The Ruby Knight. David Eddings

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СКАЧАТЬ Elder Gods have some ability to see into the future, and it’s possible that Azash has caught a glimpse of something he wants to prevent. He’s already made several attempts on Sparhawk’s life. It’s my belief that the Seeker is here for the express purpose of killing Sparhawk – or at the very least preventing his recovering Bhelliom. We must leave, My Lord, and quickly.’ She turned to Ortzel. ‘I’m afraid, Your Grace, that we have no choice. We’re compelled to resort to the Arts of Styricum.’

      ‘I will not be a party to that,’ he said stiffly. ‘I know that you are Styric, Madame, and therefore ignorant of the dictates of the true faith, but how dare you propose to practise your black arts in my presence? I am a Churchman, after all.’

      ‘I think that in time you may be obliged to modify your views, Your Grace,’ Ulath said calmly. ‘The militant orders are the arm of the Church. We receive instruction in the secrets so that we may better serve her. This practice has been approved by every Archprelate for nine hundred years.’

      ‘Indeed,’ Sephrenia added, ‘no Styric will consent to teach the Knights until approval is given by each new Archprelate.’

      ‘Should it come to pass that I ascend the throne in Chyrellos, that practice shall cease.’

      ‘Then the west will surely be doomed,’ she predicted, ‘for without these Arts, the Church Knights will be helpless against Azash, and without the Knights, the west will fall before the hordes of Otha.’

      ‘We have no evidence that Otha is coming.’

      ‘We have no evidence that summer is coming either,’ she said drily. She looked at Alstrom. ‘I believe I have a plan that may effect our escape, My Lord, but first I’ll need to go to your kitchen and talk with your cook.’

      He looked puzzled.

      ‘The plan involves certain ingredients normally found in kitchens. I need to be certain they’re available.’

      ‘There’s a guard at the door, Madame,’ he said. ‘He will escort you to the kitchen.’

      ‘Thank you, My Lord. Come along, Flute.’ And she went out.

      ‘What’s she up to?’ Tynian asked.

      ‘Sephrenia almost never explains things in advance,’ Kalten told him.

      ‘Or afterwards either, I’ve noticed,’ Talen added, looking up from his drawing.

      ‘Speak when you’re spoken to,’ Berit told him.

      ‘If I did that, I’d forget how to talk.’

      ‘Surely you’re not going to permit this, Alstrom,’ Ortzel said angrily.

      ‘I don’t have much choice,’ Alstrom replied. ‘We absolutely must get you to safety, and this seems to be the only way.’

      ‘Did you see Krager out there too?’ Kalten asked Sparhawk.

      ‘No, but I imagine he’s around somewhere. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on Adus.’

      ‘Is this Adus so very dangerous?’ Alstrom asked.

      ‘He’s an animal, My Lord,’ Kalten replied, ‘and a very stupid one. Sparhawk’s promised that I get to kill Adus if I don’t interfere when he goes after Martel. Adus can barely talk, and he kills for the sheer pleasure of it.’

      ‘He’s dirty and he smells bad too,’ Talen added. ‘He chased me down a street once in Cammoria, and the odour almost knocked me off my feet.’

      ‘You think Martel might be with them?’ Tynian asked hopefully.

      ‘I doubt it,’ Sparhawk said. ‘I think I nailed his foot to the floor down in Rendor. It’s my guess that he set things up here in Lamorkand and then went to Rendor to hatch things there. Then he sent Krager and Adus back here to set things in motion.’

      ‘I think the world would be better off without this Martel of yours,’ Alstrom said.

      ‘We’re going to do what we can to arrange that, My Lord,’ Ulath rumbled.

      A few moments later, Sephrenia and Flute returned.

      ‘Did you find the things you need?’ Sparhawk asked.

      ‘Most of them,’ she replied. ‘I can make the others.’ She looked at Ortzel. ‘You might wish to retire, Your Grace,’ she suggested. ‘I don’t want to offend your sensibilities.’

      ‘I will remain, Madame,’ he said coldly. ‘Perhaps my presence will prevent this abomination from coming to pass.’

      ‘Perhaps, but I rather doubt it.’ She pursed her lips and looked critically at the small earthen jar she had carried from the kitchen. ‘Sparhawk,’ she said, ‘I’m going to need an empty barrel.’

      He went to the door and spoke with the guard.

      Sephrenia walked to the table and picked up a crystal goblet. She spoke at some length in Styric, and with a soft rustling sound, the goblet was suddenly filled with a powder that looked much like lavender sand.

      ‘Outrageous,’ Ortzel muttered.

      Sephrenia ignored him. ‘Tell me, My Lord,’ she said to Alstrom, ‘you have pitch and naphtha, I assume.’

      ‘Of course. They’re a part of the castle’s defences.’

      ‘Good. If this is to work, we’re going to need them.’

      The soldier entered, rolling a barrel.

      ‘Right here, please,’ she instructed, pointing to a spot away from the fire.

      He set the barrel upright, saluted the baron and left.

      Sephrenia spoke briefly to Flute. The little girl nodded and lifted her pipes. Her melody was strange, hypnotic and languorous.

      The Styric woman stood over the barrel, speaking in Styric and holding the jar in one hand and the goblet in the other. Then she began to pour their contents into the barrel. The pungent spices in the jar and the lavender sand in the goblet came spilling out, but neither vessel emptied. The two streams, mixing as they fell, began to glow, and the room was suddenly filled with star-like glitterings that soared, firefly-like, and sparkled on the walls and ceiling. Minute after minute the small woman poured on and on from the two seemingly inexhaustible containers.

      It took nearly half an hour to fill the barrel. ‘There,’ Sephrenia said at last, ‘that should be enough.’ She looked down into the glowing barrel.

      Ortzel was making strangling sounds.

      She put the two containers far apart on the table. ‘I wouldn’t let these two get mixed together, My Lord,’ she cautioned Alstrom, ‘and keep them away from any kind of fire.’

      ‘What are we doing here?’ Tynian asked her.

      ‘We must drive the Seeker away, Tynian. We’ll mix what’s in this barrel with naphtha and pitch and load the baron’s siege engines with the mixture. СКАЧАТЬ