Read Online Drenai Series 09 - Hero In The Shadows by David Gemmell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David Gemmell
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of Drenai worlds. Many have identical histories, many are different. In some the assassin Waylander killed the Drenai king and the land was overrun by Vagrian forces. In others he killed the king and the Drenai won. In some he did not kill the king and there was no war. You follow?'
Waylander's good humour seeped away. 'I murdered the king. For money. It was unforgivable. But it happened. I cannot change it. No one can change it.'
'It happened here,' she said softly. 'But there are other worlds. An infinite number. Somewhere, at this moment, in the vastness of space there is another woman, sitting with a tall man. The scene is exactly as this one, save perhaps that the woman is wearing a blue robe and not one of gold. The man may be bearded, or dressed differently. But she is still me, and he is still you. And the land they dwell in is called Kydor.'
Waylander took a deep breath. 'He is not me. I am me.'
'I am sure he is saying exactly that.'
'And he is right,' said Waylander. 'He might also be about to ask the point of this conversation. What does it matter if there are two Waylanders, or two hundred, if they never meet or interact?'
'A good question. I have seen some of these worlds. In all of them, no matter what the outcome, the man known as Waylander has a part to play.'
'Not in this world, Lady. Not any longer.'
'We shall see. Do you wish us to go?'
'I will think on it,' he told her, rising from his chair.
'That is kind of you. One other small matter ..."
'Yes?'
'You did not ask Keeva how she killed the pigeons she cooked for you.'
'No, I did not.' He gave a wry smile. 'I had other matters on my mind.'
'Of course. She used your crossbow. She missed with the first bolt, but then killed all three - the last as it took flight.'
'Impressive,' he said.
'I thought that it would interest you.'
He paused in the doorway. 'In all your studies have you come across anything about the ruins to the west?'
'Why do you ask?'
'I was there yesterday. I... did not like the feel of the place. And yet I have passed through it many times.
Something today was different.'
'You felt in danger?'
He smiled. 'I felt fear, and yet all I saw was a mist.'
'I know that the ruins are five thousand years old,' she said. 'Perhaps you sensed the spirit of someone long dead.
But if I find anything of interest I will call upon you, Grey Man,' she told him.
'It is probably nothing. But it was too warm for a mist, and it seemed to be flowing against the breeze. Had the girl not been with me I would have investigated the phenomenon. I do not like mysteries.'
Then he turned and was gone.
*
As the Grey Man left the library a small door opened and a slender, round-shouldered man stepped into the presence of the priestess. Like her he was shaven-headed, and wearing an ankle-length robe. It was of white wool, with matching gloves and boots of thin, pale grey leather. His tawny eyes cast a nervous glance towards the outer door. 'I do not like him,' he said. 'He is a savage just like them.'
'No, Prial,' she said. There are similarities, but he does not have their cruelty.'
'He is a killer.'
'Yes, he is a killer,' she agreed. 'And he knew you were beyond the door.'
'How could that be? I scarcely even allowed myself to breathe.'
'He knew. He has an unconscious talent for these matters. It is, I think, why he has survived so long.'
'And yet he did not know one of the raiders was hiding in a tree above him?'
The priestess smiled. 'No, he did not. But he had strung his crossbow minutes before, and was holding it ready when the man leapt. As I said, it is an unconscious talent.'
'I thought for a moment you were going to tell him,' said Prial.
She shook her head. 'I am hoping still that I do not have to. Perhaps they will not find us before we have completed our mission.'
'You believe that?'
'I want to believe it.'
'As do I, Ustarte. But time is short, and we still have not found the way. I have scanned over two hundred tomes.
Menias
Waylander's good humour seeped away. 'I murdered the king. For money. It was unforgivable. But it happened. I cannot change it. No one can change it.'
'It happened here,' she said softly. 'But there are other worlds. An infinite number. Somewhere, at this moment, in the vastness of space there is another woman, sitting with a tall man. The scene is exactly as this one, save perhaps that the woman is wearing a blue robe and not one of gold. The man may be bearded, or dressed differently. But she is still me, and he is still you. And the land they dwell in is called Kydor.'
Waylander took a deep breath. 'He is not me. I am me.'
'I am sure he is saying exactly that.'
'And he is right,' said Waylander. 'He might also be about to ask the point of this conversation. What does it matter if there are two Waylanders, or two hundred, if they never meet or interact?'
'A good question. I have seen some of these worlds. In all of them, no matter what the outcome, the man known as Waylander has a part to play.'
'Not in this world, Lady. Not any longer.'
'We shall see. Do you wish us to go?'
'I will think on it,' he told her, rising from his chair.
'That is kind of you. One other small matter ..."
'Yes?'
'You did not ask Keeva how she killed the pigeons she cooked for you.'
'No, I did not.' He gave a wry smile. 'I had other matters on my mind.'
'Of course. She used your crossbow. She missed with the first bolt, but then killed all three - the last as it took flight.'
'Impressive,' he said.
'I thought that it would interest you.'
He paused in the doorway. 'In all your studies have you come across anything about the ruins to the west?'
'Why do you ask?'
'I was there yesterday. I... did not like the feel of the place. And yet I have passed through it many times.
Something today was different.'
'You felt in danger?'
He smiled. 'I felt fear, and yet all I saw was a mist.'
'I know that the ruins are five thousand years old,' she said. 'Perhaps you sensed the spirit of someone long dead.
But if I find anything of interest I will call upon you, Grey Man,' she told him.
'It is probably nothing. But it was too warm for a mist, and it seemed to be flowing against the breeze. Had the girl not been with me I would have investigated the phenomenon. I do not like mysteries.'
Then he turned and was gone.
*
As the Grey Man left the library a small door opened and a slender, round-shouldered man stepped into the presence of the priestess. Like her he was shaven-headed, and wearing an ankle-length robe. It was of white wool, with matching gloves and boots of thin, pale grey leather. His tawny eyes cast a nervous glance towards the outer door. 'I do not like him,' he said. 'He is a savage just like them.'
'No, Prial,' she said. There are similarities, but he does not have their cruelty.'
'He is a killer.'
'Yes, he is a killer,' she agreed. 'And he knew you were beyond the door.'
'How could that be? I scarcely even allowed myself to breathe.'
'He knew. He has an unconscious talent for these matters. It is, I think, why he has survived so long.'
'And yet he did not know one of the raiders was hiding in a tree above him?'
The priestess smiled. 'No, he did not. But he had strung his crossbow minutes before, and was holding it ready when the man leapt. As I said, it is an unconscious talent.'
'I thought for a moment you were going to tell him,' said Prial.
She shook her head. 'I am hoping still that I do not have to. Perhaps they will not find us before we have completed our mission.'
'You believe that?'
'I want to believe it.'
'As do I, Ustarte. But time is short, and we still have not found the way. I have scanned over two hundred tomes.
Menias
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