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a poor town. I fulfilled a perceived need and put money in the town's coffers,
but I perceive now that I may have been over-zealous. I give you my word that
the Pit will now be an honest spectacle. We will use no more pheromones in
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Mansion House and the Pit, and our fighters will be willing volunteers. If
only you will spare us, I will swear to run this establishment on honest lines
from now on."
Chudel's performance almost convinced Grimm; the large, pleading eyes, the
tremulous hint of desperation in the proprietor's voice, and the subtle
quivering of his lower lip spoke of an honest but misguided man, trying to
make his way in an unforgiving world in the only way he could.
However, the mage knew he had made grave errors of trust before: the witch,
Madeleine and her mistress, Prioress Lizaveta among the beneficiaries of his
misplaced beliefs.
Chudel might have appeared a pathetic morsel of humanity, but Grimm now knew
better than to trust blind instinct. Invoking the talent he had had since
childhood, he invoked his Mage Sight. In place of the shifting patterns of
colours he had been able to interpret for so long, he saw a blank, white
nothingness, the sign of witch magic, and he guessed its source.
"If you are trying to gain my sympathy, scum, you are going about it the wrong
way, he snapped.  I know you are under the protection of Prioress Lizaveta,
the woman who betrayed my grandfather."
Chudel sank to his knees, his eyes wide.  What were we to do, mage? he
pleaded.  The Prioress has been Yoren's patron for many years. When she told
us another Questor, the grandson of Loras Afelnor, was approaching, we feared
for our lives. Prioress Lizaveta cast a spell on Mansion House, so that our
minds could not be affected by mind-magic, and she reminded us that we owed
her for her protection. You have no idea what she could have done if we'd
refused to aid her by preventing you from finding her."
Grimm shook his head.
"Save your speeches, Chudel, he growled.  Regardless of your complicity with
Lizaveta, this place is an abomination, and I intend to burn it to the
ground."
"You are a monster! Chudel screamed.  There are innocent people inside the
House!"
"Then I suggest you arrange an immediate evacuation, Chudel. The audience is
at an end!"
At that moment, a guard launched a stream of bullets at the lone Questor, to
be joined swiftly by his comrades, and Grimm laughed as the projectiles flew
back to their sources, repelled by the invaluable gem he had borrowed from
High Lodge.
Chudel seemed to have a charmed life; as the armed guard around him collapsed,
not one of the small, deadly projectiles struck him.
I must see if I can't buy one of these gems when I get back, Grimm thought,
marvelling at the efficacy of the magical shield Horin had lent him.
He pretended not to have noticed the fusillade, holding Chudel's wide,
terrified eyes in a steely gaze that only another Questor could hope to equal
in intensity.
"You have tried my patience enough, small man, he said.  In ten minutes, I
expect to see our wagon at the entrance, with all our weapons and belongings
aboard. If there is any further attempt upon me within that time, I will wait
no longer before visiting my wrath upon you and yours.
"Time is ticking away, Chudel; I recommend that you do not tarry. I rather
fancy that the freed Pit fighters, once they have finished with Keller, will
turn their interest on you."
"What of the countless, blameless employees of Mansion House? Chudel pleaded.
 What do you leave us, apart from destitution?"
"I leave you your miserable lives, Grimm growled.  Nobody here is blameless,
worm; be grateful that I do not choose to destroy you all. But I will, if you
deviate from my terms by one iota."
* * * *
Chudel ran into the reception hall as if possessed, ringing a bell reserved
for emergencies. As staff members flooded into the vestibule, he screamed,
 Get everybody out! That bastard mage is going to destroy Mansion House in
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less than ten minutes, and I don't think we can stop him. He's onto our little
game, he knows that old cow Lizaveta's involved in it, and she's next on his
list! Save what you can, but move! Somebody get his group's stuff, and load it
into their wagon. I don't want him any more annoyed than he is now! Hurry!"
The girl behind the counter blanched and ran to the back room as a mad panic
ensued. With trembling hands, she removed a wooden box from a desk drawer and
extracted a glass ball from it.
Forcing herself to be calm, she placed her hands on the globe and
concentrated.
"Mother Prioress, are you there?"
After a few seconds, she felt the mind of her superior slither into her
sensorium.
"What is it, Sister Mandrine? Is that fat fool, Chudel, complaining about his
dues again? Is he "
"Mother Prioress, we have a problem. A Guild Questor is here, Grimm Afelnor by
name, and he intends to destroy Mansion House in its entirety. I believe he's
related to the Afelnor who all but destroyed "
"I know who he is, fool! Get on with it!"
"I think he intends to attack the Priory next, Reverend Mother!"
"Of course he does, witless one. I should have known better than to trust that
pompous bag of wind, Chudel, to protect my interests."
"Shall I return to the Priory, Reverend Mother?"
"Perhaps that is best," came the Prioress's dry, dusty mental message. "I owe
you punishment for interrupting me, girl; you will pay for that transgression
later."
With that, the mental connection was severed, and Mandrine quailed. She knew
Lizaveta's punishments well, but she knew better than to disobey the Prioress.
As the sounds of panic outside the small room grew into tumult, she packed the
globe back in its box, and, tucking it under her arm, ran out to retrieve her
effects from her own small room.
* * * *
As Quelgrum drove the wagon away from the blazing ruins of Mansion House, the
young Questor looked back with some satisfaction at the destruction he had
caused. A great evil had been destroyed here, and he had prevailed.
"Look out, Lizaveta, I'm coming! he muttered, looking back at the road ahead.
 Your time is coming to an end."
In a louder voice, Grimm asked,  What's the next town on the itinerary,
General?"
"Brianston, Lord Baron, Quelgrum said after consulting his map.  I don't know [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]