At once, Solon crouched. Jazhara pointed her staff upward and unleashed a blast of green fire. The flames danced along the stone ceiling and two more vampires fell, writhing in burning agony.
James found himself struggling against the strongest foe he had ever grappled with. The Vampire Lord was only the size of a tall man, but his hands gripped James’s chin and turned his head as easily as James might have turned a child’s head. As hard as he tried, James could not resist. His neck muscles felt as if they were being ripped apart, and he tried desperately to keep his head turned toward his foe. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the creature’s fangs, and realized with horror that he was about to have his throat ripped out.
Frantically, he tried to convulse his body to buy himself a moment of freedom, but the Vampire Lord had the strength of three men. Then he saw Solon appear behind the vampire. The powerful monk gripped the monster by his long flowing hair and yanked his head back. James heard Jazhara shout, “Close your eyes!”
Jabbing with the end of her staff, Jazhara smashed the Vampire Lord right in the mouth. His eyes opened wide with surprise and he froze for a moment as if appalled by this unexpected attack.
Then Jazhara uttered a quick phrase and energy exploded from the tip of her staff. The creature’s head erupted in a gout of white flame, and the room rilled with the stench of burning flesh.
The Vampire Lord rose howling and Jazhara pulled her staff free. James scrambled backward the instant he felt the weight lift from his body.
Kendaric hurried over and with careful aim threw his weight behind his blade, and in a single circular motion sheared the creature’s head from its body. The Vampire Lord’s body fell like a stone.
Kendaric looked as if he was going to be sick.
James said, “Thank you; all of you.” Looking at Kendaric, he added, “Cut off the hand.”
Kendaric shook his head and reversed the blade, holding it out to James. “If you don’t mind, you do it. I don’t think I have it in me anymore.” Then his eyes rolled up into his skull and he fell to the floor in a faint.
Later that afternoon, they took their ease at the inn. James savored a bitter, refreshing draught of ale, while trying to ignore the pain in his wrenched neck.
“What now?” asked Kendaric, still embarrassed at having fainted.
“We wait until morning,” said James. “We are all tired and in need of rest. Then at first light we’ll try to raise the ship. If it fails, we’ll know Hilda was right and it’s not just the Vampire Lord but whatever’s down there in that temple.”
“What about help?” asked Kendaric.
“I’ll send for the garrison down in Miller’s Rest in the morning. They’ll be here in two days.”
“Do we wait?” asked Solon.
“No, we’ll explore the old temple. I’ve done that sort of thing a few times before. It’s unlikely there’s anyone down there. If there were, someone from the village would have seen something before this recent outbreak of trouble.”
Jazhara sipped her ale, then said, “I am still disturbed by two things.”
James nodded. “Who’s behind all this?”
“Yes,” said the magician. “It’s clear that someone wants to keep this area isolated and allow his minions to seize the prize.” She glanced around to see if any of the locals in the inn could overhear her. “The Tear,” she said softly.
“What’s the other thing that troubles you, lady?” asked Solon.
“Where are William and the Krondorian Guard?” Jazhara said.
James understood the double reference at once, for while Solon and Kendaric would assume she was concerned only about Bear’s whereabouts, he knew she also was worried about William’s safety.
James sipped his ale. He thought about those two issues and realized he was just as troubled as Jazhara by them.
FIFTEEN - Two Fangs
William watched.
Just above the top of distant trees, he could see Two Fangs Pass, silhouetted in black relief by the rising sun. Two large rocks, one to each side of the trail, rose up like a viper’s fangs, giving the place its name. On either side of the fangs two clearings could be seen. As he faced north, William could see that a stand of thick forest bordered the right-hand clearing and rose up the hillside. On the left, a clearing topped a cliff overlooking a deep river gorge.
“Are they here already, do you think?” asked Sergeant Hartag.
“I can feel it in my bones,” replied William. “Tonight’s the new Small Moon and this is the morning the Grey Talons were supposed to lead us to the slaughter.”
“We did the best we could getting here, Will,” said Hartag. “If we’d pushed any more the horses would be dead and the men couldn’t fight.”
“Well, at least we know we’re in for a fight and they’re out there somewhere.”
“How do we play it?” asked the sergeant.