents any restoration of the victim!"
She swayed as if about to faint, and Vangerdahast absently caught her shoulders to keep her upright. "Death will come to them both, then, and none can stop it," he murmured, letting Alaphondar take charge of the exhausted priestess.
He straightened, stepped forward briskly, and said, "Come, Aunadar Bleth! 'Tis time you learned some of the secrets of the realm, to give you something to be loyal to. Besides, even arrogant young nobles should be able to learn a thing or two."
As the Royal Magician moved toward the door, the Bishop of the Black Blades shook herself free of the sage's grasp and said fiercely, "I will accompany you!"
Vangerdahast gave her a surprised look, but nodded and waved a welcoming hand. "Come, then."
The court sage asked quietly, "Where go you, lord wizard? Should you not return-or should there be a change with the stricken royals-I must know."
Vangerdahast did not pause on his way to the door. "Use your stone to summon me. We're bound for the depths, to see that there are still spells in the world that can create new kings from bits of the old." He nodded farewell to the sage, the war wizard, and the guards and set off at a quick pace down a narrow servants' passage. Bleth and the lady bishop followed.
He led them through a ready room and on along another passage, stopping suddenly partway along it. They almost bumped into him as he did something to a section of wall that looked no different than any other. It swung inward to reveal darkness, the smell of damp stone, and cobwebs. One of the glowstones at the court wizard's belt roused into life, its green radiance stabbing out in a beam that illuminated a narrow passage running down into darkness.
"Where are we going?" Gwennath asked, wide-eyed with wonder.
"To where secrets sleep," the Royal Magician said shortly.
"Prisoners hanging in chains?" Aunadar asked, lifting a sardonic eyebrow.
"To where things of magic are kept safely away from prying eyes and adventurous hands," Vangerdahast replied sourly, not looking at Bleth. "Noble hands, for instance."
The passage took them down a steep, almost breakneck flight of steps to a cross passage. The Royal Magician turned left, took two long strides, and then turned to the right-hand wall and did something swift and deft again. The wall swung open to reveal more darkness-and a curious, high-pitched singing sound. Vangerdahast held up one sleeve of his robes, and something winked there.
The singing died away, and the mage stepped forward. The young noble gestured with acidic courtesy for the priestess to precede him, then followed her through the opening. "Keep your sword in its sheath," the wizard said softly to Bleth without looking back, "or the guardians ahead will surely separate your head from its accustomed place on your shoulders."
Aunadar made no reply, even when niches began to occur on either side of the narrow passage, each one filled by a dark, silent armored figure. Something scraped ahead, and Vangerdahast muttered something low-voiced but hasty.
There was a soundless flash, and then a spreading purple radiance as an oval opening occurred in a hitherto-invisible barrier. It fell away before them, followed by a white radiance flickering with green around the edges, to reveal a closed stone door whose smooth surface was broken only by a pull ring and a keyhole.
"Was that a teleport ward?" Bleth asked curiously.
"Partly,"