Red Magic - Jean Rabe [21]
She glided to his side, wrapped her tail around the base of a stack of pastel satin pillows next to the divan, and eased herself onto them. She rarely used furniture, finding most of it awkward for her body, a human folly. But if she remained upright, she would tower above Maligor, something she knew the wizard would not tolerate.
"My army…?" Maligor began.
"Their training is progressing satisfactorily," she replied. "I drill the gnolls to the point of exhaustion."
"Good," he said simply, peering into her lidless eyes. "My beautiful general has a fist of iron."
"My lord?"
Maligor reached up and gently brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.
She smiled coyly, then her face took on an intense expression. "My lord, I'm curious about the gnoll guard-the missing one you sent the darkenbeast after."
The Red Wizard sighed and dropped his hand from her face. "Your concern is the army, Asp. That's what I called you here for. I want a detailed report."
"But my lord…" the naga began.
"The matter of the errant gnoll has been taken care of," Maligor lied. "Now to other things. We have much work to do, my lovely."
The wizard propped himself up on an elbow and gazed harshly at Asp while she detailed the army's numbers, capabilities, and state of readiness. In the candlelight, the naga's eyes appeared nearly luminescent. With those eyes, she could charm lesser men and often did, forcing them to do her bidding. That ability helped her to deal with Maligor's soldiers.
"Then the army is ready," the Red Wizard concluded. "It is time to take action, Asp. I have been content for too many years with my holdings and position as Zulkir of Alteration. None of the wizards in my school have the power to challenge me. But the other Red Wizards, the other zulkirs…" He paused, thinking primarily of Szass Tam, his arch rival. "It is time to show them I am an unstoppable force. It is time I became the most powerful Red Wizard in Thay."
Asp extended a smooth, slender hand and gently laid it on Maligor's shoulder. Her thin lips smiled and her eyes sparkled.
"It is your rightful place, my lord, to reign supreme among the Red Wizards. With my help, you will become all-powerful. None will be able to challenge you." She brought her face so close to his that he could smell the fragrance she had dabbed on to mask her own odor. The fragrance reminded him of lilies.
"You have a plan?" she posed.
"Yes," he replied simply. Maligor stretched his limbs on the divan, then pushed himself off it. The marble floor felt uncomfortably cool to his oiled, bare feet. Raising the hem of his red robes, he stepped into his red satin slippers and glanced over his shoulder at Asp.
Her eyes were wide in anticipation of learning his new scheme, but Maligor did not delude himself. He knew the snake-woman would support him only because she stood to gain something as well.
Striding across the room, past a large, gray marble tub set into the floor, Maligor reached a waist-high walnut cabinet filled with bottles of rare wines and liqueurs. He stooped and paused, intently studying the labels through the beveled glass, then opened the cabinet and grasped what he considered an unusual delight. The bottle was round like a melon at the bottom, but its neck was thin and twisted in a spiral. Although decades old, the bottle was spotless; the glass was thick, tinted blue, and filled with the Moonshaes' finest peach liqueur. Reaching farther into the cabinet, he retrieved two pear-shaped, clear crystal goblets. Slaves usually handled menial tasks such as this, but the wizard didn't want other ears present just now. Returning to the divan, he sat and passed the bottle to Asp. He held a goblet in each hand, waiting. The naga's