The Complete Elenium Trilogy: The Diamond Throne, The Ruby Knight, The Sapphire Rose

‘Why?’

‘To report the outrage to King Dregos at Larium.’

‘The idea then is that Dregos will declare war on the Pandions?’

‘Not quite, no – although that’s possible, too. As soon as the business is finished, dispatch a man on a fast horse to me here in Cimmura to tell me that it’s been done.’

Krager laughed again. ‘Only an idiot would carry that kind of message. He’d have a dozen knives in him as soon as he finished talking.’

‘You are suspicious, aren’t you, Krager?’

‘Better suspicious than dead, and the people Martel will hire are likely all to feel pretty much the same way. You’d better tell me a little more about this scheme, Harparin.’

‘You don’t need to know any more.’

‘Martel will. He won’t be a cat’s-paw for anybody.’

Harparin muttered an oath. ‘All right then. The Pandions have been interfering with the primate’s activities. This atrocity will give him an excuse to confine them in their motherhouse at Demos again. Then he will personally carry a report of the affair to Chyrellos to lay before the Church Hierocracy and the Archprelate himself. They will have no choice but to disband the Pandion Order. The leaders – Vanion, Sparhawk, and the others – will be imprisoned in the dungeons beneath the Basilica of Chyrellos. No man has ever come out of those dungeons alive.’

‘Martel will like that idea.’

‘Annias thought that he might. The Styric woman, Sephrenia, will be burned as a witch, of course.’

‘We’ll be well rid of her.’ There was another pause. ‘There’s more, isn’t there?’ Krager added.

Harparin did not answer.

‘Don’t be coy, Harparin,’ Krager told him. ‘If I can see through all this, you can be sure that Martel will, too. Let’s have the rest of it.’

‘All right.’ Harparin’s voice was sullen. ‘The Pandions are likely to resist confinement and they’ll certainly try to protect their leaders. At that point, the army will move against them. That will give Annias and the Royal Council an excuse to declare a state of emergency and to suspend certain laws.’

‘Which laws are those?’

‘The ones having to do with the succession to the throne. Elenia will technically be in a state of war, and Ehlana is obviously in no condition to deal with that. She’ll abdicate in favour of her cousin, the Prince Regent Lycheas.’

‘Arissa’s bastard – the sniveller?’

‘Legitimacy can be bestowed by a decree of the council, and I’d really watch what I say about Lycheas, Krager. Disrespect for the King is high treason, and it can be made retroactive, you know.’

There was an apprehensive silence. ‘Wait a minute,’ Krager said then. ‘I’ve heard that Ehlana’s unconscious – and sealed in some kind of crystal.’

‘That’s no particular problem.’

‘How can she sign the instrument of abdication?’

Harparin laughed. ‘There’s a monk at the monastery near Lenda. He’s been practising the Queen’s signature for a month now. He’s very good.’

‘Clever. What happens to her after she abdicates?’

‘As soon as Lycheas is crowned King, we’ll give her a splendid funeral.’

‘But she’s still alive, isn’t she?’

‘So? If need be, we’ll entomb her throne and all.’

‘There’s only one problem then, isn’t there?’

‘I don’t see any problem.’

‘That’s because you’re not looking, Harparin. The primate is going to have to move very fast. If the Pandions find out about this before he can get to the Hierocracy in Chyrellos, they’ll take steps to counter his accusations.’

‘We’re aware of that. That’s why you have to send the message to me as soon as the count and his people are dead.’

‘The message would never reach you. Any man we send will realize that he’ll be killed as soon as he delivers it and he’ll find an excuse to go to Lamorkand or Pelosia instead.’ Krager paused. ‘Let me see that ring of yours,’ he said.

‘My ring? Why?’

‘It’s a signet, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, with the coat of arms of my family.’

‘All noblemen have rings like that, don’t they?’

‘Of course.’

‘Good. Tell Annias to pay close attention to the collection plate in the cathedral of Cimmura here. One of these days a ring will show up among the pennies. The ring will bear the coat of arms of Count Radun’s family. He’ll understand the message, and the messenger can slip away unharmed.’

‘I don’t think Annias will like that.’

‘He doesn’t have to like it. All right, how much?’

‘How much what?’

‘Money. What is Annias willing to pay Martel for his assistance? He’s getting the crown for Lycheas and absolute control of Elenia for himself. What’s it worth to him?’

‘He told me to mention the sum of ten thousand gold crowns.’

Krager laughed. ‘I think Martel might want to negotiate that point just a bit.’

‘Time is important here, Krager.’

‘Then Annias probably won’t be too stubborn about the price, will he? Why don’t you go back to the palace and suggest to him that a bit more generosity might be in order? I could wind up spending the whole winter riding back and forth between Annias and Martel carrying proposals and counterproposals.’

‘There’s only so much money in the treasury, Krager.’

‘Simplicity in itself, my dear Baron. Just increase taxes – or have Annias dip into church funds.’

‘Where is Martel now?’

‘I’m not at liberty to say.’

Sparhawk swore under his breath and took his ear away from the wall.

‘Was it interesting?’ Naween asked. She still lounged on the bed.

‘Very.’

She stretched voluptuously. ‘Are you sure that you won’t change your mind?’ she asked. ‘Now that you’ve taken care of your business?’

‘Sorry, little sister,’ Sparhawk declined. ‘I’ve got a great deal left to do today. Besides, I’ve already paid Shanda your price. Why work if you don’t have to?’

‘Professional ethics, I suppose. Besides, I sort of like you, my big broken-nosed friend.’

‘I’m flattered.’ He reached into his pocket, took out a gold coin, and gave it to her. She stared at him in amazed gratitude. ‘I’ll slip out of the front door before Krager’s friend gets ready to leave,’ he told her. He went to the door.

‘Come back sometime when your mind’s not so occupied,’ she whispered.

‘I’ll think about it,’ he promised. He tied the bandage over his eyes again, opened the door, and stepped quietly into the hall. Then he went on down into the dimly lit lower hall and back out to the street.

Talen was leaning against the wall beside the door, trying to stay out of the rain. ‘Did you have fun?’ he asked.

‘I found out what I needed to know.’

‘That’s not what I meant. Naween’s supposed to be the best in Cimmura.’

‘I really wouldn’t know about that. I was there on business.’

‘I’m disappointed in you, Sparhawk.’ Talen grinned impudently. ‘But probably not nearly so much as Naween was. They say that she’s a girl who likes her work.’

‘You’ve got a nasty mind, Talen.’

‘I know, and you’ve got no idea how much I enjoy it.’ His young face grew serious, and he looked around cautiously. ‘Sparhawk,’ he said, ‘is somebody following you?’

‘It’s possible, I suppose.’

‘I’m not talking about a church soldier. There was a man at the far end of the street – at least I think it was a man. He was wearing a monk’s habit, and the hood covered his face, so I couldn’t be sure.’

‘There are a lot of monks in Cimmura.’

‘Not like this one. It made me cold all over just to look at him.’

Sparhawk looked at him sharply. ‘Have you ever had this kind of feeling before, Talen?’

‘Once. Platime had sent me to the west gate to meet somebody. Some Styrics were coming into the city, and after they passed, I couldn’t even keep my mind on what I was supposed to be doing. It was two days before I could shake off the feeling.’

There was not really any point in telling the boy the truth about the matter. Many people were sensitives, and it seldom went any further. ‘I wouldn’t worry about it,’ Sparhawk advised. ‘We all get these peculiar feelings now and then.’

‘Maybe,’ Talen said dubiously.

‘We’re finished here,’ Sparhawk said. ‘Let’s go back to Platime’s place.’

The rainy streets of Cimmura were a bit more crowded now, filled with nobles wearing brightly coloured cloaks and with workmen dressed in plain brown or grey. Sparhawk was obliged to grope his way along, swinging his blindman’s stick in front of him to avoid suspicion. It was noon by the time he and Talen descended the steps into the cellar again.

‘Why didn’t you wake me up?’ Kalten demanded crossly. He was sitting on the edge of his cot holding a bowl of thick stew.

‘You needed your rest.’ Sparhawk untied the bandage from his eyes. ‘Besides, it’s raining out there.’

‘Did you see Krager?’

‘No, but I heard him, which is just as good.’ Sparhawk went on around the fire pit to where Platime sat. ‘Can you get me a wagon and a driver?’ he asked.

‘If you need one.’ Platime lifted his silver tankard and drank noisily, spilling beer on the front of his spotted orange doublet.

‘I do,’ Sparhawk said. ‘Kalten and I have to get back to the chapterhouse. The primate’s soldiers are probably still looking for us, so I thought that we could hide in the back of a wagon to stay out of sight.’

‘Wagons don’t move very fast. Wouldn’t a carriage with the curtains drawn be faster?’

‘Do you have a carriage?’

‘Several, actually. God’s been good to me lately.’

‘I’m delighted to hear it.’ Sparhawk turned. ‘Talen,’ he called.

The boy came over to where he was standing.

‘How much money did you steal from me this morning?’

Talen’s face grew cautious. ‘Not too much. Why?’

‘Be more specific.’

‘Seven coppers and one silver piece. You’re a friend, so I put the gold coins back in your pocket.’

‘I’m touched.’

‘You want the money back, I suppose.’

‘Keep it – as payment for your services.’

‘You’re generous, my Lord.’

‘I’m not finished yet. I want you to keep an eye on Krager for me. I think I’m going to be out of town for a while, and I want to keep track of him. If he leaves Cimmura, go to the inn on Rose Street. Do you know it?’

‘The one that’s run by the Pandions?’

‘How did you find out about that?’

‘Everybody knows about it.’

Sparhawk let that pass. ‘Knock on the gate three times, then pause. Then knock twice more. A porter will open the gate. Be polite to him because he’s a knight. Tell him that the man Sparhawk was interested in has left town. Try to give him the direction Krager took. Can you remember all that?’

‘Do you want me to recite it back to you?’

‘That won’t be necessary. The knight porter at the inn will give you half a crown for the information.’

Talen’s eyes brightened.

Sparhawk turned back to Platime. ‘Thank you, my friend,’ he said. ‘Consider your debt to my father paid.’

‘I’ve already forgotten it.’ The fat man grinned.

‘Platime’s very good at forgetting debts,’ Talen said. ‘The ones he owes, anyway.’

‘Someday your mouth is going to get you in serious trouble, boy.’

‘Nothing that my feet can’t carry me away from.’

‘Go and tell Sef to hitch the grey team to the carriage with the blue wheels and to bring it to the alley door.’

‘What’s in it for me?’

‘I’ll postpone the thrashing I’m just about to give you.’

‘That sounds fair.’ The boy grinned and scampered away.

‘That’s a very clever young man,’ Sparhawk said.

‘He’s the best,’ Platime agreed. ‘It’s my guess that he’ll replace me when I retire.’

‘He’s the crown prince, then.’

Platime laughed uproariously. ‘The crown prince of thieves. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? You know, I like you, Sparhawk.’ Still laughing, the fat man clapped the big knight on the shoulder. ‘If there’s ever anything else I can do for you, let me know.’

‘I will, Platime.’

‘I’ll even give you a special rate.’

‘Thanks,’ Sparhawk said dryly. He picked up his sword from beside Platime’s chair and went back to his cot to change back into his own clothes. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked Kalten.

‘I’m fine.’

‘Good. You’d better get ready to leave.’

‘Where are we going?’

‘Back to the chapterhouse. I found out something that Vanion needs to know.’

The carriage was not new, but it was soundly constructed and well maintained. The windows were draped with heavy curtains which effectively hid the passengers from prying eyes. The team which drew the carriage were a pair of matched greys, and they moved out at a brisk trot.

Kalten leaned back against the leather cushion. ‘Is it my imagination, or does thieving pay better than knighting?’

‘We didn’t go into the business for the money, Kalten,’ Sparhawk reminded him.

‘That’s painfully obvious, my friend.’ Kalten stretched out his legs and crossed his arms contentedly. ‘You know,’ he said, ‘I could get to like this sort of thing.’

‘Try not to,’ Sparhawk advised him.

‘You have to admit that it’s a great deal more comfortable than pounding your backside on a hard saddle.’

‘Discomfort’s good for the soul.’

‘My soul’s just fine, Sparhawk. It’s my behind that’s starting to wear out.’

The carriage moved rapidly through the streets, and they soon passed through the east gate of the city and pulled up at the drawbridge of the chapterhouse. Sparhawk and Kalten stepped out into the drizzly afternoon, and Sef immediately turned the carriage around and clattered back towards the city.

Following the ritual which gained them entrance into the fortified house, Sparhawk and Kalten went immediately to the preceptor’s study in the south tower.

Vanion was seated at the large table in the centre of the room with a stack of documents in front of him, and Sephrenia sat by the crackling fire with her ever-present teacup in her hand. She was looking into the dancing flames, her eyes a mystery.

Vanion looked up and saw the blood-stains on Kalten’s doublet. ‘What happened?’ he asked.

‘Our disguises didn’t work.’ Kalten shrugged. ‘A group of church soldiers waylaid us in an alley. It’s not serious.’

Sephrenia rose from her chair and came over to them. ‘Did you have it tended?’ she asked.

‘Sparhawk put a bandage on it.’

‘Why don’t you let me look at it? Sometimes Sparhawk’s bandages are a little rudimentary. Sit down and open your doublet.’

Kalten grumbled a bit but did as he was told.

She untied the bandage and looked at the cut in his side with pursed lips. ‘Did you clean it at all?’ she asked Sparhawk.

‘I wiped it down with some wine.’

She sighed. ‘Oh, Sparhawk.’ She rose, went to the door, and sent one of the young knights outside for the things she would need.

‘Sparhawk picked up some information,’ Kalten told the preceptor.

‘What kind of information?’ Vanion asked.

‘I found Krager,’ Sparhawk told him, drawing up a chair. ‘He’s staying in a brothel near the west gate.’

One of Sephrenia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘What were you doing in a brothel, Sparhawk?’

‘It’s a long story,’ he replied, flushing slightly. ‘Someday I’ll tell you all about it. Anyway,’ he continued, ‘the Baron Harparin came to the brothel, and –’

‘Harparin?’ Vanion looked startled. ‘In a brothel? He had less business there than you did.’

‘He was there to meet with Krager. I managed to get inside and into the room next to the one where they were meeting.’ He quickly sketched out the details of the involuted scheme of the Primate Annias.

Vanion’s eyes were narrow as Sparhawk finished his report. ‘Annias is even more ruthless than I’d imagined,’ he said. ‘I never thought that he’d stoop to mass murder.’

‘We’re going to stop them, aren’t we?’ Kalten asked as Sephrenia began to cleanse his wound.

‘Of course we are,’ Vanion replied absently. He stared up at the ceiling, his eyes lost in thought. ‘I think I see a way to turn this around.’ He looked at Kalten. ‘Are you fit to ride?’ he asked.

‘This is hardly more than a scratch,’ Kalten assured him as Sephrenia laid a compress over the cut.

‘Good. I want you to go to the motherhouse at Demos. Take every man you can get your hands on and start out for Count Radun’s castle in Arcium. Stay off the main roads. We don’t want Martel to know you’re coming. Sparhawk, I want you to lead the knights from here in Cimmura. Join Kalten down there in Arcium someplace.’

Sparhawk shook his head. ‘If we ride out in a body, Annias will know that we’re up to something. If he gets suspicious, he could postpone the whole thing and then attack the count’s castle some other time when we aren’t around.’

Vanion frowned. That’s true, isn’t it? Maybe you could sneak your men out of Cimmura a few at a time.’

‘It would take too long that way,’ Sephrenia told him, winding a clean bandage around Kalten’s waist, ‘and sneaking attracts more attention than riding out openly.’ She pursed her lips in thought. ‘Does the order still own that cloister on the road to Cardos?’ she asked.

Vanion nodded. ‘It’s in total disrepair, though.’

‘Wouldn’t this be an excellent time to restore it?’

‘I don’t quite follow you, Sephrenia.’

‘We need to find some excuse for most of the Pandions here in Cimmura to ride out of town together. If you were to go to the palace and tell the council that you’re going to take all your knights and go and repair that cloister, Annias would think you’re playing right into his hands. Then you could take wagonloads of tools and building materials to make it look genuine and leave town with them. Once you’re out of Cimmura, you can change direction with no one the wiser.’

‘It sounds workable, Vanion,’ Sparhawk said. ‘Will you be coming with us?’

‘No,’ Vanion replied. ‘I’m going to have to ride to Chyrellos and alert a few friendly members of the Church Hierocracy to what Annias has planned.’

Sparhawk nodded; then he remembered something. ‘I’m not entirely positive about this,’ he said, ‘but I think there’s someone here in Cimmura who’s been watching me, and I don’t think he’s an Elene.’ He smiled at Sephrenia. ‘I’ve been trained to recognize the subtle touch of a Styric mind. Anyway, this watcher seems to be able to pick me out no matter what kind of disguise I wear. I’m almost certain that he’s the one who set the church soldiers on Kalten and me, and that means that he has ties to Annias.’

‘What does he look like?’ Sephrenia asked him.

‘I can’t really say. He wears a hooded robe and keeps his face hidden.’

‘He can’t report to Annias if he’s dead,’ Kalten shrugged. ‘Lay an ambush for him somewhere on the road to Cardos.’

‘Isn’t that a little direct?’ Sephrenia asked disapprovingly, tying the bandage firmly in place.

‘I’m a simple man, Sephrenia. Complications confuse me.’

‘I want to work out a few more details,’ Vanion said. He looked at Sephrenia. ‘Kalten and I will be riding together as far as Demos. Do you want to return to the motherhouse?’

‘No,’ she replied. ‘I’ll go with Sparhawk just in case this Styric who’s been watching him tries to follow us. I should be able to deal with that without resorting to murder.’

‘All right, then,’ Vanion said, rising to his feet. ‘Sparhawk, you and Kalten go and see to the wagons and the building materials. I’ll go to the palace and lie a little bit. As soon as I get back, we’ll all leave.’

‘And what would you like me to do, Vanion?’ Sephrenia asked him.

He smiled. ‘Why don’t you have another cup of tea, Sephrenia?’

‘Thank you, Vanion. I believe I will.’

Chapter 8

The weather had turned cold, and the sullen afternoon sky was spitting pellets of hard-frozen snow. A hundred cloaked and black-armoured Pandion Knights rode at a jingling trot through the heavily forested region near the Arcian border with Sparhawk and Sephrenia in the lead. They had been travelling for five days.

Sparhawk glanced up at the sky and reined in the black horse he was riding. The horse reared, pawing at the air with his front hooves. ‘Oh, stop that,’ Sparhawk told him irritably.

‘He’s very enthusiastic, isn’t he?’ Sephrenia said.

‘He’s also not very bright. I’ll be glad when we catch up with Kalten and I can get Faran back.’

‘Why are we stopping?’

‘It’s close to evening, and that grove over there seems to be fairly clear of undergrowth. We may as well set up our night’s encampment here.’ He raised his voice then, calling back over his shoulder. ‘Sir Parasim,’ he shouted.

The young knight with the butter-coloured hair rode forward. ‘Yes, my Lord Sparhawk?’ he said in his light tenor voice.

‘We’ll stop for the night here,’ Sparhawk told him. ‘As soon as the wagons get here, set up Sephrenia’s tent for her and see to it that she has everything she needs.’

‘Of course, my Lord.’

The sky had turned a chill purple by the time Sparhawk had overseen the setting up of their encampment and had posted sentries. He walked past the tents and the flickering cooking fires to join Sephrenia at the small fire before her tent, which was set slightly apart from the rest of the camp. He smiled when he saw her ever-present tea-kettle hanging from a metal tripod which she had set over the flames.

‘Something amusing, Sparhawk?’ she asked.

‘No,’ he said. ‘Not really.’ He looked back towards the youthful knights moving around their cooking fires. ‘They all seem so young,’ he said almost as if to himself, ‘hardly more than boys.’

‘That’s the nature of things, Sparhawk. The old make the decisions, and the young carry them out.’

‘Was I ever that young?’

She laughed. ‘Oh yes, dear Sparhawk,’ she told him. ‘You couldn’t begin to believe how young you and Kalten were when you came to me for your first lessons. I felt as if a pair of babies had been placed in my care.’

He made a rueful face. ‘I guess that answers that question, doesn’t it?’ He held out his hands to the warmth of her fire. ‘It’s a cold night. I think my blood thinned out while I was in Jiroch. I haven’t been really warm since I came back to Elenia. Did Parasim bring you your supper?’

‘Yes. He’s a very nice boy, isn’t he?’

Sparhawk laughed. ‘He’d probably be offended if he heard you say that.’

‘It’s the truth, isn’t it?’

‘Of course, but he’d be offended all the same. Young knights are always sensitive.’

‘Have you ever heard him sing?’

‘Once. In chapel.’

‘He has a glorious voice, doesn’t he?’

Sparhawk nodded. ‘I don’t think he really belongs in a militant order. A regular monastery would probably suit his temperament better.’ He looked around, then stepped outside the circle of firelight, dragged a log to the side of the fire, and covered it with his cloak. ‘It’s not exactly an easy chair,’ he apologized, ‘but it’s better than sitting on the ground.’

‘Thank you, Sparhawk.’ She smiled. ‘That was very thoughtful of you.’

‘I do have a few manners, I suppose.’ He looked at her gravely. ‘This is going to be a hard journey for you, I’m afraid.’

‘I can endure it, my dear.’

‘Perhaps, but don’t go out of your way to be unnecessarily brave. If you get tired or cold, don’t hesitate to say something to me.’

‘I’ll be just fine, Sparhawk. Styrics are a hardy people.’

‘Sephrenia,’ he said then, ‘how long will it be until the twelve knights who were in the throne room with you begin to die?’

‘That’s really impossible to say, Sparhawk.’

‘Will you know – each time it happens, I mean?’

‘Yes. At the moment, I’m the one to whom their swords will be delivered.’

‘Their swords?’

‘The swords were the instruments of the spell, and they symbolize the burden that must be passed on.’