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.But see how the old man is warming to her, welcoming her.He is treating her like a queen, as if he seems to think she might be important!""That old man talked to us, too.For a moment, in any event." Kalrakin's laugh was a harsh bark."Well, he would have talked longer if you hadn't, uh, dealt with him! I still don't know why you couldn't have been more patient."The two sorcerers were in one of the high chambers of the Tower of High Sorcery.A rubble of broken glass, ash, and other debris covered the floor of the large room.The one thing left undamaged was a window, a pane of dark glass mounted on the stone wall.It was a window with no view, barely revealing the face of the wall-at least so it had appeared originally.Luthar, however, had discovered its true nature, after some contemplation.He had stood boldly in front of the window, when Kalrakin, in his fury, would have shattered it, flinging its parts across the floor."Look!" the short sorcerer had all but shrieked, waving his hands, using his own body as a shield."Don't you understand? It is a magical window-it allows you to see beyond this place! Observe, my lord!"Kalrakin, his massive beard twitching with frustration, had paused long enough for his fellow to demonstrate."Show us the dining hall of the foretower!" Luthar had commanded, nervously glancing at his companion, ¦ his lord.In a flash, the image of that chamber had appeared.It first displayed the empty table where they had grown used to taking their meals, in the vast hall that had once held countless priceless artifacts, talismans of ancient magic, squirreled away in numerous alcoves.With a little further experimentation Luthar had revealed a magical portal that allowed them to view any place within the Tower of High Sorcery.Kalrakin had immediately seized upon the magical window with delight, commanding that it reveal to them the Hall of Mages-the huge, cavernous chamber in the North Tower where the twenty-one empty seats formed a circle in the center of the room.These stood silent and empty, and the sorcerer had mocked the power of the mages who had once ruled from their vantage.He had peered into the armories, the apprentice cells, the luxurious apartments where, presumably, these once mighty wizards had dwelled.He had quickly learned that there were limits to the scope of this magical window.There were three rooms in the Tower that remained obscure to him, despite all of his efforts.Maddeningly, the window refused to grant him even a glimpse into these sacred precincts.His impulse, naturally, had been to smash the window, but Luthar had begged him to stay his vengeful fist.Now, two weeks later, that restraint was finally paying off.Earlier, the sorcerers had observed, from a high window, the ragged-looking girl who emerged from the wilderness of the surrounding forest.They had watched with amazement as the magical gates of the compound parted for her, had watched her approach the door until their line of sight was blocked by the low bulk of the foretower.It was Luthar who had suggested they continue to spy on her with the aid of the magical window, and so they had come here to enjoy the show.From here they had watched her find the food on the great banquet table, saw her sit down and eat like a starving beggar.And they had gasped in surprise when the white-bearded old mage had tottered into view."He's the man I killed-the first day we entered this place!" Kalrakin objected indignantly."He wore black then, but I know him!""Well, certainly, so it seemed that he was dead," Luthar agreed diplomatically."But if you recall, when you pierced him with that bolt of wild magic, his body disappeared.There was no corpse.At the time, we speculated that he might have been some sort of illusion.A magical phantom, as it were.""You speculated.I saw a man die! I know that I killed him!""Perhaps he has a twin, then.For this appears to be the same person, now speaking to the lass." Luthar bit his lip, as if afraid that his tone had crossed the realm into insolence, but his master did not seem to notice."Bah-this portal is useless unless I can hear their words!" cursed Kalrakin, gesturing contemptuously at the window."I am no lip-reader!" He turned and stalked away from the window, intending to confront the old man and the young girl in the dining room below, but Luthar, jogging behind frantically, urged patience."I beg you-don't attack her!" Luthar cried."At least, not right away.She may be able to tell us something important, provide information.We may even want to leave her eyes intact, at least for the time being." Boldly, Luthar reached out to tug on Kalrakin's robe, bringing the gaunt sorcerer to an immediate, angry halt."How dare you?" the taller man spat, spinning furiously around."But think!" Luthar leaned in, whispering conspiratorially."She may be the secret, the key to opening the treasure rooms-those chambers that have remained barred to us! Perhaps the doors will yield to her for some reason."Kalrakin scowled.His long fingers stroked the wiry hairs of his bushy beard, tugging absently at tangles and knots.Eyes narrowed, he squinted down at his companion."Hmmm.You might be right," he acknowledged."At least, we will see what the wench has to say.""Thank you, my lord-it is a wise decision!""But as for the old white beard, he dies again-and this time I intend to see that he stays dead!"Coryn took a bite of fish, followed that with another slice of delicious fruit, some sort of sweet melon, she guessed, and then washed the mouthful down with a swig of icy-cold milk.She felt as though she hadn't eaten in weeks.Besides, this was the most sumptuous meal she had ever enjoyed, and she was determined to take advantage of it, murderous sorcerers or not."Tell me more about this Test," she said, after another swallow, turning to query the white-bearded Master of the Tower."Hey, where did you go?" she gasped, startled to see that she was, once again, alone in the large banquet hall.She was even more startled when a new voice, raspier and harsher than the Master's, came from behind her."He fled; he fears me, and with good reason."She whirled to see a tall, forbiddingly whiskered person, standing in the doorway through which she had entered.He wore a tattered gray robe, the same nondescript color of his hair, whose eyes were the eyes of a madman, wild and staring and very frightening."What do you mean?" she asked, chilled by this newcomer's sudden appearance, and by the realization that he had seemed to be reading her thoughts."I killed him once, when I first arrived here [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]