Read Online Resurrection by Paul S. Kemp - Free Book Online
Authors: Paul S. Kemp
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy fiction, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Epic, Queens, Forgotten realms (Imaginary place), Resurrection
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remained safe.
Unfortunately, no one seemed to know exactly where the phylactery might be. Her own divinations had been unable to locate it, though she assumed it to be somewhere in House Agrach Dyrr-the lichdrow spent virtually all of his existence within the House. He would not have secreted the phylactery anywhere else. Yasraena knew that Gromph Baenre would make the same assumption and would come for it. She had to find it first, or at least prevent Gromph Baenre from finding it at all. To do the latter, she needed to know what Gromph Baenre was doing at all times.
In the past, her daughters' and the House's wizards' scrying spells had been unable to pierce the wards around Gromph Baenre's sanctum within Sorcere, despite frequent attempts. But they had to find a way to do it, and so they would. Yasraena needed to know when the Archmage was coming.
She looked across the basin to Geremis, the aging, bald apprentice to the lichdrow. At that moment, his hairless head irritated her beyond measure.
"Scour your memories for any clue, Geremis," she commanded. "Or I will extract your brain and sift it with my own fingers. Where would the lichdrow have hidden his phylactery?"
Visibly shaking, Geremis shook his head and did not meet her eyes. "Matron Mother, the lichdrow shared such information with no one. Please. Our divinations have-"
"Enough!" shouted Yasraena, and stomped her foot on the stone floor. "The time for excuses is past. Larikal, you and Geremis organize a team to search the House. By hand, on all fours if necessary! Perhaps an ordinary search can find what spells cannot. Keep me informed on the hour."
She knew that Geremis sometimes shared Larikal's bed. Both were ugly, and the thought of their coupling made her ill.
"Yes, Matron Mother," answer Larikal, not daring to argue. To Geremis, Larikal commanded, "Follow me, male."
Both hurried from the scrying chamber, eager to get out of the way of Yasraena's wrath.
After they had gone, Yasraena looked to Esvena. "You, find a way to penetrate the wards around Gromph Baenre's sanctum within Sorcere." She eyed the two remaining males, both homely, middle aged wizards; she did not even know their names. "You two, assist her. And bolster our own defenses. If you cannot get through the Archmage's wards, or if he or any Xorlarrin piece of dung breaches ours, I will be displeased."
She let the threat linger in the air.
One of the males cleared his throat and began, "Matron Mother-"
Yasraena lashed out with her tentacle rod. Two of the black, rubbery arms at its end extended themselves and wrapped around the throat of the wizard. He gagged and clutched at the tentacles. His red eyes went wide; his mouth moved but no sound emerged. With a mental command, Yasraena ordered the rod to squeeze the male's throat harder.
"You will speak only when I command it," she said and looked into the face of the other male. He did not meet her gaze. "As I said, the time for excuses is past. Do what needs to be done."
Esvena looked on with a cold smile.
With her free hand, Yasraena backhanded her daughter across the mouth. The younger priestess stumbled back, bleeding from her lip and glaring hate at her mother.
"Do not dare smile in my presence," Yasraena spat. "The fate of our House is at stake. Indulge your petty pleasures after we have defeated our enemies."
Esvena wiped the blood from her lip and lowered her eyes. "Forgive me, Matron Mother," she said.
Yasraena knew the apology to be insincere but would have expected nothing else. She released the male from her rod. He fell to his knees, before the scrying basin, gasping and choking.
"We all live or die with this House," Yasraena announced. "Should I so much as suspect treachery or half-efforts, you will be flayed to death, resurrected, and flayed anew. That process will continue indefinitely until my anger is sated. Do not doubt my resolve."
She eyed her daughter, and Esvena's eyes showed real fear. The males did their best
Unfortunately, no one seemed to know exactly where the phylactery might be. Her own divinations had been unable to locate it, though she assumed it to be somewhere in House Agrach Dyrr-the lichdrow spent virtually all of his existence within the House. He would not have secreted the phylactery anywhere else. Yasraena knew that Gromph Baenre would make the same assumption and would come for it. She had to find it first, or at least prevent Gromph Baenre from finding it at all. To do the latter, she needed to know what Gromph Baenre was doing at all times.
In the past, her daughters' and the House's wizards' scrying spells had been unable to pierce the wards around Gromph Baenre's sanctum within Sorcere, despite frequent attempts. But they had to find a way to do it, and so they would. Yasraena needed to know when the Archmage was coming.
She looked across the basin to Geremis, the aging, bald apprentice to the lichdrow. At that moment, his hairless head irritated her beyond measure.
"Scour your memories for any clue, Geremis," she commanded. "Or I will extract your brain and sift it with my own fingers. Where would the lichdrow have hidden his phylactery?"
Visibly shaking, Geremis shook his head and did not meet her eyes. "Matron Mother, the lichdrow shared such information with no one. Please. Our divinations have-"
"Enough!" shouted Yasraena, and stomped her foot on the stone floor. "The time for excuses is past. Larikal, you and Geremis organize a team to search the House. By hand, on all fours if necessary! Perhaps an ordinary search can find what spells cannot. Keep me informed on the hour."
She knew that Geremis sometimes shared Larikal's bed. Both were ugly, and the thought of their coupling made her ill.
"Yes, Matron Mother," answer Larikal, not daring to argue. To Geremis, Larikal commanded, "Follow me, male."
Both hurried from the scrying chamber, eager to get out of the way of Yasraena's wrath.
After they had gone, Yasraena looked to Esvena. "You, find a way to penetrate the wards around Gromph Baenre's sanctum within Sorcere." She eyed the two remaining males, both homely, middle aged wizards; she did not even know their names. "You two, assist her. And bolster our own defenses. If you cannot get through the Archmage's wards, or if he or any Xorlarrin piece of dung breaches ours, I will be displeased."
She let the threat linger in the air.
One of the males cleared his throat and began, "Matron Mother-"
Yasraena lashed out with her tentacle rod. Two of the black, rubbery arms at its end extended themselves and wrapped around the throat of the wizard. He gagged and clutched at the tentacles. His red eyes went wide; his mouth moved but no sound emerged. With a mental command, Yasraena ordered the rod to squeeze the male's throat harder.
"You will speak only when I command it," she said and looked into the face of the other male. He did not meet her gaze. "As I said, the time for excuses is past. Do what needs to be done."
Esvena looked on with a cold smile.
With her free hand, Yasraena backhanded her daughter across the mouth. The younger priestess stumbled back, bleeding from her lip and glaring hate at her mother.
"Do not dare smile in my presence," Yasraena spat. "The fate of our House is at stake. Indulge your petty pleasures after we have defeated our enemies."
Esvena wiped the blood from her lip and lowered her eyes. "Forgive me, Matron Mother," she said.
Yasraena knew the apology to be insincere but would have expected nothing else. She released the male from her rod. He fell to his knees, before the scrying basin, gasping and choking.
"We all live or die with this House," Yasraena announced. "Should I so much as suspect treachery or half-efforts, you will be flayed to death, resurrected, and flayed anew. That process will continue indefinitely until my anger is sated. Do not doubt my resolve."
She eyed her daughter, and Esvena's eyes showed real fear. The males did their best
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