Two

Later that night, when Moonglum had gone to bed, Elric sat in the tavern room drinking. Even the most enthusiastic of the night’s roisterers had left when they had noticed with whom they shared the room; and now Elric sat alone, the only light coming from a guttering reed torch over the outside door, Now the door opened and a richly-dressed youth stood there, staring in.

‘I seek the White Wolf,’ he said, his head at a questioning angle. He could not see Elric clearly.

‘I’m sometimes called that name in these parts,’ Eltic said calmly. ‘Do you seek Elric of Melnibone?’ ‘Aye. I have a message.’ The youth came in, keeping his cloak wrapped about him, for the room was cold though Elric did not notice it.

‘I am Count Yolan, deputy-commander of the city guard,’ the youth said arrogantly, coming up to the table at which Elric sat and studying the albino rudely. ‘You are brave to come here so openly. Do you think the folk of Jharkor have such short memories they can forget that you led their king into a trap scarce two years since?’ Elric sipped his wine, then said from behind the rim of his cup: ‘This is rhetoric, Count Yolan. What is your message?’ Yolan’s assured manner left him; he made a rather weak gesture. ‘Rhetoric to you, perhaps—but I for one feel strongly on the matter. Would not King Darmit be here today if you had not fled from the battle that broke the power of the Sea Lords and your own folk? Did you not use your sorcery to aid you in your flight, instead of using it to aid the men who thought they were your comrades?’ _ Elric sighed. ‘I know your purpose here was not to bait me in this manner. Darmit died on board his flagship during the first attack on Imrryr’s sea-maze, not in the subsequent battle.’ ‘You sneer at my questions and then proffer lame lies to cover your own cowardly deed,’ Yolan said bitterly. ‘If I had my way you’d be fed to your hellblade there—I’ve heard what happened earlier.’ Elric rose slowly. ‘Your taunts tire me. When you feel ready to deliver your message, give it to the inn-keeper.’ He walked around the table, moving towards the stairs, but stopped as Yolan turned and plucked at his sleeve.

Elric’s corpse-white face stared down at the young noble. His crimson eyes flickered with a dangerous emotion. ‘I am not used to such familiarity, young man.’ Yolan’s hand fell away. ‘Forgive me. I was self-indulgent and should not have let my emotions override diplomacy. I came on a matter of discretion—a message from Queen Yishana. She seeks your help.’ ‘I’m as disinclined to help others as I am to explain my actions,’ Elric spoke impatiently. ‘In the past my help has not always been to the advantage of those who’ve sought it. Darmit, your queen’s halfbrother; discovered that.’ Yolan said sullenly: ‘You echo my own warnings to the queen, sir. For all that, she desires to see you in private—tonight...’ he scowled and looked away. ‘I would point out that I could have you arrested should you refuse.’ ‘Perhaps.’ Elric moved again towards the steps.

‘Tell Yishana that I stay the night here and move on at dawn. She may visit me if her request is so urgent.’ He climbed the stairs, leaving a gape-mouthed Yolan sitting alone in the quiet of the tavern.

Theleb K’aarna scowled. For all his skill in the black arts, he was a fool in love; and Yishana, sprawled on her fur-rich bed, knew it. It pleased her to have power over a man who could destroy her with a simple incantation if it were not for his love.

weakness. Though Theleb K’aarna stood high in the hierarchy of Pan Tang, it was clear to her that she was in no danger from the sorcerer. Indeed, her intuition informed her that this man who loved to dominate others also needed to be dominated. She filled this need for him—with relish.

Theleb K’aarna continued to scowl at her. ‘How can that decadent spell-singer help you where I cannot?’ he muttered, sitting down on the bed and stroking her bejewelled foot.

Yishana was pot a young woman, neither was she pretty. Yet there was an hypnotic quality about her tall, full body, her lush black hair, and her wholly sensuous face. Few of the men she had singled out for her pleasure had been able to resist her.

Neither was she sweet-natured, just, wise, nor self-sacrificing. The historians would append no noble soubriquet to her name. Still, there was something so self-sufficient about her, something denying the usual standards by which a person was judged, that all who knew her admired her, and she was well-loved by those she ruled—loved rather as a wilful child is loved, yet loved with firm loyalty.

Now she laughed quietly, mockingly at her sorcerer lover.

‘You’re probably right, Theleb K’aarna, but Elric is a legend—the most spoken-of, least-known man in the world. This is my opportunity to discover what others have only speculated on—his true character.’ Theleb K’aarna made a pettish gesture. He stroked his long black beard and got up, walking to a table bearing fruit and wine. He poured wine for them both. ‘if you seek to make me jealous again, you are succeeding, of course. I hold little hope for your ambition. Elric’s ancestors were half-demons-his race is not human and cannot be judged by our yardsticks. To us, sorcery is learned after years of study and sacrifice—to Elric’s kind, sorcery is intuitive-natural, You may not live to learn his secrets.

Cymoril, his beloved cousin, died on his blade—and she was his betrothed!’ ‘Your concern is touching.’ She lazily accepted the goblet he handed to her. ‘But I’ll continue with my plan, none the less. After all, you can hardly claim to have had much success in discovering the nature of this citadel!’ ‘There are subtleties I have not properly plumbed as yet!’ ‘Then perhaps Elric’s intuition will provide answers where you fail,’ she smiled. Then he got up and looked through the window at the sky where the full moon hung in a clear sky over the spires of Dhakos. ‘Yolan is late. If-all went properly, he should have brought Elric here by now.’ ‘Yolan was a mistake, You should not have sent such a close friend of Darmit’s. For all we know, he’s challenged Elric and killed him!’ Again she couldn’t resist laughter. ‘Oh, you wish too hard—it clouds your reason. I sent Yolan because I knew he would be rude to the albino and perhaps weaken his usual insouciance—arouse his curiosity.

Yolan was a kind of bait to bring Elric to us!’ ‘Then possibly Elric sensed this?’ ‘I am not overly intelligent, my love-but I think my instincts rarely betray, me. We shall see soon.’ A little later there was a discreet scratch at the door and a handmaiden entered.

‘Your Highness, Count Yolan has returned.’ ‘Only Count Yolan?’ There was a smile on Theleb K’aarna’s face. It was to disappear in a short while as Yishana left the room, garbed for the street.

‘You are a fool!’ he snarled as the door slammed.

He flung down his goblet. Already he had been unsuccessful in the matter of the citadel and, if Elric displaced him, he could lose everything. He began to think very deeply,’ very carefully.