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The Stone of Truth - Part 5

--by Rythall--

Hialdan stalked the corridors, and fear stalked with him. The servants knew that look on their Lord's face by now, and they scurried fearfully from him. He strode to Corqurst's door and wrenched it open. Corqurst had long learnt never to lock the door against him.

She was in her room, lying on her bed with her face turned away from the door. Hialdan felt a rage surging up within him. How dare she keep this from him and still remain so calm? He put out a hand and turned her roughly, so that she was shocked into wakefulness.

"Why didn't you tell me Zargoth was alive?" he grated.

She stared at him, a look of astonishment crossing her eyes momentarily. Her beautiful face was guarded, so that he could not see whether she was acting or not, which frustrated him even more. "Zargoth, alive?" she quavered. He lost his temper.

"You told me you were the sole survivor of the invasion!" he roared. "And now I find that not only did your cursed magician survive, your advisor's baby son is living as well!"

Corqurst's eyes grew round. "The baby? Kilgar's son survived? How did you find this out?"

He snarled and threw her down in frustration. With a great effort, he controlled himself. "Never mind how I found out," he said, in a more normal tone of voice. "Rest assured, dear Cor, that they won't survive to see the next sunset." With that he turned and left.

Corqurst sat on the edge of her bed, her mind racing. There was a timid knock on the door, and she lifted her head to see Laetia there. The gentle girl's face was streaked with tears and her eyes were red from crying. She was still trembling violently. Corqurst knew immediately that however Hialdan had known about Zargoth, it had something to do with Laetia. Perhaps that would be useful.

"Laetia," she said softly, "could you do something for me?"

The girl nodded mutely.

"Do you know where Zargoth is?"

Again, she nodded.

"Please get a message to him for me. Can you do that?"

Laetia sniffed and nodded.

"Tell him Shrain knows about him. Tell him to take the babies away from here. Take them far away... where Shrain can never reach them. Please, as soon as you can."

Laetia hesitated. "Now, my Lady?"

"Yes. Please."

Laetia nodded again and left silently.

continue to part 6 >>

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