Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [227]
"Think you not I know the oil-tongued wretch who once forced his way into her Highness's good graces with his trickery, and—"
"Trickery! That was no trick, just superior personal magnetism. And killing Lod was a pretty hard thing even for you to brush off as sleight-of-hand—and how about killing the dragon? I suppose you could have done better?"
"Enough, sirrah!" Adoranne cut in. "Alain—stay to the subject."
"All right. So this blackguard, having lulled us into a false sense of security by lying low for a time, suddenly revealed his true colors. First, he came to her Highness with tales of an invading army. When, at my advice, she asked for evidence, he put us off with lies, meantime assuming what he termed emergency powers—which her Highness had not authorized. When I complained—we found ourselves one morning locked in, under guard by coarse fellows, new recruited, in the pay of O'Leary. When next we had tidings, whispered through a keyhole by a loyal housemaid, the scoundrel had in sooth declared himself to be regent!"
"All right—it's about as bad as it could be," O'Leary said. "Now, there are angles to this that I can't explain right now—you wouldn't believe me if I did—but what it boils down to is that we have to nail this fellow Quelius. He's the real power behind the throne. The imposter who's claiming to be O'Leary is working for him—"
"'Tis no imposter, but O'Leary's self!" Alain rasped.
"What makes you so sure? Did Lafayette O'Leary ever do anything before to make you doubt him? Hasn't he always been true-blue, loyal, brave, honest—"
"I never trusted the varlet," Alain said flatly. "His present demeanor but confirms my reservations."
"Speaking of confirmed reservations, we'd better travel," Lafayette snapped. "I can see there's no point in trying to explain anything to you, you fair-weather chum."
"Mind your tongue, lackwit, else I'll probe for your jugular with my point!"
"Yeah, sure. All right, let's stop wasting time. You two can make your escape via the secret passages. I'll wait here for Quelius to show. When he does I'll give him a shot from his own shooter." He patted the disaster gun in his belt.
"What? You think I'd flee and leave even a scurvy knave like you to face the foe alone? Hah! Adoranne, you go, and—"
"Don't prattle nonsense," the princess cut him off coolly. "I stay, of course."
"If this were an ordinary situation, I'd argue with you," Lafayette said. "But under the circumstances, you may as well. If I miss, it's all over for Artesia."
"How is't, sirrah, that you seem to be privy to information unknown to the general public—or even to her Highness?" Alain demanded.
"I'll explain all that later—if there is a later."
"Not so," Alain barked. "Who else but a lackey of the tyrant would know his plans?" The sword leaped out to prod O'Leary's chest.
"If you must know, I got the information from a place called Central!"
Alain and Adoranne looked at each other.
"Indeed?" the count murmured. "That being the case, I suppose you'd be pleased to meet a fellow minion of this Central you speak of?"
"Certainly—but you're not supposed to know anything about Central. Its existence is a secret from everybody but accredited Central agents."
"Even so," Alain said. "And it happens, an emissary from Central arrived before you."
"That's right! I'd forgotten! Where is he?"
"Lying down in the next room. Adoranne—wilt summon the agent?"
The princess left the room. Lafayette heard low voices, then soft foot falls on the carpet. A slim, girlish figure in a trim gray uniform appeared in the doorway.
"Daphne!" Lafayette gasped. "What are you doing here?"
5
"You know her?" Alain said in an amazed tone.
"I thought you were safe at Central casting," Lafayette said, starting forward. "You poor kid, I knew they'd sent someone, but it never occurred to me they'd be idiots enough to—"
Daphne jerked a pistol