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“Time to own up to my word,” Bull observed with a nervous laugh. “When I signed up I swore I’d follow the Mhor anywhere, and I guess he’s decided to take me up on it.”
Seriene stepped a little way from the soldiers, stopping in front of a black crevice in the rock. Facing the dark opening, she began to chant softly under her breath, her hands crooked into strange gestures. Gaelin wondered just how powerful a sorceress she was; it certainly seemed that this was no casual enchantment she wove. In a moment, the shadows between the stones suddenly grew darker and more tangible, seeming to writhe and flutter of their own volition as the princess finished her spell. Over her shoulder, she said, “Follow me, and stay close. You don’t want to get lost on the other side.” Then she stepped into the darkness and was gone, as if the gloom had swallowed her alive.
Gaelin hesitated. For a moment he wrestled with his fear, but then he realized that Seriene was waiting, alone on the other side. Steeling himself, he stepped forward quickly and followed, letting the darkness embrace him.
Within two days of setting the siege, the Ghoeran artillerists had small engines ready for firing, and the great trebuchets were rising at a slow but steady pace.
Of course, the heaviest of boulders did little to earthen ramparts, such as those the Mhoriens had raised to bolster their defenses. Tuorel had already attempted one impetuous assault in the dark of night. The Mhoriens had repelled the attack after an hour of hard fighting. The baron’s temper showed signs of fraying already; he muttered to himself and paced anxiously as he waited for Ba
Ba
“By all appearances, you intend to fling brandy casks at the Mhoriens in the hope of getting them drunk,” drawled Baehemon.
“What agent is so noxious that a single blow from a tiny cask will bring the Mhoriens’ defenses crumbling to the ground?”
Ba
“So? What is it?” Tuorel turned, locking his eyes on Ba
“You have heard of the hell-powder used by Khinasi wizards?”
“Aye. It causes a great burst of flame and smoke, shattering anything near. But I’ve heard that you need a great hogshead of the stuff to damage a castle or knock down a gate.”
Ba
And its power is augmented many times by the spells I’ve laid upon the vessel. The results should be spectacular.”
Baehemon waved one hand at the Mhorien lines. “I still see no gates to breach with your hell-powder, wizard.”
With a shrug, Ba
Tuorel gri
Ba
The cask began to descend toward the low earthen battlements, quickly vanishing against the background of dark hills.
Then a colossal explosion in the center of the line threw a column of dirt a hundred feet or more into the air, with a mighty roar that slapped at their faces even from several hundred yards away. Stones and timbers rained down around the Mhoried lines. The captain standing next to Ba
They waited for the smoke and dust to dissipate enough to survey the damage. A light drizzle helped settle the plume, and within a few minutes they could see that a ten-yard section of the earthworks was simply gone, blown to nothing.
Even as the ringing echoes of the blast died, they could hear the cries of consternation drifting from the Mhorien lines. “A well-aimed shot, Captain,” said Ba
“Thank you, my lord. It was tricky, with such a light projectile.”
The officer signaled to his men, who started the tedious process of realigning the siege engine. Two more artillerists brought up another of Ba
Tuorel leaped up on top of the earthworks, to gain a better view. He smacked one fist into the other. “Excellent, Ba
Afew more missiles like that, and their rampart will be completely untenable! We will prepare for another assault at sundown!”
Ba
“You’re not staying to watch?”
“I am afraid I have an engagement elsewhere,” Ba
“Ba
“Ilwyn? She is mine, by the terms of our agreement.”
“I know, I don’t dispute that. I ask because Count Dhalsiel of Mhoried has asked me about her.”
“Surely you couldn’t care less what Cuille Dhalsiel thinks?”
Tuorel looked out over the battlefield. “You may recall that I secured his neutrality with a false promise. If he realizes that I lied to him, he hasn’t dared to speak his mind. He knows his place now.”
“So, what did you tell him?”
“I told him that she was your captive, and I had nothing to do with her fate.” Tuorel returned his attention to Ba
“He has guessed that the Mhoried bloodline is your prize, but he wanted me to ask you to consider stripping her of the bloodline through divestiture, instead of killing her outright.”
Ba
Tuorel nodded. “Very well.” He watched Ba
The cold drew Gaelin’s breath away as he stumbled through the door into darkness. All around him were shadows and a bone-numbing chill, but then Seriene’s hand caught his arm, and she moved him away from the door.