Troy Denning - The Cerulean Storm

It was Rkard who broke the astonished silence. “Jo’orsh and Sa’ram said I will kill the Dragon.” The boy addressed the advisors directly, utterly composed and confident. “But they also said I would need an army-an army of humans and dwarves.”

“Kled’s militia is prepared to fulfill this prophecy,” Neeva said. “After I learned of Rkard’s destiny, I summoned them to guard against attempts on his life. Even as we speak, they are at the Asticles estate, preparing to march.”

“And that’s why you have commanded Tyr’s legion to stand ready for action?” demanded Cybrian. “To give it to a child?”

“The legion will remain under Rikus’s command, as always,” Sadira replied.

“Speaking of Rikus, where is he?” asked Lady Laaj. “I’m sure that all of the advisors want to hear his opinion of this plan before voting.”

Sadira took a deep breath, knowing that her answer would send the council into an uproar. Still, she did not even consider concealing the fact that there were giants in the valley. The advisors had a right to know about any threat to Tyr, even if it meant it would be harder for her to get what she wanted.

“Well?” Cybrian asked.

“As they were returning to attend this meeting, Rikus and Magnus happened across some rampaging giants at our newest relief farm,” Sadira explained. “I’ve trapped the invaders for now-”

The chamber broke into a tumult as astonished advisors began yelling questions across the packed floor: “You mean half-giants?”

“How many?”

“What do they want?”

The wrab slithered completely into Sadira’s hand. The sorceress felt confident that it would rather have retreated to its lair in the ceiling alcoves, but it was too well trained to flee while a speaker commanded such rapt attention.

“Quiet, please!” Sadira shouted. “We can’t accomplish anything like this!”

The furor slowly faded to a drone.

As soon as it was possible to speak without screaming, Lady Laaj asked, “How many giants are there, and what are they doing so far from the Sea of Silt?”

“There are eight of them, and they want the Dark Lens,” answered Sadira.

“Then I suggest we tell the giants where to find it before they destroy us,” said Cybrian.

“I can’t do that,” Sadira said. “Not only would that endanger Agis-”

“Agis would be the first to sacrifice himself for the good of Tyr,” Lady Laaj interrupted. “Every noble knows that.”

“True-if his sacrifice would save Tyr,” Sadira agreed. “But it wouldn’t. Unless we kill the Dragon-”

“We won’t discuss such nonsense!” declared Cybrian.

“Would you rat her let him destroy the city?” Sadira countered. “Or are you willing to sacrifice a thousand lives a year to him?”

“Your scare tactics won’t succeed here,” Cybrian said. “We have nothing to gain by attacking the Dragon. He hasn’t been to Tyr since Kalak died.”

“That’s because Tithian has been paying the levy in secret,” Sadira replied.

“With what?” scoffed the templar. “His personal staff?”

“With men, women, and children kidnapped by his slavers,” said Neeva, stepping forward to stand at Sadira’s side. “They attacked our village less than four months ago.”

“How dare you speak such a lie?” Cybrian stormed. “King Tithian freed the slaves. He’d never-”

“He did, and I can prove it,” Sadira interrupted. She looked down at Caelum. “Open the box.”

The dwarf obeyed. A shriveled, ash-colored head with sunken features and cracked lips rose out of the box. It hovered in the air for a moment, its sallow eyes roaming over the assembly, then floated up to Sadira’s level.

Gasping in disbelief, the advisors pressed close around the sorceress’s podium, craning their necks to peer up at the disembodied head. Though many of the councilors had heard rumors that King Tithian kept a pair of disembodied heads as companions, few of them had ever seen one in person.

“Some of you may recognize the king’s confidant, Wyan,” Sadira said. “He’s the one who brought Agis’s signet ring to me.”

Wyan regarded the assemblage with a sneer, then rotated around to face Sadira. “What do you want?”

The sorceress nodded toward the crowd. “Tell them about Tithian’s slavers.”

Sadira did not worry that the head would disobey or lie. Wyan was one of the Dragon’s most ancient enemies, for Borys had separated him from his body more than a thousand years ago. Since then, the head had been condemned to a miserable existence where his sole physical pleasure was the drinking of warm blood. The sorceress had no doubts that Wyan would do whatever it took to destroy the Dragon, even if it meant betraying one of Tithian’s most carefully guarded secrets.

When Wyan did not speak up quickly, Sadira reminded him, “The sooner you talk, the sooner we can attack Borys.”

With a weary sigh, Wyan looked out over the advisors. “The king was only thinking of Tyr,” he said. “Anyone who thinks the Dragon would be denied his levy is a fool. Tithian did what was necessary to protect the city.”

The chorus of outrage that followed came mostly from the free citizens, but many of the guildsmen also added their voices. The nobles looked more frightened by Wyan’s admission than angered, while the templars quietly exchanged whispered comments of concern.

Wyan cautiously floated higher in the air, apparently fearing that one of the free citizens might try to hold him responsible for Tithian’s acts.

“Let me see if I understand this correctly,” said Lady Laaj. “You want the council to give you the legion so you can go off to battle the Dragon-leaving Tyr to defend itself from eight full giants?”

At this, the wrab crawled out of Sadira’s hand and launched itself into the air. For a moment, the sorceress didn’t understand why it had abandoned her, since everyone in the room seemed to be interested in the same thing. Then she realized that it was a matter of emphasis. Lady Laaj was talking about the defense of Tyr, while Sadira was still trying to convince the advisors to kill the Dragon.

Hoping the wrab would return to her, Sadira kept her hand in the air. “As I was saying earlier, I have the giants under control for now,” she said. “Before we take the legion out of the valley, they will be under control permanently-one way or another.”

The wrab settled on Lady Laaj’s finger. “And what if there are other giants?” the noblewoman asked. “The Dark Lens must be very valuable to them. Surely, they’ll send more warriors when these don’t return.”

“We should be back by then,” Sadira said, reluctantly lowering her hand.

“That’s not something you can guarantee, my friend,” said Charl, the guildsmen’s speaker. He shook his head sadly. “I’m sorry, but what Lady Laaj says is right. It’s foolish to worry about the Dragon when angry giants are about to storm the city.”

The noblewoman smiled. “We’ll put the matter to a vote,” she said. “All those in favor of telling the giants where to find the Dark Lens-”

“There’s no need to vote,” Sadira said. With the other three orators supporting it, the sorceress knew without a doubt that Lady Laaj’s motion would pass. “I won’t reveal the location of the Lens-none of us will. You’d be condemning Agis to death.”

“You’d defy the council for the sake of your husband-the same husband who has lectured this body so many times on the importance of lawful rule?” asked Cybrian.

“How dare you speak to me about the law!” Sadira spat. “You’re only doing this because you hope to see Agis and Tithian dead. You want control of the council.”

“Maybe that’s true of them, but not of me,” said Charl. “If you defy Lady Laaj and Cybrian on this matter, you’re defying the entire council. You, more than anyone, should know that when someone of your power does that, the city is on the path to despotism.”