Menagerie - Martin Day [48]
'What will you do?' asked one of the aides.
Zaitabor sat on the throne and drew his sword. He grabbed a document at random from the table and spat on it, using it as a rag to clean his already immaculate blade. 'Call Araboam and the whole assembly of knights to me. I shall order that the magician be found and executed. If it means every house in this city being ripped apart, then so be it.'
'And then?'
'And then I have something wonderful planned. The way of Kuabris will not be destroyed!'
Jamie pulled the tapestry back with a flourish. Behind it was a blank wall of uninterrupted wooden panelling. He stared at the space where the door should have been in surprise.
'No door,' commented Araboam.
'But it was here,' said Jamie. 'I swear it was.'
Araboam turned to Kaquaan. 'Young lady, can you confirm or deny this tale?'
The girl shook her head. 'No. Last thing I remember was my cell. Then waking up in your room.'
Araboam stared at Jamie and Cosmae. 'Whatever stunned you,' said Araboam, 'has clearly warped your senses.'
Cosmae stammered an apology. 'It appears we've been wasting your time. I am sorry, Commander.'
'Then I'm afraid the cells await you all with their tender embrace.' The young knight reached out for Kaquaan's face.
She flinched at his touch, but did not move away. 'Yet perhaps we can arrange something better for you.' His fingers brushed across her shoulders and neck. 'You're not what you were when first you came to the castle but . . .
They say all horses are grey in the dark.'
Araboam's fingers alighted upon the glassy pendant around her neck. He held up the cube to the light. For the first time in many hours Cosmae remembered his ostensible reason for trying to rescue the girl.
'What's this?' Araboam asked. 'An elaborate trinket on so common a girl?'
Kaquaan smiled demurely. 'My lord can have it, if he wishes.'
'No!' said Cosmae. 'You mustn't —'
Araboam turned. 'What's that squeaking I hear? Some mere rodent trying to tell me what I can do?'
Cosmae bowed his head. 'My apologies.' Jamie could tell that his young friend was seething, and wondered how much more provocation he could take.
Araboam turned his attention back to the girl. 'I'm sure a lady who so easily spreads her legs must be showered with all sorts of trinkets and —'
Cosmae lunged at the knight, his hands balled into fists.
He caught him once, just on the side of the face. Araboam turned and drew his sword with a single graceful movement.
Before either Cosmae or Jamie could do anything the silver tip of the sword arced through the air and turned scarlet on Cosmae's chest.
The doors at one end of the corridor opened and a group of knights marched towards them. Jamie wondered how long they'd been there and what their orders had been.
Cosmae was looking at his bleeding chest with disbelief.
His hands were red, his teeth chattering.
'You'll survive,' announced Araboam. 'For the moment.'
He turned to the knights. 'This young puppy dares to assault a Knight of Kuabris. Take him to the cells to await execution.'
Whimpering, the young man was led away. Kaquaan stared after him in disbelief
'Now then, Jamie,' said Araboam as he returned his sword to a scabbard. 'I may call you Jamie? I have found out so much about you since you escaped from those dullards who masquerade as the City Guard. And I'm afraid I have to bring you bad news. It appears almost certain that your friend the Doctor has died.' He paused for a moment to let the words sink in. 'Now, there are certain strange things that you and your friend claim to have seen. I would like to remind you that you have no proof of this meeting of the brotherhood. Is your memory not already beginning to fade?
I'm sure it will degenerate further over the coming days. If by some slim chance the Doctor lives and you are reunited
— or if in any way you are tempted to act upon your wild claims about the brotherhood — just remember that Cosmae's fate lies in my hands. That of this young strumpet,