Calis said, “Erik, you were a smith. How best to destroy this armor?”
Erik picked up the breastplate, a shimmering thing of green metal with a serpent depicted in bas-relief upon it. As he touched it, strange images, haunting music, and an alien rage flooded through him. He dropped it to the floor. It rang as it struck the stone. “I don’t know if it can be destroyed, at least by normal means,” said Erik. “To forge metal, great heat is needed; great heat can also rob steel of its temper. If we could build a hot enough fire . . .”
Looking around, Calis said, “What can we burn . . . ?” Then he collapsed, and Bobby lowered him to the floor.
Looking at Erik, he shouted for Alfred. When the corporal reached them, de Loungville said, “To my distress, I find myself suddenly in command. At this moment, I would appreciate any suggestions either of you might have.”
Alfred said, “We should get the hell out of here, Sergeant Major. That door won’t hold much longer.”
“What about these damned things?” Bobby asked Erik.
Erik tried to think as quickly as he could. “I know nothing of this magic business. I know armor, horses, and fighting.” Then he continued, “All I know about these things is Miranda’s warning not to let them come into contact with one another. If each man wrapped a single item, we might bring them with us. At least that would keep them out of their hands.” He indicated the thudding door.
“Do it.”
Erik gave orders and the men grabbed tapestries and wrapped the armor, jewelry, and other objects in cloth. Erik said, “Each man is to watch those around him. If any other man looks . . . different—lost, confused, or distracted—tell me at once!”
He distributed the items among different men, no one man carrying anything, no matter how small, without another standing next to him. De Loungville said, “You start. I’ll follow. If they don’t break in the door, I’ll leave in ten minutes.”
“See if you can jam this other door after you get through it,” suggested Erik.
“Get out of here,” said de Loungville with a mocking smile.
Erik lit a torch and hurriedly led the men carrying the artifacts through the second door. A flight of stairs led up into the gloom and he began climbing.
Nakor lay under a tree dozing when he suddenly sat up. Glancing around, he saw Sho Pi sitting a short distance away, watching him. The mad beggar also sat watching him.
“What is it?” asked Nakor.
“I didn’t wish to disturb you, Master, so I waited; Lord Vencar has arrived. The Prince has sent him to take control here.”
“Not that,” said Nakor, standing. “Didn’t you feel it?”
“Feel what, master?”
Nakor said, “Never mind. We’re leaving.”
Sho Pi also stood. “Where are we going?”
“I don’t know. Krondor, I think. Maybe up to Elvandar. It depends.”
Sho Pi followed Nakor as he hurried toward the large building that dominated the island. Near the building, the mad beggar hurried off toward the kitchen. The bandy-legged Isalani gambler entered the building and headed straight to the central hall, where he found a well-dressed man sitting at the head of the table, Kalied, Chalmes, and the other magicians sitting there as well.
The Earl of the Court said, “And you must be Nakor.”
Nakor said, “I must be. I have to tell you a couple of things. To begin with, these here are all liars.”
The other magicians gasped or objected, but Nakor simply kept talking. “They don’t mean to be, but they’ve become so used to doing things in secret they can’t help themselves. Don’t believe anything they say. But otherwise they mean well.”
Arutha, Lord Vencar, began to laugh. “Father said you were remarkable.”
“I think Lord James is pretty unusual, too,” said Nakor. “Hell of a card player.” He winked. “Only man I’ve ever met who could cheat me at cards. I admire that.”
Arutha said, “Well, we can talk about this over supper.”
“No we can’t,” said Nakor. “I’ve got to leave.”
Arutha, who looked something like his father but with lighter hair, said, “This minute?”
“Yes.” Nakor turned toward the door. “Tell these stubborn dolts that something really bad is going to happen soon and they’d better stop fooling around and get serious about helping the Kingdom or there won’t be any point to anything anymore. I’ll be back in a while.”
If the Prince of Krondor’s representative had anything more to say, Nakor didn’t hear it as he turned down a hallway and almost ran, he was walking so fast.
Sho Pi said, “Master, I thought you said we were leaving.”
“We are,” replied Nakor as he started to climb a flight of stairs.
“But this isn’t the way to the docks. This is the way to—”
“Pug’s tower. I know.”