Manfred shook his head. ‘Nothing that clever, sorry to admit. The palace is lousy with bolt-holes and passages, but the old city walls are just solid stone with a few storage houses built in. We’ll have to wait, and when morning comes, if we must, we might be able to sally forth and seize the eastern gate closest to the citadel, letting our army in.’
Erik said, ‘We have a long afternoon and a longer night ahead, Manfred.’
Manfred said, ‘Highness?’
Patrick remained calm in the face of all the ill news. ‘I need a situation report as quickly as you can get one to me. You and Erik find out how many of our men made it back, how many we think might still be out in the city fighting, and what we need to do to defend this citadel. Food and water are not problems, as this matter will be decided within one day.’
Erik and Manfred both rose, bowed to the Prince, and departed. Outside, Manfred said, ‘I know the disposition of the units assigned to the castle, so I’ll start there. You head down to the courtyard and see who got here, and get them organized.’
Erik smiled. ‘M’lord.’
Manfred looked at Erik. ‘Mother always feared you’d attempt to usurp the office of Baron. Right now I’ll give it to you.’
Erik smiled. ‘No thanks. Then I’d be the one to have to climb all those stairs to the towers.’
‘As I suspected, a practical man.’ Manfred turned to quickly climb the steps to the next level of the keep, while Erik headed down toward the courtyard.
Suddenly it went quiet.
Pug held up his hand and tilted his head as if listening.
Then the demon stood in the room.
Nakor whispered, ‘I didn’t know demons could transport themselves.’
‘Or time-shift,’ added Miranda.
Then the demon realized he wasn’t alone in the cavern. A roar that rattled the rock walls, causing dust to fall from cracks in the ceiling, shook everyone to their bones.
Pug unleashed his first spell, while Tomas interposed himself between his son and the monster.
Crackling blue energies sprang up around Jakan, who howled. But he wasn’t screaming from pain but rather in outrage at what he saw before him, Calis manipulating the Iifestone, freeing the trapped energies within.
‘No!’ the beast bellowed in the tongue of Novindus. ‘It is mine!’
To Pug, Jakan resembled Maarg, but a leaner, more muscular-looking version. There were no accumulated rolls of fat, nor was he covered in as many tortured skins of his victims. Pug noticed that his tail was pointed, lacking the serpent’s head Maarg had possessed.
Jakan struck out at Tomas, but Tomas had reflexively put up his white shield, causing the mighty blow to skid along the surface, leaving no mark on the golden dragon embossed upon it. Then Tomas’s blade slashed out, and Jakan howled as he drew back, a venomous red-black poison dripping from his wound. It hissed and smoked where it hit the stones.
Miranda sent a stream of energies toward the creature and struck him hard enough to move him a little to his left. Tomas seized the moment to strike while Jakan turned to see from where the new attack came. Tomas’s blade bit deep in the creature’s right thigh, and Jakan lashed out with his right hand, claws the size of daggers swiping at Tomas.
Tomas turned the attack and thrust, again drawing poisonous blood.
‘Press the attack!’ cried Nakor.
Pug loosed a bolt of energy, a blue spear of light that passed through the demon’s wing, ripping a hole the size of a man’s fist. The demon stepped back, his wings brushing against the stone wall of the cavern, and lashed out again at Tomas.
Tomas stepped back, preferring to dodge the blow rather than attempt to block it.
The creature hung back, obviously confused by the sudden opposition. Then Nakor shouted, ‘It’s healing!’
Pug watched and saw that the first wound Tomas had caused was closing rapidly.
Nakor said, ‘The Lifestone! It’s healing the wounds.’
Pug calculated. Calis had reduced the stone to less than a third its original size, and it appeared that the diminution was accelerating, giving him hope they would be done with this trial in less than an hour, but that meant keeping the creature at bay until Calis was finished. Pug turned to Miranda and said, ‘Rest. Tomas and I will try to keep this creature away from Calis until we’re done. If one of us falters, you must take over.’
He turned and hurried to stand as close as he dared to the monster, and he crossed his wrists. A stunning bolt of red light shot out, striking Jakan hard enough in the face to slam him back into the wall.
Tomas didn’t hesitate. He hurried forward and delivered a murderous backhand slash with his sword, cutting deep into the creature’s leg and sending a gout of poisonous blood spurting across the stones. The blood smoked upon contact and a stench of rotting things filled the air.
Jakan howled in a murderous rage and leaped at Tomas. Tomas tried to move back and succeeded in getting far enough distant that the demon didn’t land atop him, but it put Jakan close enough that he could attempt to seize Calis.