Domes of Fire by David Eddings Read Free Book Online

that,’ she told him. She laid her hand on his forehead. ‘You’ve got a fever.’
    ‘I didn’t get it on purpose.’
    ‘We’d better get him to bed, Mirtai,’ Ehlana said, rising from her chair.
    ‘We should sweat him first,’ the giantess said. ‘I’ll take him to the bathhouse and steam him for a while.’ She took Talen’s arm, firmly.
    ‘You’re not going into the bathhouse with me!’ he protested, his face suddenly aflame.
    ‘Be quiet,’ she commanded. ‘Send word to the cooks, Ehlana. Have them stir up a mustard plaster and boil up some chicken soup. When I bring him back from the bathhouse, we’ll put the mustard plaster on his chest, pop him into bed and spoon soup into him.’
    ‘Are you going to just stand there and let them do this to me, Sparhawk?’ Talen appealed.
    ‘I’d like to help you, my friend,’ Sparhawk replied, ‘but I’ve got my own health to consider too, you know.’
    ‘I wish I was dead,’ Talen groaned as Mirtai pulled him from the room.
    Stragen and Ulath arrived from Emsat a few days later and were immediately escorted to the royal apartment. ‘You’re getting fat, Sparhawk,’ Ulath said bluntly, removing his ogre-horned helmet.
    ‘I’ve put on a few pounds,’ Sparhawk conceded.
    ‘Soft living,’ Ulath grunted disapprovingly.
    ‘How’s Wargun?’ Ehlana asked the huge blond Thalesian.
    ‘His mind’s gone,’ Ulath replied sadly. ‘They’ve got him locked up in the west wing of the palace. He spends most of his time raving.’
    Ehlana sighed. ‘I always rather liked him – when he was sober.’
    ‘I doubt that you’ll feel the same way about his son, your Majesty,’ Stragen told her dryly. Like Platime, Stragen was a thief, but he had much better manners.
    ‘I’ve never met him,’ Ehlana said.
    ‘You might consider adding that to your next prayer of thanksgiving, your Majesty. His name’s Avin – a short and insignificant name for a short and insignificant fellow. He doesn’t show very much promise.’
    ‘Is he really that bad?’ Ehlana asked Ulath.
    ‘Avin Wargunsson? Stragen’s being generous. Avin’s a little man who spends all his time trying to make sure that people don’t overlook him. When he found out that I was coming here, he called me to the palace and gave me a royal communication to bring to you. He spent two hours trying to impress me.’
    ‘Were you impressed?’
    ‘Not particularly, no.’ Ulath reached inside his surcoat and drew out a folded and sealed sheet of parchment.
    ‘What does it say?’ she asked.
    ‘I wouldn’t know. I don’t read other people’s mail. My guess is that it’s a serious discussion of the weather. Avin Wargunsson’s desperately afraid that people might forget about him, so every traveller who leaves Emsat is loaded down with royal greetings.’
    ‘How was the trip?’ Sparhawk asked them.
    ‘I can’t really say that I’d recommend sea travel at this time of year,’ Stragen replied. His icy blue eyes hardened. ‘I want to have a talk with Platime. Ulath and I were set upon by some brigands in the mountains between here and Cardos. Bandits are supposed to know better than that.’
    ‘They aren’t professionals,’ Sparhawk told him. ‘Platime knows about them, and he’s going to take steps. Were there any problems?’
    ‘Not for us,’ Ulath shrugged. ‘The amateurs out there didn’t have a very good day, though. We left five of them in a ditch, and then the rest all remembered an important engagement somewhere else.’ He went to the door and looked out into the hall. Then he closed the door and looked around, his eyes wary. ‘Are there any servants or people like that in any of your rooms here, Sparhawk?’ he asked.
    ‘Mirtai and our daughter is all.’
    ‘That’s all right. I think we can trust them. Komier sent me to let you know that Avin Wargunsson’s beenin contact with Count Gerrich down in Lamorkand. Gerrich’s taking a run at King Friedahl’s throne, and