Rebellion

CHAPTER 79

Tali edged through the door into the chancellor’s quarters and slipped behind the floor-to-ceiling drapes. She had to know what he was going to do to Tobry and Holm.

“You’re condemned men,” said the chancellor, when they were brought before his table, in rattling chains. “Is there anything you’d like to say before I order your execution for treason?”

“I’ve got a plan to deal with Grandys,” said Tobry.

“I’ve never liked you, Lagger — ” began the chancellor.

“So that explains why you ordered me thrown from the top of Rix’s tower,” Tobry said drily. “All this time I’ve been trying to work it out.”

Tobry, don’t! You’ve no idea what a vengeful man he is. But Tali had to admire his composure in the face of death. Her knees would barely hold her up.

“How did you survive?” said the chancellor. “Never mind. The fact that you did, and even managed to escape so thorough a hunt as Lyf had set for you, suggests that there’s more to you than I’d imagined.”

“And now your tediously conventional plans have failed so dismally, you’re prepared to clutch at the most desperate straws to get yourself out of trouble.”

“Speaking as one condemned man to two others,” said Holm, “the noose is tightening every minute. If you hope to slip it, you’d better get on with it.”

“You’re overly bold for a humble clock attendant,” said the chancellor.

“And you’ve become unwontedly timid since you fled Caulderon, Chancellor. Tell him the plan, Tobry.”

“I’m going to join Grandys’ army, in the guise of a Herovian, then shift to a caitsthe after he’s gone to bed and claw his heart out.”

“No!” cried Tali, forgetting herself.

A guard hauled her out from behind the drape.

“What the hell are you doing here?” growled the chancellor.

“Whatever you’re planning to do to them, I’ve a right to know,” she said defiantly.

“You’ve a right to know nothing. You’re an interfering little know-it-all.”

Tali reached out to Tobry. “Tobry, you can’t disguise yourself from Grandys. At Glimmering, he picked that you were a shifter in seconds. He’ll put you straight to death.”

“Not if I disguise myself with magery,” said Tobry.

“He’s got two ebony pearls, remember? And even if you could fool him, you can’t fool Maloch. It knows you. Chancellor,” said Tali. “Don’t let him do it. It’s suicide.”

“You’re appealing to me now?” said the chancellor. “What a fruity irony.”

“I can heal Tobry,” said Rannilt’s shrill little voice from the other side of the room. “Let me try.”

“Guard!” bellowed the chancellor. “How did that brat get in?”

“I don’t know, Chancellor,” said the guard, “but she didn’t come through the door.”

“How am I supposed to discuss secret strategies when half the fortress is lurking behind the drapes?”

“I don’t know, Chancellor.”

“Put the little twerp out. Don’t damage her.”

The guard gave the chancellor a reproachful look and picked Rannilt up by the scruff of the neck and the seat of her pants.

“I can heal Tobry, I can heal Tobry!” she wailed, kicking her thin legs and arms.

“Rannilt, you can’t,” said Tali. “You lost your gift after Lyf stole power from you in the caverns. Your blood doesn’t heal any more.”

The guard took her out, her cries dwindling down the hall.

“Well?” said Tobry, after a considerable silence.

“Well what?” said the chancellor.

“Will you allow me out, to try and kill Grandys?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“To win the aftermath I’m going to need a mighty army, but my forces are being eaten away by desertion to Grandys. I can’t strike at him until I’ve rebuilt my army, or defeating him will merely give victory to Lyf.

“I’ve got a better plan,” the chancellor said, leaning back in his chair. “Let Grandys turn the war our way first. Then you can kill him, shifter.”