Elric to Rescue Tanelorn - Michael Moorcock [103]
Elric’s corpse-white face stared down at the young noble. His crimson eyes flickered with a dangerous emotion. “I’m not used to such familiarity, young man.”
Yolan’s hand fell away. “Forgive me. I was self-indulgent and should not have let my emotions override diplomacy. I came on a matter of discretion—a message from Queen Yishana. She seeks your help.”
“I’m as disinclined to help others as I am to explain my actions,” Elric spoke impatiently. “In the past my help has not always been to the advantage of those who’ve sought it. Dharmit, your queen’s half-brother, discovered that.”
Yolan said sullenly: “You echo my own warnings to the queen, sir. For all that, she desires to see you in private—tonight…” he scowled and looked away. “I would point out that I could have you arrested should you refuse.”
“Perhaps.” Elric moved again towards the steps. “Tell Yishana that I stay the night here and move on at dawn. She may visit me if her request is so urgent.” He climbed the stairs, leaving a gape-mouthed Yolan sitting alone in the quiet of the tavern.
Theleb K’aarna scowled. For all his skill in the black arts, he was a fool in love; and Yishana, sprawled on her fur-rich bed, knew it. It pleased her to have power over a man who could destroy her with a simple incantation if it were not for his love-weakness. Though Theleb K’aarna stood high in the hierarchy of Pan Tang, it was clear to her that she was in no danger from the sorcerer. Indeed, her intuition informed her that this man who loved to dominate others also needed to be dominated. She filled this need for him—with relish.
Theleb K’aarna continued to scowl at her. “How can that decadent spell-singer help you where I cannot?” he muttered, sitting down on the bed and stroking her bejeweled foot.
Yishana was not a young woman, neither was she pretty. Yet there was an hypnotic quality about her tall, full body, her lush black hair, and her wholly sensuous face. Few of the men she had singled out for her pleasure had been able to resist her.
Neither was she sweet-natured, just, wise, nor self-sacrificing. The historians would append no noble soubriquet to her name. Still, there was something so self-sufficient about her, something denying the usual standards by which a person was judged, that all who knew her admired her, and she was well-loved by those she ruled—loved rather as a willful child is loved, yet loved with firm loyalty.
Now she laughed quietly, mockingly at her sorcerer lover.
“You’re probably right, Theleb K’aarna, but Elric is a legend—the most spoken-of, least-known man in the world. This is my opportunity to discover what others have only speculated on—his true character.”
Theleb K’aarna made a pettish gesture. He stroked his long black beard and got up, walking to a table bearing fruit and wine. He poured wine for them both. “If you seek to make me jealous again, you are succeeding, of course. I hold little hope for your ambition. Elric’s ancestors were half-demons—his race is not human and cannot be judged by our yardsticks. To us, sorcery is learned after years of study and sacrifice—to Elric’s kind, sorcery is intuitive—natural. You may not live to learn his secrets. Cymoril, his beloved cousin, died on his blade—and she was his betrothed!”
“Your concern is touching.” She lazily accepted the goblet he handed to her. “But I’ll continue with my plan, nonetheless. After all, you can hardly claim to have had much success in discovering the nature of this citadel!”
“There are subtleties I have not properly plumbed as yet!”
“Then perhaps Elric’s intuition will provide answers where you fail,” she smiled. Then she got up and looked through the window where the full moon hung in a clear sky over the spires of Dhakos. “Yolan is late. If all went properly, he should have brought Elric here by now.”
“Yolan was a mistake. You should not have sent such a close friend of Dharmit’s. For all we know, he’s challenged Elric and killed him!”
Again she couldn’t resist laughter. “Oh, you wish too hard—it clouds your reason. I sent Yolan because I knew he would