took his family to the home of his brother-in-law, there to regale him with tales of his own courage in the face of frightful danger.
The Inquisitors worked throughout the night, removing and sorting through the rubble themselves, permitting no one else to enter the building. When they finally left, sometime near dawn, it was observed that they carried with them a small sack, which they treated with great care. What was in the sack, if it contained pieces of the Vrykyl or his armor, was never revealed. The Inquisitors informed the Regent, who then informed the young kingâin case heâd been frightenedâthat the Vrykyl had been destroyed.
It was said that the young king was extremely pleased to hear the news.
T HE LIGHT FROM THE BLAST THAT DESTROYED THE VRYKYL ILLUMINATED the night sky and shook the cobblestone streets for blocks around the Tubby Tabby. The blast shattered windows, set fire to a neighboring roof, and caused widespread alarm. The fire was soon doused. The city guard and town criers hastened up and down the streets, reassuring the populace that the Revered Magi were dealing with the situation. Everything was under control. People should go back to their beds.
At the sound of the blast, Jessan halted and looked back over his shoulder.
âThat could have been us,â said Ulaf, as the ground shook beneath their feet.
Jessan nodded, then glanced around in confusion. âI think the tavern where I left Shadamehr is somewhere around here.â
âItâs down this alley,â said Ulaf, turning off the main street.
The magical light cast by the battle magi didnât penetrate as far as the alley. Everything was dark and silent. Too dark, for Ulafâs liking. There were no lights in the tavernâs windows.
âHowâs Bashae?â
âBreathing,â said Jessan. âBashae wanted to talk to Shadamehr. The baron was in a bad way when I left him. I didnât tell Bashae that he might be dead.â
âThe gods are not in a great hurry to have Shadamehr join them in their heavenly pursuits, so I wouldnât assume the worst just yet,â said Ulaf, trying very hard to follow his own comforting advice.
The Crow and Ring, the tavern in which Shadamehr had sought refuge from the Imperial Cavalry, was known to Ulaf. Located near both the Temple and the palace in an alley off Bookbinderâs Street, the Crow and Ring catered to tradesmen in the printing and binding profession and minor government functionaries. Small and snug, the Crow and Ring lacked the amenities of the Tubby Tabby, having no back exit, but it did boast a storage room filled with empty ale casks that were about the right size for hiding a full-grown humanâas Ulaf could testify from experienceâand a proprietor who, though she talked a great deal, knew when to keep her mouth shut.
Ulaf was having difficulty adjusting his eyes to the darkness of the alley, after the eerie white glow of the light spell. Jessan had better eyesight, apparently, for he said, âSomeone is there, standing in the doorway.â
Ulaf squinted, but it wasnât until they were practically entering the door that he saw the proprietorâa stout woman in her middle years whoâd inherited the Crow and Ring from her late husband.
âWhoâs that?â she asked in a tremulous voice.
Light flared. She had removed the cover from a dark lantern, and now flashed it directly into Ulafâs eyes.
He cried out, raised his hands to shield his face.
âItâs me, Maudie,â he said testily. âClose the shield! Youâve near blinded me!â
âIt is you, Ulaf,â she said, peering at him intently. âThanks be!â
She obediently slid shut the panel on the dark lantern, hiding the light. âAre the guards after you? Where did you come from? What have you got there? Children? Poor dears. Come inside and be quick about it. Did you hear that blast? They say that