Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [92]
CHAPTER 22
The Royal Herald of Erlkazar pushed open the double doors to King Korox's throne room. When he reached the middle of the round woven Zakharan rug that dominated the center of the room, he bowed as he had thousands of times before.
"My lord, King of all five baronies and the Kingdom of Erlkazar," said the herald, "I present to you Magistrate Olivio."
King Korox lowered his goblet of wine to the table beside his throne and sat up straight. Olivio had returned early. This matter was going to require a smooth and diplomatic hand. His sister was going to be none too happy with him for having apprehended her husband.
Korox grunted. Purdun was going to be none too happy with him for apprehending him. But they were old friends. They had been in the Crusaders together. Surely he would indulge his king and close friend.
Through the door Magistrate Olivio entered. He walked across the round room, bowing in the center of the rug as was customary, then continued to approach the throne. Officers in the King's Magistrates were the only soldiers in the kingdom allowed to approach the throne without first being given permission. It was they who were charged with keeping the laws of the land. It was their steel that kept the king safe from assassins and power-hungry nobles from other lands. If he couldn't trust them, who could he trust?
As Olivio came near, King Korox noticed that the man's face was battered and bruised. He also appeared to be walking with a slight limp.
The king stood up. "What happened to you? Were you ambushed? Where's Purdun?"
Magistrate Olivio shook his head. "No, my lord, we were not ambushed. We were bested by Lord Purdun and his guardsmen. The baron did not accompany us back. He is holed up inside Zerith Hold."
"What!" shouted the king. He was fuming. "He disobeyed a direct order from my Magistrates?"
Olivio nodded. "Yes, my lord. He did."
"Did he deny the accusations?"
Magistrate Olivio shook his head. "No, my lord. Baron Purdun acknowledged that the vampires had indeed returned, and that they were causing problems in Ahlarkham. He further acknowledged that there was a group of revolutionaries stirring up the locals."
"And he still refused to be escorted to Llorbauth?"
"Yes, my lord. He said that if your highness was indeed worried about the reappearance of the undead causing a peasant uprising then you should be sending troops to aid him, not to bring him in."
King Korox scratched his chin. "I see. Did he say anything else?"
"Yes, my lord. He said that taking him out of Ahlarkham was an attempt by the vampires to get him out of the way so that Ahlarkham would be leaderless during an all-out assault."
"What is your opinion of all this, Olivio?"
The Magistrate thought for a moment. "My lord, his story is far-fetched."
"Yes it is. But Purdun is not the type to exaggerate or to make things up."
"That is my opinion of Baron Purdun as well, my lord," replied the Magistrate.
King Korox turned around and lifted his still-full goblet of wine off the table. Lifting it to his lips, he downed the entire thing in one large gulp. Wiping his face with the sleeve of his robes he turned back to Olivio.
"All right. Prepare the rest of the Magistrates," he ordered. "And bring me my armor. We march to Ahlarkham."
* * * * *
The trip back to Duhlnarim was long. The Broken Spear was in the habit of traveling discreetly, which suited Ryder's purposes. He was close to returning. The journey had begun. He had waited this long; he could wait a few days longer.
Giselle led the group through land that Ryder never would have guessed was passable. They must have traversed every possible hidden route and passage between the Giant's Plain and the Deepwash. Twice, while traveling past the borders of Impresk-and once again in the foothills outside of Carrelath-they effortlessly bypassed armed patrols of King Korox's soldiers without causing so much as a raised eyebrow. The soldiers of the Broken Spear were ghosts