Dark Sun: Prism Pentad 4 - Obsidian Oracle by Troy Denning Read Free Book Online Page A

the cages from Tithian, at the same time removing his hand from the
     Tyrian's throat. “Wyan, Sacha!” he said. “Borys told me that he had disposed of you two.”
    “Rajaat's magic is not countered so easily,” spat the bloated head, Sacha. “Now open this
     imposter's veins, Albeorn. He hasn't fed us in weeks.”
    “Albeom?” Tithian asked.
    “Albeorn of Dunswich, Slayer of Elves, the Eighth Champion of Rajaat,” snarled Wyan.
     “Traitor to his master and the righteous cause of the Pristine Tower.”
    Tithian knew that Wyan referred to a genocidal war that an ancient sorcerer named Rajaat
     had started several millennia earlier. It had ended more than a thousand years ago, when
     all of Rajaat's handpicked champions-with the exceptions of Sacha and Wyan -had turned
     against him. After overthrowing their master, the rebels had used his most powerful
     magical artifact to transform one of their own number, Borys of Ebe, into the Dragon. The
     other champions had each claimed one of the cities of Athas to rule as an immortal
     sorcerer-king.
    Still studying the caged heads, Andropinis asked, “These two are your proof of the
     Dragon's favor?”
    Tithian nodded. “When he said he had disposed of them, he meant that he had entrusted them
     to me,” said the Tyrian. “They're acting as my unwilling tutors, so I might learn to serve
     our master as a sorcerer-king.”
    This seemed to amuse the Balkan. “Is that so?” he asked, raising his brow.
    “Of course not,” sneered Wyan. “He's lying.”
    “Kill him!” hissed Sacha.
    Andropinis smashed the two cages into the stone tiers of the gallery. A tremendous clang
     reverberated through the hall, making Tithian's ears ring. The heads slammed against the
     bars of their prisons and bounced to the other sides, then dropped motionless and dazed to
     the bottoms of the cages. When the Bali-can handed the chain back to Tithian, the corners
     of each cage were folded in from the impact.
    “For now, I'll accept these abominations as proof that the Dragon wouldn't want me to kill
     you,” Andropinis said. “You may remove them from my sight-and tell me what you need with
     my fleet.”
    As Tithian stuffed his dazed tutors back into the satchel, he said, “That's the concern of
     myself and Borys alone.”
    “Then you may leave your gold and go. Our audience is at an end,” Andropinis said,
     resuming his inspection of the baskets offered by his patricians. “The chamberlain's
     guards will show you to the city gates.”
    Maurus smirked and waved the Tyrian toward the exit.
    Tithian ignored him, asking, “What of my ships?”
    “You have none.”
    “My demand is made in the Dragon's name!” Tithian snapped.
    “Which is the only reason I suffer you to live, usurper,” Andropinis replied. He pulled a
     wad of fleece from a basket held by a dwarven patrician, then used the Way to ask,
    
    
     What is the meaning of this, lord Rolt?
    House Rolt pledges a hundred sheep to feed Your Majesty's legions,
    
    
     came the reply.
    Andropinis scowled, then grabbed the dwarf's thick wrist and snapped it effortlessly. A
     garbled howl of pain rose from Lord Rolfs throat and his knees buckled. Had the king not
     been holding him up by his broken arm, he would have fallen to the floor.
    Despite his pain, the dwarf managed to reply,
    
    
     House Roll pledges a thousand sheep, Mighty King.
    Smiling, Andropinis released the patrician and allowed him to collapse to the floor. He
     glanced down, leaving no doubt in Tithian's mind that the exhibition had been for his
     benefit, and moved on.
    Ignoring the implied threat, Tithian continued to press his demand. “If you deny me, you
     are also denying Borys.”
    “Perhaps, but I will not send out my fleet-not for you, and certainly not now.”
    “When?” asked Tithian.
    Andropinis shrugged. “Perhaps in a month, perhaps not for many years,” he said. “When the
     war between the giant