Tymora's Luck - Kate Novak [92]
Joel bit down on his lip. The offer was quite generous, which, considering its source, had to make him even more suspicious. It didn't seem reasonable that they were prepared to recruit a complete unknown to serve as a guard in Xvim's throne room, so there had to be a catch. If he were to turn down the offer, however, he had a sneaking suspicion he'd become a slave or a sacrifice. He wasn't exactly in a position to bargain, but he didn't want to appear as if he knew that. "Make it three hundred," the bard offered, "and you have yourself a deal."
"As I said, we can only offer such a position of honor to a follower of our Lord Xvim," the tyrannar replied.
"Well, then, sign me up," Joel replied, wondering if he would be compelled to join if he refused.
"You must make an offering to Xvim," the tyrannar explained.
"Well, you can have the bird girl, then. I offer her to Xvim," Joel said blithely. He couldn't help but recall that Walinda had done the exact same thing to Jas not long ago.
"Welcome to the ranks of the Xvimlar," the tyrannar said. "Kneel before me, Marin the Red."
Joel set the backpacks aside and knelt before the ancient priest. He wondered if Finder was finding this performance amusing. Possibly not. The situation was too serious.
Tyrannar Neri laid his hand, twisted and emaciated with age, on Joel's head. "Know that you are part of the New Darkness that will spread throughout the multiverse. By your faith will Lord Xvim rule as the greatest tyrant in history, and his hatred will fill the void."
Joel felt a sudden revulsion seize him. His stomach heaved, but fortunately it was empty. The tyrannar's touch seemed to sting like a wasp. Under the pretense of prostrating himself lower, the bard slipped out from under the tyrannar's hand.
"Rise, Xvimlar Marin," Hatemaster Morr pronounced.
Joel stood up. The tyrannar's eyes glittered with hatred and the corners of his lips curled upward with some unknown amusement. He obviously thought he'd fooled Joel somehow.
As he grabbed up his backpacks, Joel wondered just how much the old man knew.
The tyrannar waved his hand, and Hatemaster Morr said, "Follow me, Xvimlar Marin."
Joel turned from the tyrannar and followed the hate-master from the audience chamber. He felt a horrible chill come over his whole body. He touched his hand to his chest to feel the warmth of the finder's stone, then remembered he'd given it to Emilo.
Although Joel was sure Finder would know his offer to Xvim was only a lie, the bard had a strong sense that evil had embraced him. In this place of hatred, he worried that his spoken words might have been more powerful than what was in his heart.
Hatemaster Morr led Joel out of the temple. As they stood atop the great staircase, the hatemaster pointed imperially across the courtyard.
"Within that tower," the priest of Xvim said, "is the throne room of Lord Xvim. That is your new post. Lord Xvim is not present at the moment, but he requires that there be a captain of the guard or his deputy on duty at all times. The yugoloths are not permitted in the temple or the tower."
"Where do the yugoloths live?" Joel asked curiously.
Hatemaster Morr pointed to the cliff that formed the bastion's rear wall. 'The mount is honeycombed with caverns. As the yugoloths are not threatened by fire, the eruptions that occasionally occur within are no more than inconveniences for the creatures."
"So the deputy and the rest of the guards are in the tower?" Joel asked.
"Yes," the hatemaster said, signalling to one of the lobsterlike yugoloths.
The short red yugoloth tramped up the stairs with an honor guard of six of the giant cricket yugoloths.
"This is the new captain/of the guard of Lord Xvim's throne room," the hatemaster informed the yugoloth. "Escort him to his post." He motioned for Joel to follow the yugoloths.
The bard followed his honor guard down the stairs of the temple and across the courtyard. As he passed by the units of giant marching yugoloths, he began to understand Holly's