Death of the Dragon - Ed Greenwood [128]
He saw Tanalasta exchange a nervous glance with Owden.
"I have no doubt," said the princess, "but we must decide how. When you leave the palace, that scepter will draw the ghazneth to you like a vulture to a dead man." She nodded into the drawing room, where the Scepter of Lords rested in the grasp of a wide-eyed palace guard. "Even an escort of two full companies wouldn't guarantee your arrival."
"There are safer ways to travel-and faster," said Vangerdahast.
"Not if you mean teleporting," Tanalasta replied. "Not with Nalavara so near."
"She takes teleporters out of the air the way hawks take sparrows," explained Owden. "The realm has lost too many men to her already."
"The last just this morning, I fear," said Alaphondar. He was seated in the corner, leaning back against the balustrade with the spyglass to his eye. "No one has heard from Korvarr and his company since they left."
Vangerdahast saw the guilty look that flashed across Tanalasta's face and realized she was beginning to second-guess her decisions. He gave Filfaeril's arm a last squeeze, then returned to the balcony to stand beside the princess.
"When this is over, we must remember to commend Korvarr for his sacrifice," Vangerdahast said. "No doubt, it was his distraction that allowed Lords Tolon and Braerwinter to carry the king to safety."
Tanalasta smiled and took his hand. "What did you do with our royal magician? The Vangey I recall would not have been so kind." She looked past Vangerdahast, her attention returned to the distant ghazneth. "Alaphondar, any guess as to who that is?"
"I don't think it's Boldovar," answered the sage. "The body appears too lanky, and there seems to be long hair blowing over its back."
"Suzara, then." The relief in Tanalasta's voice was clear. "Do you think we have any chance of luring her down here?"
"She's being very cautious," said the sage, "but she must be desperate or she wouldn't be circling the palace."
"Then we must appear desperate ourselves and offer her something tempting," said Tanalasta. She stepped past Vangerdahast and addressed the guards in the drawing room.
"Send a messenger. The Queen's Cavalry is to prepare at once for a hard ride, and have the royal magician's coward of a horse readied to go with them."
"Cadimus?" Vangerdahast gasped. At least there was some good news. "He's here? How?"
"It is a long story," said Tanalasta. "But were I you, I would stay close to that horse. He has a talent for survival."
As Tanalasta explained her plan and issued the necessary orders, Vangerdahast could not help swelling with pride. The princess had become as natural a leader as her father and sister, though with a harder edge than Azoun and a keener sense of human frailty than Alusair. Even Filfaeril, as distraught and frightened as she was over Alusair's loss and the terrible wounds Azoun had suffered, seemed to take comfort in Tanalasta's sure orders. The crown princess was going to make a fine queen someday-though preferably not too soon and preferably of something more than Cormyr's ruins.
When Tanalasta finished her commands, Vangerdahast nodded sagely. "A sound plan, Princess, but I do have one suggestion."
"You may suggest anything, Vangerdahast," said Tanalasta, "but do recall that I have destroyed four of these things by now."
"I could hardly forget, Highness," he said, smiling. She had given him a complete account of each ghazneth's destruction, including that of spiteful Luthax, who had mumbled curses and threats from inside his iron box even as she absolved him of his betrayal. Vangerdahast touched his iron crown, which even Owden had not been able to dislodge with his prayers. "All I ask is that you let me handle the iron. Iron I can do, and since your plan depends on impressing Suzara with the palace's luxury, it might be wisest not to tear the place up before she sees it."
Tanalasta nodded, then issued orders for her dragoneers to wait outside the door in case something went wrong and asked Alaphondar to the escort her mother to a safe place. Vangerdahast was surprised when Filfaeril did