The Warlock sat up and closed his eyes. He barely raised his right hand, but Brandos instantly recognized a summoning. This was hardly the time or place to call forth a demon, but the old fighter trusted Amirantha’s instincts; they had come close to getting him killed on a number of occasions, but had saved his life countless times.
A faint ‘pop’ heralded the appearance of a tiny figure, about knee-high. It was the imp Nalnar, oldest of the Warlock’s summoned creatures. When persuading the gullible to part with their gold, Brandos and Amirantha had relied on half a dozen summoned beings, all possessing different abilities to amaze and terrorize, but few who posed any real danger.
The dark-skinned imp - his hue shifting from deep blue to purple depending on the light - was the most intelligent. His bright yellow eyes with their black irises regarded Amirantha from under flame-red brows. He grinned, revealing an array of razor-sharp teeth, and pointed one taloned finger at the Warlock. ‘You have summoned me, Master. I waiting your bidding, Master.’
The secretary looked up from his desk at the unusual sound of the imp’s voice, and his eyes widened. Amirantha pointed to Kaspar’s office and said, ‘Beyond those doors resides a man of importance. He is General Kaspar, Chancellor to the Maharajah of Muboya. Bear to him a message, that I, Amirantha of Satumbria, seek an audience, for I bring a dire warning and need to speak with him now.’ Lowering his voice, he said, ‘Can you remember that, Nalnar?’
‘I remember, Master,’ said the imp as it leapt away, reaching a window in two bounds.
The secretary at the desk stood and shouted, ‘Guards!’
Instantly, the guards from the corners of the large antechamber and by the doors raced to see what the problem was, as Amirantha calmly sat back down on the bench. Brandos looked on with some amusement as the secretary tried to explain how he saw the two men now sitting quietly on the bench conspire to make a tiny blue man appear who then leapt out of the window.
Unsure what to do next, the secretary ordered the guards to subdue the men on the bench, which confused the guard sergeant even more, as the two men hardly appeared in need of subduing. It was then that the secretary realized that the next window provided access to the General’s offices, and said, ‘Quick! Inside! Protect his Excellency.’
The guards hurried through the door, the frantic secretary only a step behind them. Brandos and Amirantha exchanged glances, stood slowly and followed the excited man into the General’s meeting room.
Kaspar of Olasko, General of the Armies of Muboya, and the King’s Chancellor, sat behind his desk, while the imp Nalnar sat quietly eating baked corn wafers and cheese from a large plate. The General had pushed his chair back, obviously startled at first, but now calmly observed the imp at his meal.
The guards stood uncertain, while the secretary shouted, ‘Excellency, are you safe?’
‘Safe enough it appears,’ said Kaspar. He was a round-faced man but otherwise slender and fit. His hair had turned steel grey over the years, but he once again affected the chin whiskers he had sported in his youth, keeping his upper lip and sideburns shaven. His mouth was set in a tight, slightly amused expression that conveyed his annoyance at the interruption, but also that he found the novelty of it intriguing.
It was clear he saw nothing remotely threatening in the situation, it came in the window a moment ago and leapt upon my desk. Then it started eating my lunch.’
Amirantha and Brandos exchanged knowing glances. Nalnar had a particular weakness for cheese.
As the imp ate with single-mindedness, Kaspar waved away the guards, ‘I think I’m safe,’ he observed.
The secretary, still hysterical, shouted, ‘Arrest those men!’ pointing at Amirantha and Brandos.
With a single wave of his hand, Kaspar aborted their attempt, is this yours?’ he said to Amirantha, pointing at Nalnar.
‘In a manner of speaking,’ replied the Warlock.
With another wave, Kaspar dismissed the guards and secretary. After they left, Amirantha and Brandos noticed a man cowering in the corner. Kaspar rose to address the man. ‘Lord Mora, perhaps it would be best if we continued our discussion on another day.’
The man stood slowly, nodding vigorously but still unable or unwilling to speak. He quickly exited the room, leaving Kaspar alone with the imp and two strangers. ‘Now,’ said Kaspar, ‘what am I to make of all this?’
Amirantha’s eyes closed in exasperation. ‘Nalnar!’
The imp jumped at his name. ‘Master?’ he hissed.
‘The message?’
Abashed, the imp lowered his head and said, ‘Amirantha of the Satumbria seeks an audience, for he has a dire warnings and needs speak with you now.’
‘You forgot?’
‘He had cheese,’ pleaded the imp.
Brandos shrugged, it could have been worse. It could have been a plate of muffins.’
‘Muffins,’ agreed Amirantha.
‘Muffins!’ shrieked the imp as he started to look around the room.
Amirantha held out one hand and said, ‘Thou art dismissed, minion!’
The imp faded out of view and the Warlock said, ‘My lord Kaspar, I apologize, but I’ve been waiting outside those doors for three days—’