Elric in the Dream Realms - Michael Moorcock [98]
“The worm is so proud to be king of the dunghill,” said Elric.
“Do not anger him, master!” cried Anigh in alarm. “You have still to learn where he hides the antidote!”
“I must have the Pearl!” Lord Gho grew petulant in his impatience. “Where have you hidden it, thief? In the desert? Somewhere in the city?”
Slowly Elric raised his body on the cushions. “The Pearl was a dream,” he said. “It took your killers to make it real.”
Lord Gho Fhaazi frowned, scratching at his whitened forehead and showing further nervousness. He looked suspiciously at Elric. “If you would have more elixir, you had best not insult me, thief. Nor play any game. The boy could die in an instant, and you with him, and I would be in no worse a position.”
“But you would better yourself, my lord, I think. With the price of a place on the Council, I think.” Elric seemed to gather strength and now he was upright on the luxurious velvet, signing for the boy to come towards him. The guards looked questioningly at their master, but he shrugged. Anigh walked, his brow furrowed with curiosity, towards the albino. “You are greedy, my lord, I think. You would own the whole of your world. This pathetic monument to your race’s ruined pride!”
Lord Gho glared at him. “Thief, if you would recover yourself, if you would take the antidote to make you free of the drug I gave you, you will be more polite to me …”
“Ah, yes,” said Elric thoughtfully, reaching into his jerkin. He pulled out a leather pouch. “The elixir which was to make me your slave!” He smiled. He opened the pouch.
Onto his extended palm now rolled the jewel for which Gho Fhaazi had offered half his fortune, for which he had sent a hundred men to their deaths, for which he had been prepared to abduct and kill one child and imprison another.
The Quarzhasaati began to tremble. His painted eyes rounded. He gasped and bent forward, almost fainting.
“It is true,” he said. “You have found the Pearl at the Heart of the World …”
“Merely a gift from a friend,” said Elric. The Pearl still displayed on his hand, he rose to his feet and put a protective arm around the boy. “In obtaining it I found that my body lost its demand for the elixir and therefore has no need for your antidote, Lord Gho.”
Lord Gho hardly heard him. His eyes were fixed on the great pearl. “It is monstrous big … Even larger than I had heard … It is real. I can see it is real. The colour … Ah …” And he stretched towards it.
Elric drew his hand back. Lord Gho frowned and looked up at the albino with eyes that were hot with greed. “Did she die? Was it, as some said, in her body?”
Anigh shivered at Elric’s side.
Full of loathing, Elric’s voice was still soft. “No-one died at my hand who was not already dead. As you are already dead, my lord. It was your funeral I witnessed at the Silver Flower Oasis. I am now the agent of the Bauradi prophecy. I am to avenge all the grief you brought to them and their Holy Child.”
“What! The others all sent their soldiers, too! The entire Council and half the candidates had sects of Sorcerer Adventurers seeking the Pearl. Every one. Most of these warriors failed or were killed. Or were executed for their failure. You killed no-one, you said. Well, so there’s no blood on our hands, eh? All’s for the best. I’ll give you what I promised, Sir Thief …”
Trembling with lust Lord Gho extended his plump hand to take the Pearl.
Elric smiled and to Anigh’s astonishment let the nobleman lift the Pearl from his palm.
Breathing heavily, Lord Gho caressed his prize. “Oh, it is lovely. Oh, it is so good …”
Elric spoke again, just as levelly as before. “And our reward, Lord Gho?”
“What?” He looked up absently. “Why yes, of course. Your lives. You no longer need the antidote, you say. Excellent. So you may go.”
“I believed you also offered me a large fortune. All manner of wealth. Great stature amongst the lords of Quarzhasaat?”
Lord Gho dismissed this. “Nonsense. The antidote would