“Majesty!” he called out in alarm, “do not—”

Ignoring him, the king swung the sword with all his might. “I will break this blade and drain its magic, that it may never harm another!” he shouted as he struck the cornerstone of the church.

The clang of steel against stone was loud, but it was the tremendous flash of light and the clap of thunder that made Gavril cringe back, eyes squinted and hands clapped over his ears. Faintly he heard the others cry out in startlement.  The king screamed and reeled back.

“Majesty!” Dain shouted. Shoving Gavril out of his way, he ran to Verence as the king staggered backward down the steps. Unbroken, Tanengard dropped from the king’s slack fingers and bounced, end over end, to lie shining in the dirt.  Verence’s eyes were wide and empty. His face was slack, as though all the intelligence had been drained from him. Gavril stared at his father in horror.  Dain reached for the king’s arm as Sir Odeil came charging up. The king shuddered in Dain’s grasp, then his vacant eyes rolled back in his head and he crumpled to the ground.

Dain caught the king as he fell, but the older man’s weight propelled them both to the ground. Even through Verence’s clothing, Dain could feel the power Tanengard had unleashed against him rampaging through his body. Despite Dain’s attempts to hold him, the king stiffened and began to convulse. Foam ran from a corner of his mouth, and he sounded like he was choking.  By then the others were crowding around, all except Gavril, who stood apart in frozen horror.

“Get his tongue,” Sir Terent said to Sir Odeil.

Nodding, the man pried open the king’s clenched jaws and thrust a stick between them. Lord Roberd moved Dain aside and used his greater bulk to hold the king down.

The convulsions seemed to go on forever before they abruptly stopped. Then, white-faced, the king lay sprawled on his back, his closed eyes sunk deep in his head.

In silence, they all slowly straightened and stared at him.  Lord Roberd wiped his perspiring face with an unsteady hand. “What in Thod’s name happened?”

“The king is ill,” Gavril said in a shrill voice. “He is ill! That is all that’s happened!”

The men ignored him.

Dain said, “When he sought to destroy the sword, it unleashed its power against him. The spells it carries shouldn’t have harmed him, for he is not of the Nonkind, but they are powerful. He had no defenses against them.” “Is he dead?” Sir Odeil asked.

Dain shook his head. “Nay.”

“His heart beats much too fast,” Sir Odeil said worriedly, pressing his hand to the king’s throat. “Perhaps he should be bled, to release the terrible humors that have entered him.”

“He should be seen by the court physician,” Lord Roberd said in a sharp voice.