Free Into The Dark Flame (Book 4) by Martin Ash Page A

He swung one leg carelessly back and forth; the other was near straight, the foot resting upon the floor, supporting much of his weight. With one hand he tossed a small white object into the air and caught it as it fell, tossed it and caught it again. He looked across at Leth, nodded and grinned nonchalantly. 'Good day, valiant hero.'
       With a shock Leth recognized Count Harg, the brigand leader. He turned upon Urch-Malmain in outrage. 'I will not have this man accompany me. He is a villain of the lowest order.'
       'As am I,' replied Urch-Malmain, who had moved to the foot of the stairway. 'Still, he will be useful to you, and to me also. Hence he and his company will travel with you. They are charged with your protection.' His voice had hardened. 'The matter is not being offered for debate.'
       Count Harg languidly tossed the little object high and let it drop into his open palm once more. 'Regrettably my company is greatly depleted, due to a rather unfortunate incident at the other end of the Shore. We are but three in number now.'
       Leth turned to him and growled, 'How did you come here?'
       'Why, the same way you did, I would imagine.'
       'You walked the Shore of Nothing?'
       'That is so.'
       'And were not driven mad?'
       Harg studied the little article in his hand. 'I am perhaps not the best judge of that. But as far as I am aware I am sane. Unprincipled, yes. Irredeemably miscreant, well perhaps. Sure of nothing?,’ he grinned sardonically. ‘Hmm, I’m not sure about that. But of unsound mind? I do not think so.'
       Of unsound mind! The words threw Leth back to his encounter with Fectur in the Hall of Wise Counsel, when the Master of Security for Enchantment's Reach had so deftly and deviously usurped his office. It had been. . . when? Incredibly, only days ago, unless more time had passed than he was aware of.
       Was it just coincidence that had bidden Harg to use these words? H ad he placed any subtle inflection on them, did his expression betray any double meaning? Leth pushed the words from his mind.
       'Why have you come?'
       Count Harg made a weary gesture, and smiled sardonically. 'Oh, everyone is so glum back there. Have you not noticed? There is no relief. I tire of it.'
       'If you came this way, did you encounter my former companion, Lakewander?'
       'I did,' said Harg, brightening. 'She was making her way home.'
       Leth bristled. 'Was she harmed?'
       'By me? No. To be honest, I was far more interested in you and your marvellous pink sword than I was in her. And as it happened, we met near the stone bridge. She sought and gained the aegis of that simple-minded hulk who guards the way.'
       'And the Bridgekeeper let you pass?'
       Count Harg eased himself off the table and crossed the room. He paused before a side-table upon which rested a small vase of translucent white gypsum, which held a single, vibrantly pink rose. Harg lifted the rose to his nostrils and enjoyed its perfume for a moment, then replied, 'Mmmm, yes, he did. I hailed him in the proper manner this time, so he had little option. And besides, he was busy attending to my former companions.' Harg made a grimace of distaste. 'He is a creature of strange appetites, even to someone of my hardened sensibilities.'    
       Urch-Malmain had ascended to the second step of the stairway. He had taken a pale blue foulard from within his robe and was applying it to his mouth and nose as if to ward off a foul odour. Leth saw that his brow gleamed with perspiration. 'So, Swordbearer, can I take it that you are ready to depart?'
       Leth felt no readiness, either to travel with Harg or do Urch-Malmain's bidding. Yet somewhere his children were hidden, awaiting him, and ahead lay a possibility of escape, of a return to Enchantment's Reach.
       So he nodded, his countenance dour.
       'Excellent!' Urch-Malmain edged away up the stairs, delivering little staccato coughs into his foulard. 'I shall