Red Magic - Jean Rabe [89]
"And you shall return to them," he said, the edge gone from his voice and his expression almost emotionless. "It is time to bring them all together and begin our reign of terror."
He padded back toward the couch, eased himself onto the soft leather, and met her uncertain gaze. "We will bring them here-all of them. As they camp outside my tower, you can instruct them a final time. Then you will lead them to glory."
Asp blanched but somehow found the courage to softly rebuke him. "My lord, if we bring them here, it will unnerve the wizards in Amruthar and draw the attention of Szass Tam."
Maligor touched Asp again, this time stroking her chin and gently wiping away a smudge of dirt. "Let them think what they will. Their fear makes us stronger, and no one in Amruthar would dare go on the offensive against my army. They'll simply wait. And watch. And worry."
Asp rose with Maligor. In an uncharacteristic gesture, he escorted her to the door.
"I have your loyalty in this?" he posed, hoping she would agree; he couldn't afford to eliminate her yet.
"You have my loyalty, my being, and my love," she replied huskily, once again guardedly comfortable in his presence.
The Red Wizard kissed her deeply, as if to cement her fidelity, then shooed her from the room.
Once again alone, Maligor returned to his mirror. What to do with his appearance, he thought. Red Wizards in Thay had no hair. Those outside of Thay, such as ambassadors and spies, wore hair to conform with the styles of whatever society they were in at the moment. He should shave it, he knew, to fit in. He should summon a slave and have her deal with it. Or, he thought, he could let it be. For a time, at least.
Maligor stared at the tresses that now set him apart from his peers. He would leave them alone, he decided. Shaving one's head wasn't a required act, just fashionable, and he believed he looked better this way-and more sinister.
He chose to look in on Asp, to make sure the spirit naga was carrying out his orders. He didn't doubt that she would gather the gnolls; he just wanted to make sure she attended to it right away.
The Red Wizard retrieved a large crystal ball from a shelf in his closet. It felt heavy in his hands, although Maligor was pleased to note that it didn't take any effort to carry it. The crystal was smooth, flawless, and only a few weeks old. He had acquired it from a merchant who dealt in the arcane.
Maligor had used the crystal only a few times and had been pleased with its effectiveness. He realized nearly all of the Red Wizards possessed such devices, and some-like himself-had several. However, Maligor used only his newest acquisitions, those he determined were enchanted within the past year. Even though magic kept its potency, he preferred using things with little age to them.
He sat on the couch, holding the crystal in his lap and staring into its center. Concentrating, he caused a soft yellow glow to flow from his eyes, down his arm, and into his hand. The light pulsated and glowed, then arced to the crystal. When the glow faded, he saw Asp; she had used her innate enchantments to shift form and give herself legs. Fully clothed, she rode a heavy black war-horse away from the tower heading north.
Maligor wondered if other wizards were watching her as well.
He hoped so.
For the next several hours, he watched as the naga reached one unit of gnolls and ordered them to march to Maligor's tower. The Red Wizard checked with his guards to make certain the naga had sent word to the other gnoll units to gather in Amruthar.
It was late in the evening by the time the first group of gnolls reached Maligor's tower. The three hundred soldiers camped on the sculpted lawn and jeered at the growing number of guards along the walls of the city.
Wearing a chain mail vest that glinted in the torchlight, Asp moved among the gnolls, demanding their attention and best behavior. The naga, who had resumed her natural form, was forced to kill two of them to set an example before the