Loremaster - Palace Of Kings Part 21

he sighed, "athering the coat to his chest, feeling its warmd through his rough leacher jerkin and steel-ringed s.h.i.+rt.

Running footsteps made him start and quickly hide the steelsilver coat, pus.h.i.+ng it hastily beneath a pile of fallen s.h.i.+elds.

'My Lord,' he cried, rising to his feet and stepping forward to meet the King. 'It smells of treachery, my Lord. A dark hole beneath the city chat echoes to the sound of Chancellors'

feet.'

King Holbian put his hand on Grey Goose's arm, motioning him into silence. He bent his head in drought and paced up and down the long aisle. 'Light two candles!' he commanded, turning at length to Breakmaster. 'And then tell me, who was fleeing?' he asked, peering beyond the heavily-studded

door and looking down into the black winding pa.s.sage.

'It is darker than the City of Night!' he whispered fearfully before hastily moving back from the darkness.

'It is a black hole, without a glint of starlight to show the way, my Lord,' replied Breakmaster, lighting his spark and stepping bravely between the door and the King.

'Who has fled?' he asked again, looking away along the rows of armour.

'I think Proudpurse and his son, my Lord,' answered Breakmaster.

'Lord!' Grey Goose shouted, running back into the armoury. 'The tallow house has been sacked. The grain stores have been plundered. There are no more than ten candles in the entire inner circle.'

'Chancellors!' shouted Breakmaster, flinging shut the studded door. 'They have all fled and gone, no doubt, to sell us to the Nightbeasts!'

'Everyone? Even Overlord?' asked the King, "athering his courage to inspect the rough granite wall on either side of the door.

'The city is without a Chancellor, and all the better for it. It is without their treacherous ways at last,' replied Grey Goose, standing at the King's elbow.

'Who would have known of this black hole?' asked the King. 'Who would have told the Chancellors? They had no dealings with weapons or cause to visit dlis armoury. It was only after the siege lock was put on the city chat Proudpurse came to me and asked for the key.'

Taking both Grey Goose and Breakmaster by the arm Holbian led them out beyond the armoury doors. 'Find me the Mastermason, he might know . . .'

Suddenly shouting broke out near the Candledoors.

'Lord,' called Adarius, the Archer, breaking away from the frightened, milling crowd and sprinting towards the armoury.

'All the Marchers have gone, all the Gallopers and the Archers; they have abandoned the top of the wall and

vanished. We are defenceless, without food or light.

'Steady, steady,' soothed the King, his forehead creasing into a hundred folds of worry as he checked Adarius with a strong hand. 'Now tell me slowly, who has gone?'

'Lord, we three are your army. We three are the only defenders of Granite City!'

'The horses!' cried Breakmaster, 'have they taken the horses?'

'Only Beacon Light and your pony, Mulberry, are still here,'

Adarius replied, turning anxious eyes on the advancing city dwellers.

King Holbian turned to face the frightened city folk and with one raised hand he brought them to a halt. 'Be easy, my people,' he soothed, 'Chancellors are but chaff before the rising wind, who scatter easily at the first sign of danger. Wait with me a while and find and bring me the Loremaster of this once great city, for he may be able to tell us much of the treachery that shadows our last daylights.'

Grey Goose moved quickly through the crowd, ducking into the shadows near the armoury doors. 'Here, Lord,' he shouted, 'I have the Loremaster. I saw him creeping through the shadows towards the armoury with a heavy bag over his shoulder.'

Holbian gripped the Loremaster's arm and fiercely shook him.

'Tell the people - tell them how you betrayed them and

sold your knowledge of the winding path that leads through the darkness. Tell them!'

'Greatest Lord. Mightiest of Kings ...' Pinchface the Loremaster pleaded, 'The Chancellors forced me to tell my secrets.'

'And did they also force you to take what belonged to others?' Grey Goose asked, tipping the contents of the Loremaster's bag across the cobbles.

'Lord,' Pinchface wept as new tallow candles and satchels of grain spilled out at his feet.

'You sold them your knowledge of the secret way and bargained with it for a place with them in the escape to safety far from this city.'

'Yes, Lord,' Pinchface whispered, hanging his head.

Holbian laughed grimly, pus.h.i.+ng the Loremaster on to his knees. 'You did not have the power to deal in treachery with the treacherous, you simple-minded fool. The Chancellors have long gone, they have no place for Loremasters. You have served your purpose; they have abandoned you!'

'Lord, forgive me,' pleaded Pinchface, stretching his hands towards the King's armoured boots.

'Bind him between the Candledoors as an offering to the Nightbeasts. Perhaps they will take his treacherous tongue!'

shouted Breakmaster.

'No! I will leave nothing for those Nightbeasts, not even my enemies. Bind him, we will sit in his judgement in better times.'

'How did you guess that the Loremaster knew of the secret way in the armoury, my Lord?' asked Grey Go,ose as he

bound Pinchface's wrists.

Holbian smiled. 'It was written clearly above the door in King Mantern's own hand, "The wise shall know the way. They shall have the knowledge to reveal the winding path through the darkness. For it shall be written for all to share in the Books of Lore".'

'Lord, the Nightbeasts are a.s.saulting the walls. How shall we defend the city?' shouted Breakmaster above their roaring screams and the renewed thunder of their battering rams.

King Holbian looked into the darkening sky, 'Light every candle and spark we have left. Take the people into the armoury and as they pa.s.s through, arm them and lead them down through the secret way. I will wait here until the last person is beyond the door and then I will follow. Mastermason!

Where is Mastermason?'

'Lord, I am herel' cried Arachatt, brus.h.i.+ng the stone dust

out of his eyes.

99.

'Look at the secret path and find a way to seal it after we have retreated. Breakmaster!' cried the King, turning quickly to the horseman.

'Lord?' Breakmaster answered, leading Beacon Light and Mulberry, ready-saddled, across the cobbles.

'You are a great Captain,' laughed the King, running his hands through Beacon Light's silky coat, 'to know my commands before I utter them!'