Stealer of Flesh

When he heard the strange knock, Kormak rose grasped the poker and walked over to the door. He unbarred the door and was not entirely surprised to see the Lady Kathea standing there. She had a night-light in her hand.

“May I come in?” she asked. Her hair was unbound. There were traces of cosmetics on her face. The pupils of her eyes seemed very large and reflected the light she held.

“This is your home.” She took that as an assent and walked by him, close enough so that he could smell her perfume. The fabric of her long dress brushed against him as she walked. She went over to the fire and stood beside it.

“So they have asked you to help them?” she said.

“Lady?”

She turned and looked at him over her shoulder. “They have asked you to help them with the ancient prison they have found. The one with the demon in it.”

Kormak just looked at her, not sure where this was going. She spoke to fill the silence as he had known she would.

“I am curious. Will you help them? Are you tempted?”

“How do you know what your husband seeks?”

“Because he is my husband. I know what he dwells upon. I know his obsessions. I know the books of poetry he reads. I know what he dreams of. He was not the sort of man who would seek glory on a battlefield but this represents glory of another sort.”

“You think he wants glory?”

“I think he dreams a dream that has been dreamt by others in the past, never to good effect.”

“You do not approve?”

“At first I thought it was a fancy, like many of his others. He has developed some obsessions in the past, Sir Kormak. With alchemy, with ancient books and lore. I can see now that all of those obsessions led him to this. I never really expected it to go anywhere. But then his agents located that flask and the wizard and he seems determined to go ahead with his plan.”

“And you think I should help him?”

“I think he will proceed whether you help him or not.”

“I sense you do not approve of this.”

“It is madness, Sir Kormak. Surely you can see this? The others, they do not. They are all caught up in it. Lord Tomas can be a very persuasive man. We are in a world where he commands everything and a long way from anywhere else. This place has its own deceptive reality. It swallows you up, devours all common sense if you stay long enough.”

“Except in your case, apparently.”

She smiled sadly. “You don’t believe me?”

“I am wondering why you have chosen to confide your doubts in me, so soon after the matter was discussed with your husband. It seems a trifle convenient.”

“You are a very suspicious man.”

“Being so has helped keep me alive.”

“I am sure that is the case, given the life you lead.”

“I will not be allowed to leave here alive if I do not aid your husband. Telling you I planned not to help him would undoubtedly shorten my life.”

“You think I will report what you say to my husband? Is that what you think?” There was anger in her voice. She moved closer to him, looked up into his eyes. Their bodies were almost touching.

“Won’t you?” She swallowed but her face was calm. Her lips were slightly parted. With her head held back he could not help but notice the way her hair tumbled down her back.

“I doubt it would make much difference. My husband has given his word not to harm you and I am sure he will keep it.”

“Telling me anything different would be foolish.”

“You do not know Tomas like I do. He is a man who keeps his word. Even if he was not, he fears the vengeance of your order. A man who plans to live forever would be foolish to court the enmity of an organisation with the will and the power to terminate his unending existence.”

“People are rarely so logical when they are afraid.”

“My husband is.”

“You are saying that if I tell him I would not help, he will let me go?”

“I said he would not kill you. I suspect he would hold you here until he has achieved his goal. I also think he would borrow the use of your sword and your amulets. My husband is a bold man in his own way, and a wealthy one, and he is used to getting his way.”

There was something in the way she said it that made him realise she resented her husband very much. He suspected that she was probably telling him the truth as she saw it as well.

“You know this and you think I should try and stop him?”

“I have read of Solareon and his war with the Ghul. That flask was sealed for a reason. You know that and I know that. Tomas knows it too. He just chooses to ignore it because he believes he is immune to the consequences that normal mortals must face. And why should he not? For all of his life he has been.”

“Let us, for the sake of argument, assume that I believe you. How am I supposed to stop your husband, when I am weak and he has a keep full of men at arms, and a sorcerer at his disposal? I suspect your husband has some skill in that field as well.”

“Tarsus is old and weak and not long for this world.”

“All the more reason for him to seek the secrets of immortality. He is in desperate need of them. He wants what that amphora can give him.”

“Wanting something and having the strength to seize it are two different things,” she said. She let her dress slip from her shoulder. She was naked beneath and very beautiful. She moved closer. Her breasts flattened against his chest. She put a finger on his lips. He reached forward and grabbed her lush hair with his fist and twisted. She stood on her tip-toes, a faint moan emerged from her parted lips. She simply looked into his eyes knowingly.

He threw her on the bed and pushed his weight down on top of her. She welcomed him willingly.


“Why do you hate your husband?” Kormak asked, as they lay naked on the bed. She smiled at him lazily.

“Is that what you think this is about?”

“Isn’t it?”

She looked away. The fire had died down. “In part, I suppose. My husband bought me from my brother, in return for my brother’s position as his factor. I was just another thing he collected and then lost interest in. Now I am here, in this isolated place, where no one knows me or respects me, with a man whose indifference is worse than dislike. I am a prisoner here, Sir Kormak, in much the same way as you are.”

“So you admit I am a prisoner.”

“You will be treated with every courtesy but you will not be allowed to leave until you have done what my husband requires.”

“You said he fears the enmity of my order.”

“We are a long way from Mount Aethelas and your order will not investigate unless you die or are a long time returning. Is that not so?”

Kormak nodded. “You have no weapons and your horse will be found to be lame. Reasons will be given to put off your departure. Unless you force the matter, you will not be physically restrained.”

“And if I give your husband the help he seeks?”

“Are you tempted to?” She sounded worried.

“Your husband is a rich man. He might reward me well for his help. By the Sun, he might make me immortal.”

“You don’t really think that is possible, do you?”

“It may be.”

“And you would help my husband free a demon in order to gain its knowledge?” She looked at him angrily. Again, she seemed sincere.

“It is something I need to consider.”

She turned to face him. The length of her naked body pressed against his. “You are a very cautious man. You still don’t trust me, do you?”

Kormak shrugged. “I don’t trust anybody.”

“Not even yourself, it seems.”

The door burst open. Lord Tomas was there. Wesley was beside him and a number of men at arms. They looked ready to use their weapons at the slightest provocation. Naked and unarmed, Kormak did not fancy his chances against them.

“I came to ask your decision,” Lord Tomas said. He looked from Kormak to his wife. “I heard you…talking to my wife.”

Kormak said nothing. There was nothing to say. He could tell that behind his cold facade, Lord Tomas was incandescent with rage. He glanced at Wesley and his men at arms who studiously kept their faces blank, to avoid admitting they had noticed his humiliation.

“Take Sir Kormak to the dungeon,” he said. He strode forward and grasped Kathea roughly with the arm.

“You and I will have words, wife,” he said.

The guards surrounded Kormak, weapons drawn. There was nothing he could do except throw himself on their blades and he doubted that would do anybody much good.

Wesley tossed him his clothing. There was a smirk on his face now that the eyes of Lord Tomas were no longer upon him. “I think Lord Tomas has decided he no longer has need of your services.”


The cell was cold and damp and the bars were strong. Kormak had tested them and they resisted his strength. He cursed his own stupidity and the weakness that illness had brought. Somewhere in the mansion, a conspiracy of maniacs were going to unleash a demon, and he doubted that any of them had any real idea of what that meant. Kormak was not sure that even he did. No one had encountered a Ghul in hundreds of years since the Guardian Malos had hunted down the last of them. It had left a trail of death and mayhem hundreds of leagues long once it had been uncovered.

He grabbed the bars again and shook them but they would not give. One of the guards said, “That won’t do you much good. Man can’t bend iron that thick. Believe me.”

It was Marcus, the guard who had been there when Tarsus first treated him. There were three other men sitting at the table, playing cards.

“Your master is going to unleash a demon,” Kormak said.

“He told me you were suffering from delusions,” said the guard, “and needed to be restrained for your own good till you got better. I can see he wasn’t wrong.”

Kormak studied the man. He had keys on his belt. If he could lure him close enough he might be able to knock the man out and get the keys and free himself. And then he would only need to overcome three armed men, he thought sourly. After that he would find Lord Tomas and then what, he asked himself? The ritual would be guarded. Lord Tomas had clearly thought things out. Still, he would worry about that after he was free. He considered faking illness but he doubted that would put the jailor within reach.

These were cautious men and strong. He was not going to be able to fight his way out of here.

There was a sound of knocking from the door at the head of the stairs leading down into the cells. The jailor walked over and looked out through a slot. He said something and nodded and opened the door. Kormak looked up and saw the wizard Tarsus. The old man limped down the stairs, walked over to the table where the guards sat and helped himself to some of their wine. None of them objected. He seemed to have some trouble fumbling the stopper back on the jug. It took him some time to get in place then he came over to the cell door and looked at Kormak.

“You could have handled this better,” said Tarsus. His tones were very low.

“Have you come to gloat?” Kormak asked.

“No,” he said.

“Shouldn’t you be helping Lord Tomas free the Ghul?”

“I should be but I am not. I told him I was too sick.”

“Why did you come here?” Kormak asked.

“I came to help you,” Tarsus said. “It was one thing to talk about unleashing the Ghul when it was just a theoretical possibility. It is a different thing entirely since I have held the amphora in my hands. I can feel the evil in the thing. I want no part in setting it free.”

“Not even if it can help you stave off death?” Kormak asked.

“I doubt it can do that now. There is not enough time left for me to learn its secrets and even if there was, I am not sure I would seek immortality at such cost.”

“But you thought differently once.”

“Like I said, contemplating a thing in theory is different from putting it into practise. And I am old and tired and I will rest in my grave.” He coughed again and more blood came up. “I have not found life so much to my taste that I look forward to prolonging it.”

“How can you help me?” Kormak asked.

Tarsus glanced over at the jailors. They lay slumped over the table, heads down, exceedingly drowsy. Tarsus walked over to the head jailor and took the keys.

“Why are you doing this?” Kormak asked.

“I am a man no worse and no better than yourself, Sir Kormak. I do not want to see that demon unleashed and I believe that between us, we might stop that from happening.”

“I am still not entirely sure I can trust you.”

The wizard unlocked the cell. “Well, when you make up your mind, perhaps you will follow me to Lord Tomas’s vault. I suspect I will prove slightly less impressive with a blade than you but I’ll do what I can.”

Kormak pushed the door of the cell. It swung open. He stepped through warily. Tarsus had already turned his back and was limping over to the stairs. He did not seem to care that Kormak was in a position to bludgeon him down. Kormak walked over to the jailors. They were still breathing. He helped himself to one of their blades and their heavy leather jerkins. It would do no harm to have a disguise as they moved through the manor house.

“They are not dead,” said Tarsus. “It was just a sleeping powder added to their wine. I used to play chess with Marcus. I rather like him.”

“Any treachery, wizard, and I’ll cut you down.”

“Then how will you find your way to the Sanctum? Ask the guards?”

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you?”

“I find one of the few good things about old age is that it’s given me enough experience to cover most situations.”

“There’s no need to sound so smug about it.”

“I take my pleasures where I can find them.”

“Is that another piece of wisdom that occurred to you in your decrepitude?”

“You’ll be old too one day, Guardian, if you are lucky. I hope you encounter another soul as miserable as yourself then.”

“Well, you’ve given me some answers for them, haven’t you?”

“Glad to be of service.”

Tarsus hobbled up the stairs; Kormak followed him out into the huge ancient manor. It was dark and cold and the wind howled.