Softly Laurie spoke. “By the gods! A Brother of the Dark Path!” “
Jimmy shifted his weight uncomfortably. “Your Brother Morgan is from a lot farther north than Yabon city, lady,” he whispered. There was no humor in his tone, only fear.
Again came the chill wind from some unknown quarter, and the High Priestess turned toward Arutha. Her eyes were wide with fear and she seemed to speak, but none could hear her words.
The creature on the bed, one of the hated dark cousins to the elves, shrieked in maniacal glee. With a shocking and sudden display of strength, the moredhel ripped one arm free of its bond, then the other. Before the guards could react, it tore free the bonds holding its legs. Instantly the dead thing was on its feet, leaping toward the High Priestess.
The woman stood resolute, a feeling of power radiating from her. She pointed her hand at the creature. “Halt!” The moredhel obeyed. “By my mistress’s power, I command obedience from you who are called. In her domain do you dwell and subject you are to her laws and ministers. By her power do I order you back!”
The moredhel faltered a moment, then with startling quickness reached out and with one hand seized the High Priestess by the throat. In that hollow, distant voice it screamed, “Trouble not my servant, lady. If you love your mistress so dearly, then to her go!”
The High Priestess gripped its wrist, and blue fire sprang to life along the creature’s arm. With a howl of pain it picked her up as if she weighed nothing and hurled her against the wall near Arutha, where she crashed and slid to the floor.
All stood motionless. The transformation of this creature and its unexpected attack upon the High Priestess robbed all in the room of volition. The temple guards were rooted by the sight of their priestess humbled by some dark, otherworld power. Gardan and his men were equally stunned.
With another booming howl of laughter the creature turned toward Arutha. “Now, Lord of the West, we are met, and it is your hour!”
The moredhel swayed upon its feet a moment, then stepped toward Arutha. The temple guards recovered an instant before Gardan’s men. The two black-and-silver-clad soldiers leaped forward, one interposing himself between the advancing moredhel and the stunned priestess, the other attacking the creature. Arutha’s soldiers were only a step behind in preventing the creature from reaching Arutha. Laurie sprang for the door, shouting for the guards without.
The temple guard thrust with his scimitar and impaled the moredhel. Sightless eyes widened, showing red rims, as the creature grinned, a horrid expression of glee. In an instant its hands shot forward and were around the guard’s throat. With a twisting motion it broke the guard’s neck, then tossed him aside. The first of Arutha’s guards to reach the creature struck from the side, a blow that gouged a bloody furrow along its back. With a backhand slap it knocked the guard down. It reached down and pulled the scimitar out of its own chest and with a snarl tossed it aside. As it turned away, Gardan hit it low and from behind. The huge captain encircled the creature with his powerful arms, lifting it from the ground. The creature’s claws raked Gardan’s arms, but still he held it high, preventing its progress toward Arutha. Then the creature kicked backward, its heel striking Gardan in the leg, causing both to fall. The creature rose. As Gardan tried to reach it again, he stumbled over the body of the fallen temple guard.
The door flew open as Laurie tossed aside the inner bar, and palace and temple guards raced past the singer. The creature was within a sword’s thrust of Arutha when the first guard tackled it from behind, followed an instant later by two more. The temple guards joined their lone fellow in forming a defense around the unconscious High Priestess. Arutha’s guards joined in the assault upon the moredhel. Gardan recovered from his fall and rushed to Arutha’s side. “Leave, Highness. We can hold it here by weight of numbers.”
Arutha, with sword ready, said, “How long, Gardan? How can you stop a creature already dead?”
Jimmy the Hand backed away from Arutha’s side, edging toward the door. He couldn’t take his eyes from the knot of writhing bodies. Guards hammered at the creature with hilts and fists, seeking to bludgeon it into submission. Hands and faces were sticky red as the creature’s claws raked out again and again.