Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [16]
“A heady prospect,” said the albino sardonically.
“Add to that what I have already paid and shall be paying and I think you’ll judge the reward handsome enough.”
“Aye. Generous, no doubt.” Elric frowned, glancing around the great room, with its hangings, its rich gem-work, its mosaics of precious stones, its elaborately ornamental cornices and pillars. He had it in mind to bargain further, because he guessed it was expected of him. “But if I have a notion of the Pearl’s worth to you, Lord Gho—what it will purchase for you here—you’ll admit that the price you offer is not necessarily a large one.”
Lord Gho Fhaazi grew amused in turn. “The Pearl will buy me the place on the Council of Six which shall shortly be vacated. The Nameless Seventh has given the Pearl as her price. It is why I must have it so soon. It is already promised. You have guessed this. There are rivals, but none who has offered so much.”
“And do these rivals know of your offer?”
“Doubtless there are rumours. But I would warn you to keep silent on the nature of your task …”
“You do not fear that I could look for a better bargain elsewhere in your city?”
“Oh, there will be those who would offer you more, if you were so greedy and so disloyal. But they could not offer you what I offer, Sir Thief.” And Lord Gho Fhaazi let his mouth form a terrible grin.
“Why so?” Elric felt suddenly trapped and his instinct was to reach for Stormbringer.
“They do not possess it.” Lord Gho pushed the flask towards the albino and Elric was a little surprised to see that he had already drunk another goblet of the elixir. He filled his cup once more and drank thoughtfully. Some of the truth was coming to him and he feared it.
“What can be as rare as the Pearl?” The albino put down his goblet. He believed he had an idea of the answer.
Lord Gho was staring at him intently. “You understand, I think.” Lord Gho smiled again.
“Aye.” Elric felt his spirits drop and he knew a frisson of deep terror mixed with a growing anger. “The elixir, I suppose …”
“Oh, that’s relatively easy to make. It is, of course, a poison—a drug which feeds off its user, giving him only an appearance of vitality. Eventually there is nothing left for the drug to feed upon and the death which results is almost always unpleasant. What a wretch the stuff makes of men and women who only a week or so earlier believed themselves powerful enough to rule the world!” Lord Gho began to laugh, his little ringlets bobbing at his face and on his head. “Yet, dying, they will beg and beg for the thing which has killed them. Is that not an irony, Sir Thief? What’s so rare as the Pearl? you ask. Why, the answer must be clear to you now, eh? An individual’s life, is it not?”
“So I am dying. Why then should I serve you?”
“Because there is, of course, an antidote. Something which replaces everything the other drug steals, which does not cause a craving in the one who drinks it, which restores the user to full health in a matter of days and drives out the need for the original drug. So you see, Sir Thief, my offer to you was by no means an empty one. I can give you enough of the elixir to let you complete your task and, so long as you return here in good time, I can give you the antidote. You’ll have gained much, eh?”
Elric straightened himself in his chair and put his hand upon the pommel of the Black Sword. “I have already informed your courier that my life has only limited worth to me. There are certain things I value more.”
“I understood as much,” said Lord Gho Fhaazi with cruel joviality, “and I respect you for your principles, Sir Thief. Your point’s well put. But there’s another life to consider, is there not? That of your accomplice?”
“I have no accomplice, sir.”
“Have you not? Have you not, Sir Thief? Would you come with me?”
Elric, mistrustful of the man, still saw no reason not to follow him when he strode arrogantly through the huge, curving doorway of the hall. At his belt once more Stormbringer grumbled and stirred like a suspicious hound.