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marked by pioneers. Svavar and Shagot were assigned to the vanguard. They
would not be cowed by the dark.
The lead troops were Hansel's best. Their progress was quieter than seemed
possible, but slow. Svavar told Shagot,
"Those people won't be surprised. We're headed for a trap."
Shagot grunted. It seemed likely. It seemed so probable, in fact, that
Johannes ought not to be falling for it.
Maybe me Emperor knew something no one else did.
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The commanders called a halt during the afternoon. Distant fighting could be
heard. The crown prince's captors making a fighting retreat, Svavar presumed.
But who was harrying them?
The Emperor's scouts reported. Svavar was near enough to eavesdrop.
The crown prince was alive and unharmed. The same could not be said for most
of his party. Johannes seemed more interested in the fate of Ferris Renfrow
than in that of his son. But Johannes knew his son was all right.
The summons came to Svavar rather than Shagot. Johannes addressed him
directly. "Soultaken, do you understand my situation?"
"I do." He experienced the thing that made Johannes Ege so much more than a
little man who had lucked into a great deal of power. Hansel made people feel
that they were fellow conspirators.
The Emperor asked, "You understand what they want to do to us? That they
hope I'll charge into a trap?"
"I see that. And I see you giving them what they want."
"Not quite."
"There's a huge accumulation of dark power behind those walls. The Tyranny
of the Night is complete, though the fighters probably don't know."
"Complete? I doubt that. However. Those forces are unaware of you and your
brother."
Svavar waited, calm and fearless. He felt the proximity of Arlensul. She
lent him courage and confidence.
"I understand what you are. You serve the Instrumentalities of the Night.
You're here to accomplish a particular task. It has little to do with the
ambitions of those holding al-Khazen."
Svavar did not respond.
"If you help me here, now, I'll throw the weight of the Empire behind you in
your mission."
Svavar felt Arlensul would want him to agree. "We'll help, then. In
exchange. We won't tolerate..."
"Johannes Ege never.... Enough. I need entry into that city. And someone who
can distract the powers there while I do what I have to do."
Svavar cocked his head, listening. j i
Arlensul encouraged him. |
"We can do what you want done."
Whatever the denizens of the city planned, whatever en
gines of despair lurked behind those walls, a Chooser of the
Slain was no part of their calculations. i
THE DAUGHTER OF THE GRAY WALKER WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE for half a minute.
Imperial soldiers saw her. Praman soldiers saw her. Mute wood and stone beheld
her. Svavar worried that far powers in the Great Sky Fortress might mark her
presence as well. Shagot might see her. But he had to trust her. Over the
months he had become her ally completely.
Shagot remained unaware of her.
The event at el-Khazen's eastern portal was so violent that not only did the
gates cease to be a barrier, the entire barbican and fifteen yards of wall to
either hand collapsed. Imperial troops rushed into al-Khazen, encouraged by
the Emperor to obliterate anyone and anything not Crown Prince Lothar.
Svavar and Shagot were first to enter the city, Shagot holding that demon
head in front of him. Howling devil faces swarmed them and fled away, repelled
by Arlensul. The fury of the assault increased. Svavar was impressed. The
sorcerers here were truly terrible. He was fortunate to have a Chooser of the
Slain for a guardian angel.
He nudged Shagot whenever a course change became necessary. He was surprised
that they did not need to head for the citadel. Not after they covered the
first quarter mile.
The Grimmsson brothers fought inside a bubble of invincibility. That did not
extend far. Outside it the battle was harsh. It was dark out there. The
onslaught of the Night was terrible. The Imperials remained steadfast only
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because of the power of the soultaken.
As blood flowed, Shagot became more awake and alert and connected to the
Great Sky Fortress. Where, Svavar guessed, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]