The Ruby Knight

have weakened the fortifications.’
    ‘After the assaulting force has taken heavy casualties, they normally fall back, don’t they?’
    ‘That’s been my experience.’
    ‘Gerrich’s men will not fall back. They will continue their attack until they overwhelm the castle.’
    ‘How can you be so sure?’
    ‘You remember the figure in the black robe I pointed out to you, My Lord?’ Sparhawk said.
    ‘Yes. It seemed to cause you some concern.’
    ‘With good reason, My Lord. That’s the creature that’s been pursuing us. It’s called a Seeker. It’s not human, and it’s subject to Azash.’
    ‘Beware of what you say, Sir Sparhawk,’ Patriarch Ortzel said ominously. ‘The Church does not recognize the existence of the Styric Gods. You are treading very close to the brink of heresy.’
    ‘Just for the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume that I know what I’m talking about,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘Putting Azash aside for the moment, it’s important for you and your brother to understand just how dangerous that thing out there really is. It will be able to control Gerrich’s troops completely, and it will hurl them against this castle until they succeed in taking it.’
    ‘Not only that,’ Bevier added bleakly, ‘they will pay no attention to wounds that would incapacitate a normal man. The only way to stop them is to kill them. We’ve met men under the Seeker’s control before, and we had to kill every last one of them.’
    ‘Sir Sparhawk,’ Alstrom said, ‘Count Gerrich is my mortal enemy, but he’s still an honourable man and a faithful son of the Church. He would not consort with a creature of darkness.’
    ‘It’s entirely possible that the count doesn’t even know it’s there,’ Sephrenia said. ‘The whole point here, however, is that we’re all in deadly peril.’
    ‘Why would that creature join forces with Gerrich?’ Alstrom asked.
    ‘As Sparhawk said, it’s been pursuing us. For some reason, Azash looks upon Sparhawk as a threat. The Elder Gods have some ability to see into the future, and it’s possible that Azash has caught a glimpse of something he wants to prevent. He’s already made several attempts on Sparhawk’s life. It’s my belief that the Seeker is here for the express purpose of killing Sparhawk – or at the very least preventing his recovering Bhelliom. We must leave, My Lord, and quickly.’ She turned to Ortzel. ‘I’m afraid, Your Grace, that we have no choice. We’re compelled to resort to the Arts of Styricum.’
    ‘I will not be a party to that,’ he said stiffly. ‘I know that you are Styric, Madame, and therefore ignorant of the dictates of the true faith, but how dare you propose to practise your black arts in my presence? I am a Churchman, after all.’
    ‘I think that in time you may be obliged to modify your views, Your Grace,’ Ulath said calmly. ‘The militant orders are the arm of the Church. We receive instruction in the secrets so that we may better serve her. This practice has been approved by every Archprelate for nine hundred years.’
    ‘Indeed,’ Sephrenia added, ‘no Styric will consent to teach the Knights until approval is given by each new Archprelate.’
    ‘Should it come to pass that I ascend the throne in Chyrellos, that practice shall cease.’
    ‘Then the west will surely be doomed,’ she predicted, ‘for without these Arts, the Church Knights will be helpless against Azash, and without the Knights, the west will fall before the hordes of Otha.’
    ‘We have no evidence that Otha is coming.’
    ‘We have no evidence that summer is coming either,’ she said drily. She looked at Alstrom. ‘I believe I have a plan that may effect our escape, My Lord, but first I’ll need to go to your kitchen and talk with your cook.’
    He looked puzzled.
    ‘The plan involves certain ingredients normally found in kitchens. I need to be certain they’re available.’
    ‘There’s a guard at the door, Madame,’ he said. ‘He will escort you to the kitchen.’
    ‘Thank you, My Lord. Come along, Flute.’ And she went out.
    ‘What’s she up to?’ Tynian asked.
    ‘Sephrenia almost never explains things in advance,’ Kalten told him.
    ‘Or afterwards either, I’ve noticed,’ Talen added, looking up from his drawing.
    ‘Speak when you’re spoken to,’ Berit told him.
    ‘If I did that, I’d forget how to talk.’
    ‘Surely you’re not going to permit this, Alstrom,’ Ortzel said angrily.
    ‘I don’t