The Sleeping Sorceress by Michael Moorcock Read Free Book Online

the moment.”
    “Chaos has not served me, of late, lady, so I’ll forget that loyalty. I would have my vengeance on Theleb K’aarna and if we can help each other in the matter, so much the better.”
    “Good.”
    She gasped then and her eyes glazed. When next she spoke it was with some difficulty.
    “The enchantment is exerting its hold again. I have a steed for you near the town’s north gate. It will bear you to an island in the Boiling Sea. On that island is a palace called Ashaneloon. It is there that I have dwelt of late, until I sensed Lormyr’s danger . . .”
    She pressed her hand to her brow and swayed.
    “. . . But Theleb K’aarna expected me to try to return there and he placed a guardian at the palace’s gate. That guardian must be destroyed. When you have destroyed it you must go to the . . .”
    Elric rose to help her, but she waved him away.
    “. . . to the eastern tower. In the tower’s lower room is a chest. In the chest is a large pouch of cloth-of-gold. You must take that and—and bring it back to Kaneloon, for Umbda and his Kelmain now march against the castle. Theleb K’aarna will destroy the castle with their help—and destroy me, also. With the pouch, I may destroy them. But pray that I am able to wake, or the South is doomed and even you will not be able to go against the power that Theleb K’aarna will wield.”
    “What of Moonglum?” Elric glanced at his sleeping friend. “Can he accompany me?”
    “Best not. Besides, he has a light enchantment upon him. There is no time to wake him . . .” She gasped again and flung her arms across her forehead. “No time . . .”
    Elric leapt from the bed and began to pull on his breeks. He took his cloak from where it was draped across a stool and he buckled on his runesword. He went forward to help her, but she signaled him away.
    “No . . . Go, please . . .”
    And she vanished.
    Still half asleep Elric flung open the door and dashed down the stairs, out into the night, racing for the north gate of Alorasaz, passing through it and running on through the snow, looking this way and that. The cold flooded over him like a sudden wave. He was soon knee-deep in snow. Peering about him he carried on until he stopped in his tracks.
    He gasped in astonishment when he saw the steed which Myshella had provided for him.
    “What’s this? Another chimera?”
    He approached it cautiously.

C HAPTER S IX
    Jeweled Bird Speaking
    It was a bird, but it was not a bird of flesh and blood.
    It was a bird of silver and of gold and of brass. Its wings clashed as he approached it and it moved its huge clawed feet impatiently, turning cold, emerald eyes to regard him.
    On its back was a saddle of carved onyx chased in gold and copper and the saddle was empty, awaiting him.
    “Well, I began all this unquestioningly,” Elric said to himself. “I might as well complete it in the same manner.”
    And he went up to the bird and he climbed up its side and he lowered himself somewhat cautiously into the saddle.
    The wings of gold and silver flapped with the sound of a hundred cymbals meeting and with three movements had taken the bird of metal and its rider high up into the night sky above Alorasaz. It turned its bright head on its neck of brass and it opened its curved beak of gem-studded steel.
    “Well, master, I am commanded to take thee to Ashaneloon.”
    Elric waved a pale hand. “Wherever you will. I am at the mercy of you and your mistress.”
    And then he was jerked backward in the saddle as the bird’s wings beat the stronger and it gathered speed and he was rushing through the freezing night, over snowy plains, over mountains, over rivers, until the coast came in sight and he saw the sea in the west which was called the Boiling Sea.
    Down through the pitch blackness dropped the bird of gold and silver and now Elric felt damp heat strike his face and hands, heard a peculiar bubbling sound, and he knew they were flying over that strange sea said to be fed