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h Gate？
〃Ah； my king；〃 rasped a familiar voice； 〃are you taking a little air？ I could wish you a better day for it。〃
Pryrates stood in the curtained archway behind the balcony； teeth bared in a vulpine grin。 The priest wore a great hooded cloak over his usual scarlet robe。
〃I am glad to see you here；〃 Elias said。 〃I hope you are rested after your long journey yesterday。〃
〃Yes； Highness。 It was an unsettling trip； but a night in my own bed in Hjeldin's Tower has done wonders。 I am ready to do your bidding。〃 The priest made a little mock bow； the top of his pale bald head revealed for a moment like a new moon before he straightened and looked to Guthwulf。 〃And the Earl of Utanyeat。 Good morningtide to you； Guthwulf。 I hear you are riding forth in the king's behalf。〃
Guthwulf looked at Pryrates with cold distaste。 〃Against your advice； I am told。〃
The alchemist shrugged； as if to show that his personal reservations were of little account。 〃I do think there are perhaps more important matters with which His Majesty should concern himself than a search for his brother。 Josua's power was broken at Naglimund： I see little need in pursuing him。 Like a seed on stony ground； I think he will find no purchase； no place to grow strong。 No one would dare flaunt the High King's Ward by giving such a renegade shelter。〃 He shrugged again。 〃But I am only a counselor。 The king knows his own mind。〃
Elias； staring down at the quiet assembly in the courtyard below； seemed to have ignored the entire conversation。 He rubbed absently at the iron crown on his brow； as though it caused him some disfort。 Guthwulf thought the king's skin had a sickly； transparent look。
〃Strange days；〃 Elias said； half to himself。 〃Strange days 。 。 。〃
〃Strange days indeed；〃 Guthwulf agreed； drawn to reckless conversation。 〃Priest； I hear you were in the Sancellan on the very night of the lector's assassination。〃
Pryrates nodded soberly。 〃A ghastly thing。 Some mad cult of heretics； I hear。 I hope Velligis； the new lector； will soon root them out。〃
〃Ranessin will be missed；〃 Guthwulfsaid slowly。 〃He was a popular and well…respected man； even among those who do not accept the True Faith。〃
〃Yes； he was a powerful man；〃 Pryrates said。 His black eyes glinted as he gazed sidelong at the king。 Elias still did not look up； but an expression of pain seemed to flit across his pallid features。 〃A very powerful man；〃 the red priest repeated。
〃My people do not seem happy；〃 the king murmured； leaning out against the stone railing。 The scabbard of his massive double…hiked sword scraped the stone and Guthwulf suppressed a shudder。 The dreams that still haunted him； the dreams of that foul sword and its two brother blades！
Pryrates moved forward to the king's side。 The Earl of Utanyeat edged away； unwilling to touch even the alchemist's cloak。 As he turned； he saw a blur of movement from the archway…billowing curtains； a pale face； a dull glint of exposed metal。 An instant later a howling shriek echoed through the courtyard。
〃Murderer！〃
Pryrates staggered back from the railing； a knife handle standing between his shoulder blades。
The next moments passed with dreadful slowness： the lassitude of Guthwulf s movements and the dull； doomed progression of his thoughts made him feel as though he and all the others on the balcony were suddenly immersed in choking； clinging mud。 The alchemist turned to face his attacker； a wild…eyed old woman who had been thrown down to the stone floor behind him by the priest's spasmodic reaction。 Pryrates' lips skinned back from his teeth in a horrible doglike grin of agony and fury。 His naked fist lifted in the air and a weird gray…yel low glow began to play about it。 Smoke seeped from his fingers and around the knife wag… ging in his back； and for a moment the very light in the sky seemed to dim。 Elias had turned as well； his mouth a black hole of surprise in his face； his eyes bulging with a panicky horror such as Guthwulf had never dreamed he would see on the king's face。 The woman on the floor was scrabbling at the stone tiles as if swimming in some thick fluid； trying to drag herself away from the priest。
Pryrates' black eyes seemed almost to have fallen back into his head。 For a moment； a leering； scarlet…robed skeleton stood over the old woman； bony hand smoldering into incandescence。
Guthwulf never knew what spurred his next action。 A moner had attacked the king's counselor； and the Earl of Utanyeat was King's Hand； nevertheless； he found himself suddenly lurching forward。 The noise of the crowd； the storm； his own heartbeat； all swelled together into a single hammering pulse as Guthwulf grappled with Pryrates。 The priest's spindly form was solid as iron beneath his hands。 Pryrates' head turned； agonizingly slowly。 His eyes burned into Guthwulf's。 The earl felt himself abruptly pulled out of his own body and sent spinning down into a dark pit。 There was a flash of fire and a blast of incredible heat； as though he had fallen into one of the forge…furnaces beneath the great castle； then a howling blackness took him away。
When Guthwulf awakened； he was still in darkness。 His body seemed one dull ache of pain。 Droplets of moisture pattered lightly on his face and the smell of wet stone was in his nostrils。 〃。。。 I did not even see her；〃 a voice was saying。 After a moment； Guthwulf was able to identify it as the king's； although there was a subtle； chiming tone to it that he had not marked before。 〃By God's head； to think that I have bee so slow and preoccupied。〃 The king's laugh had a fearful tinge。 〃I was sure she had e for me。〃
Guthwulf tried to respond to Elias； but found that he could not form the proper sounds。 It was dark； so dark that he could not make out the king's form。 He wondered if he had been brought to his own room； and how long he had been senseless。
〃I saw her；〃 Pryrates rasped。 His voice； too； had taken on a ringing sound。 〃She may have escaped me for a moment； but by the Black Eon； the scrubbing…bitch will pay。〃
Guthwulf； still struggling for speech； found himself amazed that Pryrates should be able to speak at all； let alone be standing while the Earl of Utanyeat lay on the ground。
〃I suppose now I shall have to wait for Fengbald to return before I can send out the Erkynguard…or perhaps one of the younger lords could lead them？〃 The king sighed wearily。 〃Poor Wolf。〃 There seemed in his strangely tuneful voice little sympathy。
〃He should not have touched me；〃 Pryrates said contemptuously。 〃He interfered and the slattern escaped。 Perhaps he was in league with her。〃
〃No； no； 1 do not think so。 He was always loyal。 Always。〃
Poor Wolf？ What； did they think he was dead？ Guthwulf strained to make his muscles work。 Had they brought him to some curtained room to lie in waiting for burial？ He fought for mastery of his body； but all his limbs seemed coldly unresponsive。
A horrible thought came to him suddenly。 Perhaps he was dead…for who； after all； had ever returned to say what it was like？ Only Usires Himself； and he was the son of God。 Oh； merciful Aedon； would he have to stay trapped in his body like a priso