Read Online Serpent Mage by Margaret Weis - Free Book Online Page B

says, which is to be delivered to us, to all of us gathered here this day. I have ordered them to bring him here.”
    “Who attacked him?” asked Dumaka.
    Eliason was silent a moment, then said, “Serpents.”
    “A message 'to all of us gathered here,' “ repeated my father dourly. “I was right. They
are
watching us.”
    “Payment,” said my mother, the first word she'd spoken since the conference began.
    “I don't understand.” Eliason sounded frustrated. “What can they possibly want?”
    “I'll wager we are about to find out.”
    They said nothing further, but sat waiting, unwilling to look at each other, finding no comfort in seeing the reflection of their own dazed bewilderment on the faces of their friends.
    “We shouldn't be here. We shouldn't be doing this,” said Sabia suddenly. Her face was very pale; her lips trembled.
    Alake and I looked at her, looked at each other, looked down at the floor in shame. Sabia was right. This spying on our parents had always been a game to us, something we could giggle over in the night after they'd sent us to our beds. Now it was a game no longer. I don't know how the other two felt, but I found it frightening to see my parents, who had always seemed so strong and wise, in such confusion, such distress.
    “We should leave, now,” Sabia urged, and I knew she was right, but I could no more have climbed down off that footstool than I could have flown out the window.
    “Just a moment more,” said Alake.
    The sound of slippered feet, moving slowly, shuffling as if bearing a burden, came to us. Our parents drew themselvesupright, standing straight and tall, disquiet replaced by stern gravity. My father smoothed his beard. Dumaka folded his arms across his chest. Delu drew a stone from a pouch she wore at her side and rubbed it in her hand, her lips moving.
    Six elven men entered, bearing a litter between them. They moved slowly, carefully, in order to prevent jostling the wounded elf. At a gesture from their king, they gently placed the litter on the ground before him.
    Accompanying them was an elven physician, skilled in the healing arts of his people. On entering, I saw him glance askance at Delu; perhaps fearing interference. Elven and human healing techniques are considerably different, the former relying on extensive study of anatomy combined with alchemy, the latter treating hurts by means of sympathetic magic, chants to drive out evil humors, certain stones laid on vital body parts. We dwarves rely on the One and our own common sense.
    Seeing that Delu made no move toward his patient, the elven physician relaxed. Or it may have been that he suddenly realized it would make no difference if the human wizardess attempted to work her magic. It was obvious to us and to everyone present that nothing in this world would help the dying elf.
    “Don't look, Sabia,” Alake warned, drawing back and attempting to hide the gruesome sight from her friend.
    But it was too late. I heard Sabia's breath catch in her throat and I knew she'd seen.
    The young elf's clothes were torn and soaked in blood. Cracked and splintered ends of bones protruded through the purple flesh of his legs. His eyes were missing, they'd been gouged out. The blind head turned this way and that, the mouth opened and closed, repeating some words that I couldn't hear in a fevered sort of chant.
    “He was found this morning outside the city gates, Your Majesty,” one of the elves said. “We heard his screams.”
    “Who brought him?” Eliason asked, voice stern to mask his horror.
    “We saw no one, Your Majesty. But a trail of foul ooze led from the body back to the sea.”
    “Thank you. You may go now. Wait outside.”
    The elves who had brought the litter bowed and left.
    Once they were gone, our parents could give way to their feelings. Eliason cast his mantle over his head and averted his face, an elven response to grief. Dumaka turned away, strong body trembling in rage and pity. His wife rose and