Free A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond Feist Page B

guards and
had almost murdered the High Priestess of Lims-Kragma and the Prince
himself. He said to Nathan, “If he regains consciousness, use
what arts you can to discover what he knows. If he dies, burn the
body at once.” To Gardan, Jimmy, and Roald he said, “Come
with me,” and to Valdis, “Captain, double the guards at
once, quietly.”
    Leaving the
heavily guarded room, he led his companions toward his own quarters.
“With Anita and the babies safely on their way to her mother’s,
I need only worry about rooting out these assassins before they find
another way to reach me.”
    Gardan said,
“But Her Highness hasn’t left yet.”
    Arutha spun.
“What? She bade me goodbye at first light an hour ago.”
    “Perhaps,
Sire, but it seems a thousand details are still left. Her baggage was
only loaded a little while ago. The guards have been ready for two
hours, but I don’t think the carriages have left yet.”
    “Then
hurry and make sure they’re safe until they’ve gone.”
    Gardan ran off
and Arutha, Jimmy, and Roald continued on their way. Arutha said,
“You know what we face. Of all here, only those of us who were
at Moraelin truly know what sort of enemy stands behind this. You
also know it is a war without quarter, until one side or the other
ends in utter defeat.”
    Jimmy nodded, a
little surprised at Arutha’s tone. Something in this latest
attack had touched a nerve. Since Jimmy had known the Prince, Arutha
had always been a cautious man, careful to consider all the
information at his disposal in making the best judgments he was able.
The only exception Jimmy had witnessed had been when Anita lay
injured by Laughing Jack’s errant crossbow bolt. Then Arutha
had changed. Now, as when Anita was nearly killed, he again seemed a
man on the edge of possession, a man full of rage at this invasion of
his sanctum. The well-being of his person and his family was in
jeopardy and he showed a barely controlled killing rage toward those
responsible.
    “Find
Trevor Hull again,” he told Jimmy. “I want his best men
ready to move after sundown tonight. Have him come with Cook as soon
as possible. I’ll want plans made with Gardan and Valdis.
    “Roald,
your task is to keep Laurie busy today. He’s sure to tumble
something’s amiss when I don’t hold court this afternoon.
Keep him preoccupied with something, perhaps with a visit to old
haunts in the city, and keep him away from the east tower.”
Jimmy looked surprised. “Now that he and Carline are married,
I’ll risk only one member of her family. He’s just
foolish enough to want to come along.”
    Roald and Jimmy
exchanged glances. Both anticipated what the Prince planned for
tonight. Arutha’s expression became thoughtful. “Go on,
I’ve just remembered something I need to discuss with Nathan.
Send word when Hull’s returned.” Without further
discussion, they headed off to their appointed tasks while Arutha
returned to the room to speak with the priest of Sung.

THREE - Murder
    A rmed
men stood ready.
    Krondor was
still celebrating, for Arutha had proclaimed a second day of
festival, with the weak explanation that as there were two sons,
there should be two days of Presentation. The announcement had been
greeted with enthusiasm by all in the city save the palace staff, but
Master of Ceremonies deLacy had quickly got things under control.
Now, with the celebrants still crowding inns and alehouses, as the
festive mood of the day before seemed to increase, the passing of
many men - seemingly off duty, upon one errand or another, not
acknowledging one another - was scarcely noticed. But by midnight
they had gathered in five locations: the common room of the Rainbow
Parrot Inn, three widely scattered warehouses controlled by the
Mockers, and aboard the Royal Raven ,
    At a prearranged
signal, the incorrect ringing of the time by the city watch, the five
companies would begin to make their way toward the stronghold of the
brotherhood of