The dwarf and Knight-Adamant leapt over the side into thigh high water for Farson, which was chest high for Kendra, and four powerful arms hauled the boat safely into the sand. Sandreena let out a long sigh of relief. She had trusted in the Goddess to bring them safely here, but she had never been completely free of doubt. ‘Get your armour,’ she instructed as she picked up her gear.
On the beach they quickly rearmed themselves and when all were ready, Sandreena led them up the small path that ran from the castle until it reached the top of the bluffs, where it split, one path heading into the heart of the island, the other towards the beach.
No one hailed them; there was no sign that their landing had even been observed, yet Sandreena knew Pug was aware she approached, or if he was not home, then whoever he’d left in charge. She was tired to her bones, but energized by at last reaching her goal.
When she entered the courtyard to the ancient looking castle, she found a familiar face. She had met young magician, Jason, on her previous visit to the island. ‘Sandreena,’ he said with a warm smile. ‘I am to see to your needs.’
‘These two need food, clean clothing, and rest,’ she replied, introducing Farson and Kendra. ‘I need to speak to Pug at once.’
He inclined his head and with a wave of his hand summoned another young man who had been standing at the door of the keep. He took Kendra and Farson and led them into the keep while Jason said, ‘Are you certain you wouldn’t rather rest first, too? If you don’t mind me saying so, you look a little in need of it.’
She smiled. ‘I look like I need a lot of it, you mean.’ She shook her head. ‘No, talk now, rest after.’
He turned and said, ‘Very well. Follow me, please.’ He led her into the keep and then across the main floor where she could see Samantha hard at work over a massive kettle of stew. The plump woman smiled, hurried over and threw her arms around Sandreena’s neck, almost knocking her over.
Sandreena was so tired she could barely laugh, but she hugged her old friend back and said, ‘I take it this means Brandos is still here?’
‘Yes,’ said Samantha. ‘And Amirantha.’
‘Good,’ said Sandreena, to Samantha’s obvious surprise.
‘Good?’
‘He may be a bastard, but we need his knowledge. I’ve got to go. I’ll catch up with you later.’ They hugged once more and Sandreena found Jason waiting. He led her through a door and up a winding staircase to a tower. ‘Through there,’ he said.
Sandreena opened the door, expecting to see Pug and perhaps Magnus and Amirantha waiting, but instead the room was now empty. ‘What?’ she asked.
‘Step through that portal,’ said Jason from behind.
That’s when she noticed the tiny ripple in the air, like a heat shimmer. She nodded and walked into it.
Suddenly she was somewhere else. The room was huge, well furnished, and there were two dozen people sitting around a semi-circle of benches. Facing that semi-circle was a table behind which Pug, Magnus, and Amirantha waited.
‘Sandreena,’ said Pug, standing to welcome her. ‘We had word you were approaching the island.’
She nodded, suddenly wishing she had taken up Jason’s offer, for she was filthy, smelled of horse, sea-salt, and sweat, and now stood in the midst of what was obviously a very important meeting. Pug motioned for her to take a seat at the end of the table next to Magnus and she complied.
Pug said, ‘That is all that we have for you now. Please go back to your designated tasks, but be ready. The call may come any moment.’
The score or more of people who sat in the semi-circle stood, and several of them winked out of sight instantly. A couple of others vanished moments later, while the others filed out one at a time through another invisible portal. Finally, Sandreena was left alone with Magnus, Pug and Amirantha.
‘You have something to tell us?’ asked Pug.
Sandreena nodded. ‘Creegan has gone to Rillanon, expecting to be named Grand Master of the Order. He left me in charge in Krondor and then left me with this report—’—she looked at Pug with suspicion—‘—which I’ll warrant you’ve read.’
‘A copy,’ said Pug.
‘There was no one else I could trust to investigate, so I went myself.’
‘What did you find?’ asked Pug.
‘Very few answers. Many more questions. I’ll tell you in detail, but first I need to know, did I just walk into a meeting of the Conclave?’
Pug nodded slowly. ‘The end of a meeting.’
‘There are more of you than I thought.’
‘There are more of us than we want people to know, even our friends in some cases. But it was necessary to call them here.’ Pug stood up.
‘To brief them?’ asked Sandreena, rising as well.
‘No, to instruct them,’ said Pug. ‘Those you saw are the leaders of groups we have hidden all over the world. But we must begin to marshal our resources.’
‘Marshal?’ asked Sandreena, fatigue making her mind sluggish and uncertain of what she was hearing.
‘We’re going to war,’ Amirantha said. ‘And it’s going to be the bloodiest, nastiest fight this world has ever seen.’
Sandreena sat back down.
‘It should be near here,’ said Gulamendis.
‘How do you know?’ asked Laromendis.