Read Online Into the Labyrinth by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman - Free Book Online

pursued.
    “Not only assisting them, Lord,” said the dragon-snake. “He actually provided them with information—undoubtedly obtained from that Sartan friend of his—on how to operate the great machine.”
    Xar’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you.”
    “He has a book, written in four languages: Sartan, elven, human, and dwarven. Where else could he have obtained it, Lord, but from the one who calls himself Alfred?”
    “
If
what you say is true, he must have had it with him, then, when he last saw me in the Nexus,” Xar muttered. “Why would Haplo do such a thing? What reason?”
    “He wants to rule Arianus, Lord. And perhaps the rest of the four worlds as well. Isn’t that obvious?”
    “And so the mensch, under Haplo’s guidance, are about to start up the Kicksey-winsey.” Xar’s fist clenched. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
    “Would you have believed me?” Sang-drax asked softly. “Though I have lost an eye, I am not the one who is blind. You are, Lord of the Nexus. Look! Look at the evidence you have amassed—evidence indicating one thing. Time and again Haplo has lied to you, betrayed you. And you permit it! You love him, Lord. Your love has blinded you as surely as his sword almost blinded me.”
    Marit trembled, astounded at the dragon-snake’s temerity. She waited for Xar’s fury to thunder around them.
    But Xar’s clenched fist slowly relaxed. His hand shook. Leaning on his desk, he turned away from Sang-drax, away from Marit.
    “Did you slay him?” the lord asked heavily.
    “No, Lord. He is one of your people, and so I took care not to kill him. I left him critically wounded, however, for which I apologize. Sometimes I do not know my own strength. I tore his heart-rune open. Seeing him near death, I realized what I had done and, fearing your displeasure, withdrew from the battle.”
    “And that is how you came to lose your eye?” Xar asked wryly, glancing around. “
Withdrawing
from the battle?”
    Sang-drax glowered; the single red eye glowed, andMarit’s defensive runes suddenly glimmered to life. Xar continued to regard the dragon-snake with apparent calm, and Sang-drax lowered his eyelid, extinguishing the red glow.
    “Your people are skilled warriors, Lord.” The single eye slid to Marit and flared briefly; then its gleam was doused again.
    “And what is Haplo’s condition now?” Xar asked. “Not good, I should think. It takes time to heal the heart-rune.”
    “True, Lord. He is exceedingly weak and will not soon recover.”
    “How did Bane come to die?” Xar asked mildly enough, though his own eyes flickered dangerously. “And why did Haplo attack you?”
    “Bane knew too much, Lord. He was loyal to you. Haplo hired a mensch called Hugh the Hand, an assassin friend of Alfred’s, to murder Bane. This done, Haplo seized control of the great Kicksey-winsey for himself. When I attempted to stop him—in your name, My Lord Xar—Haplo drove the mensch to attack me and my people.” 1
    “And they
defeated
you?
Mensch
defeated you?” Xar was regarding Sang-drax with disgust.
    “They did not defeat us, Lord,” Sang-drax answered with dignity. “As I said, we withdrew. We feared the Kicksey-winsey might suffer harm if we pursued the battle. We knew that you did not want the great machine damaged, and so, in deference to your wishes, we left Arianus.”
    Sang-drax looked up; the single eye gleamed. “There was no urgency. What my lord wants, my lord will take. As to the mensch, they may have found peace for the time being, but they will soon misplace it. Such is their way.”
    Xar glared at the dragon-snake, who stood chastened and abashed before him. “What is happening on Arianus now?”
    “Alas, Lord, as I said, our people all left. I can sendthem back, if you truly believe it necessary. However, might I suggest that my lord’s true interest lies in Pryan—”
    “Pryan again! What is so important about Pryan?”
    “The dragon’s scale that was