George figured he would show the beast instead of argue. He lifted his hands into the air. Once they were level to the bed, he turned his palms up and lifted them higher, causing all three jaguars to rise from the floor. Just over six tons of undead cat hung suspended.

Kepler's brothers snarled, but George silenced them with a glance.

Kepler, on the other hand, remained calm. "I see your point, George. So what else can you do?"

The mage lowered the jaguars back to the floor. "I can do many, many things, but let's talk about them on the way to Bloodvain."

The cats agreed.

"Good," George responded. He stood up on the bed. "Meet me just north of the village in the morning." The mage closed his eyes and vanished. When he opened them, he was standing over his wife. He leaned over and ran his fingers through her hair. When she woke, she smiled, and made room for him to crawl in beside her.

The Castle of Brandor The Next Peak Aaron stayed with his father through the night. Keldwin had intended to go to the throne room to hand his crown to his son, but found he was too weak to get out of bed. He tried to apologize to Aaron, but he was unable to get the words out. Using his last breath, the father said to his son, "I'm proud of you, boy."

These five words tore at Aaron's heart. Abandoning all control, he threw himself across his father's body and wept.

Later, Sam found Aaron kneeling by the king's bed with his head lowered into one of his father's palms. He lifted the young king from the floor and led Aaron into the royal garden, signaling the morticians. "Prepare the body for viewing. It will be held at the Peak tomorrow, and the fire will be lit after dark. See that the senators know the moment has come to carry out their a.s.signments."

Once in the garden, Sam sat Aaron down on one of the many benches to console him. "Talk to me, Aaron. Get it off your chest so you can breathe."

"I'm fine, Sam. I've had more than enough moments to prepare for his pa.s.sing. It hit me hard, and I'll continue to grieve, but not without performing my duties. My father would've wanted it that way. His last words to me before he pa.s.sed were that he was proud of me. Many men never get to hear their father say something so special."

Sam helped Aaron off his seat. "I thought I was going to have to console you, but it looks like you have everything under control. What do you say we get a mug of ale? I don't know about you, but I could use one."

The king agreed the idea sounded pleasant. The men headed for the kitchen with their arms draped across each other's shoulders.

City of Serpents Seth was slithering through his underground kingdom toward his royal rock, the serpent's version of a throne. Far beneath this flat boulder was an underground lava flow. The heat from the river produced enough energy to warm his rock. This was the giant snake's favorite place to sleep. It was also the same rock where his great-great-great-grandfather, King Sotter, had slept seasons ago.

For the most part, Seth's kingdom did not interfere in the matters of the two dominant, human kingdoms of Southern Grayham. The serpent's domain was everything south of the Poison River where it left Lake Zandra and west of the Snake River that also exited the same lake.

His kind was known for their poison. They sold their venom and various forms of plant life that grew in the marshlands of his kingdom to Merchant Island. The coin collected was kept in an underground shaft that was so full it was overflowing. The reptilian population did not have a need for wealth. The sale of the serpents' wares simply kept the other kingdoms out of their borders and allowed them to live without fear of invasion.

There were four tunnels into Seth's cavern. Each was guarded by two reptilian soldiers. The guards were not there to defend their king from outside invaders, but rather, they were chosen to protect the king from his own kind. Every now and then, an ambitious up-and-coming serpent champion felt strong enough to take the king's rock. For the most part, the guards managed to spoil the attack, and life went on as usual. But Seth's relative, Sotter, had succeeded, and he seized the throne.

Fellow soul ... a quick fact. Unlike other kingdoms, the serpent's throne was volatile. If a serpent was powerful enough to kill the king and the eight guards that protected him, by default, he was given the throne, and he would remain the monarch until he was either killed in turn or pa.s.sed of old age. The crown remained in this new monarch's bloodline beyond his seasons unless another champion rebelled and was able to seize the throne.

When the Mischievous One showed up in front of Seth's boulder, the snake was napping. The Serpent King's guards were quick to attack, but Lasidious put up a wall of force, and the reptiles simply slammed into it.

The G.o.d made sure Seth was the only one who could hear his voice when he spoke. "Seth, I need to speak with you. Have your guards stand down."

The serpent hissed, "Who are you to stand before my rock?"

The Mischievous One was annoyed by the Snake King's ignorance as he responded. "My name is Lasidious."

The reptile knew the name belonged to a G.o.d, though he had no previous knowledge of what Lasidious looked like or what he stood for. But Seth did know his ancestors worshipped Celestria, and she was believed to be the mightiest of serpents. In many of the stories of old about his great-great-great-grandfather, Sotter, there was mention of Lasidious' name. Lasidious often fought at the serpent G.o.ddess' side.

Seth ordered his guards to back off. "What issssss the purpossssse of your visssssit, Lord Lasidiousssss?"

The king's hissing was going to drive Lasidious mad. The Mischievous One decided to tell the snake everything he had to say, without interruption, and let the snake dwell on it.

"Seth, you've proven to be a wise leader over your kind. You've continued the ways of the kings before you, and this has kept outsiders from crossing your borders. I'm here to tell you that a great threat has emerged, both in Brandor and in Bloodvain, that will destroy your way of life. The human kingdoms will be at war before the season ends."

"War?" Seth hissed. "I sssssee. Over what do they fight?"

"Over what matters not. This war will spread beyond your borders, and it won't stop until you're destroyed. The only way to protect your way of life is to ally your kind with the barbarians. A new king has ascended to the throne. He's powerful, and although he's not a barbarian, he defeated their king in battle and took the crown. If you align yourself with this human, your kingdoms can work together to defend the advances of Brandor. Once their bid for power has been stopped, you can continue life as normal. This is a friendly warning, Seth. What you do with this information is up to you. The man you need to find, if you choose this path, is called George Nailer. I wish you good fortune in whichever decision you make. I must take my leave."

Before Seth could hiss a response, Lasidious vanished.

Agitated, the Serpent King looked at his soldiers and then called for the Council of Serpents to convene. He would announce a trip to Bloodvain.

City of Brandor Sam woke early on the morning of Keldwin's viewing. After he left the room to grab breakfast, Shalee opened her eyes. She rolled out of bed, stretched, and then she asked her servants to prepare her morning bath. She was about to drop her towel and step into the hot tub of water when she let out a shriek. Shalee ran across the room, pulled the covers off the bed and then threw them around her. She looked back across the room at Mosley who had materialized next to the bathing tub.

"What are you doing popping in on a girl like that? I was fixin' to take a bath. Can't a girl get some privacy? "

Mosley gave a wolfish grin. "Don't worry yourself, Shalee, the look of your hide doesn't appeal to me. You don't have enough fur, or a bushy enough tail for me to find satisfaction in your appearance." The wolf paused. "Now, if you had a tail ... I might-"

"If you finish that sentence, so help me, I'll turn you into a G.o.d-frog!"

The wolf laughed and then turned around. "Please cover yourself."

Shalee dropped the blanket and wrapped her towel around her.

The wolf turned to face her. "Shalee, I have come to speak of things you need to know as a sorceress. I want to ensure my message weighs heavy on your mind during every moment. This will keep you alive when other magic users pa.s.s."

"Holy cow, Mosley, you really know how to ruin a girl's bath. You pop in unannounced, tell me I don't have a cute b.u.t.t, and then say you have something I need to know that might be the only thing that keeps me alive. Nice. Are you the G.o.d of War, or are you the Wolf-G.o.d of Bad News?" Shalee walked across the room and ruffled her hands through the fur on the top of Mosley's head. d.a.m.n dog, she thought.

Despite the fact the wolf came for a serious discussion, Mosley enjoyed Shalee's affection. After a moment, he pulled away and asked Shalee to take a seat on the edge of the bed. "Shalee, I need you to take me seriously. I cannot tell you why I've come, but I can tell you it's for a good reason."

"You're scaring me, Mosley."

"You should be scared." The wolf's green eyes narrowed. "You need to watch out for that which does not seem normal. Have a plan prepared for when this happens. Shalee, you have the power to take control of most any situation. You must heighten your senses."

"What are you trying to say? Stop talking in riddles."

The wolf looked up at the ceiling. "I'm being summoned. Remember, Shalee, you must be ready ... no matter what. I'm sorry I can't explain, but this warning was meant to save the lives of those in your pack."

Mosley's voice echoed throughout the room even after his departure, leaving Shalee sitting on the bed, shaken and trying to decode what he said. After taking a faster-than-normal bath to make up for lost moments, she headed out to find Sam.

Aaron decided to change the venue where his father's body was to be viewed. The young king ordered Keldwin's corpse to be moved to the Royal Theatre of Brandor.

As usual, Double D had his mask on when the order was given, but during this series of moments, the a.s.sa.s.sin was standing directly behind the king's throne. Aaron was sitting in the chair delivering his instructions to a room that was filled to capacity, and the tip of Double D's blade was pressed against the back of the chair. The a.s.sa.s.sin was ready to shove the blade through when the command was given.

Double D pulled back the knife and smiled. This change of venue would provide a grander stage for a killing. Better yet, this would make his job even easier when the moment came to escape. Unlike the confines of the throne room, the theatre was s.p.a.cious and had many exits. He immediately departed to familiarize himself with the layout of the structure.

With the a.s.sa.s.sin standing on a stage where a few souls were preparing for the viewing, Double D kept his mask over his eyes as he dodged between them. He was plotting both Aaron's a.s.sa.s.sination and his escape, and it was not long before he felt like he had a plan.

The morticians entered from the back of the theatre to avoid the mob that had lined the streets for more than 500 breaths. They placed Keldwin's casket not more than three paces from the curtain at the center of the stage. Seeing this placement and understanding his escape route, Double D could only marvel at how simple his execution was going to be. Not only was this going to be the ultimate a.s.sa.s.sination ever witnessed on Grayham, but he would not even break a sweat when he escaped.

Double D listened as the head mortician spoke, "We should usher the people onto the stage to say goodbye. They can walk up from the left, pay their respects and then exit to the right. We should bring the n.o.bles in first to keep them from standing in the rain, followed by the Senate and then the high-ranking officers of the army. Everyone else can fill in what's left once they've been seated."

The next part caught the a.s.sa.s.sin's attention.

"The king has decided to address the people. Ten guards, five on each side, need to be placed next to the casket." The mortician walked across the stage and stopped three paces from the edge of the stage. "The casket needs to be moved away from the curtain and placed here. I also want it parallel to the curtain."

Double D smiled. The back side of the casket would be wide open for his approach.

The mortician continued as he pointed. "I want King Aaron's throne placed on the far side of the stage over there. His advisor, the General Absolute, and their wives will join him."

The a.s.sa.s.sin shook his head in amazement. He could not have dreamed of a more perfect scenario. Double D stepped behind the stage curtain and waited.

As the Peak of Bailem pa.s.sed, the doors to the theater opened. As planned, the royal family was ushered to their seats, followed by the members of the Senate and their families. These first two groups were placed, one behind the other, in the first three rows of seats directly in front of the stage.

Key members of the military and their families were next, numbering 900 souls. With the other 6,000 seats filled, it would be the biggest a.s.sa.s.sination ever witnessed.

Double D peeked through the curtain and rolled his hands together. If not for his greed, the gathering was large enough that he would have killed Aaron for free. This was his chance to make the ultimate statement. a.s.sa.s.sins for ages to come would always aspire to match his greatness. Upon the Peak of his pa.s.sing, he would leave behind a note that revealed the truth that he was the one who slew the king and the general. The Scrolls of Old would read: Dawson Drake, the a.s.sa.s.sin Who Single-handedly Changed the Face of the Kingdom of Brandor.

Many moments pa.s.sed before the theatre settled. Double D watched as Sam stood from his seat and kissed his wife's hand before he walked to the center of the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Sam shouted. "Please! Everyone take your seats!"

The crowd quieted.

"In a few moments, your king will arrive to make his way through the theatre. He has requested that no one speak until he has said goodbye to his father. Once the king has left the building, you may talk amongst yourselves. You'll be told when it's your turn to pay your respects. I ask that you show respect for the pa.s.sed, as well as for your king."

A young, well-dressed servant ran up the steps of the stage and stopped next to Sam. "The king has arrived," he whispered. "He is waiting to be introduced."

Sam signaled the trumpeters and shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen! Rise for your king, Aaron Brandor!"

The sound of the trumpets filled the expansive room with wonderful music as Aaron entered through the double doors and made his way to the stage.

Sam lowered to one knee and bowed his head. It was agreed that Sam's acknowledgement would symbolize the respect of the audience who could not kneel at their seats. Sam kissed the king's hand before he was signaled to rise, whereupon Aaron embraced his advisor as he whispered in Sam's ear, "I find much strength in you, Sam. Thank you."

The advisor was touched by the king's sentiment. Sam nodded and then returned to his seat.

Aaron turned to face the audience and began his address.

Shalee listened from her seat, still bothered by Mosley's words. They had left her with a heightened sense of awareness. She scanned the theatre, looking for something out of the ordinary, but she could not find anything. The sorceress gripped Precious with white knuckles as she directed her attention toward Aaron as he finished his address.

"...You'll always be remembered, My Great King." These were the last words Aaron spoke as he turned to say goodbye to his father.

Double D looked across Keldwin's body as Aaron approached the casket. The same knife he used to kill the barbarian in Gessler was in his hand, and he had laced the blade with poison to ensure the job was completed if he made an imperfect thrust. He moved his arm into position, and made sure his mask was secure. He did not want his actions to cause it to shift and ruin his escape.

As Aaron stood above his father, tears fell from his cheeks and landed on Keldwin's cold hands, but the a.s.sa.s.sin felt no compa.s.sion. On the contrary, the pain filling the king's eyes excited Dawson Drake. Double D licked his lips as the grieving monarch leaned over to kiss his father on the forehead.

As the young king straightened up, the a.s.sa.s.sin plunged his knife under Aaron's chin, thrusting so hard that the tip of the blade pierced the top of Aaron's head. Double D savored the penetration.

Shalee watched as the king moved across the stage toward the coffin. Her gut was telling her something was not right. As the sorceress watched the king bend over to kiss his father, she exhaled with relief, but then the hole in the king's head opened and blood spurted everywhere.

Double D decided to leave the barbarian's knife buried in the king's skull to punctuate his statement of artistry. Let's go get my money, he thought as he let go of the knife and turned to run.

Seeing the blade appear in Aaron's head, Shalee immediately slammed Precious against the floor of the stage and screamed, "Precious, illuvu sol!" Everyone and everything within the theatre stopped moving, both seen and unseen.

The sorceress stood from her chair and rushed across the stage. Blood was everywhere, and the drops that were falling from the knife were suspended in air. Shalee gathered her emotions and took a closer look. How could a knife just appear like this? she thought.

Shalee went to Sam and released him from her magic. She placed a finger over his mouth and explained the situation.

With Shalee in tow, Sam studied the scene. He moved around the guards to the backside of the coffin. As he did, he tripped over the extended foot of the a.s.sa.s.sin. "Something's here!" he exclaimed as he picked himself up off the floor.

Shalee reached out to feel around. Her hand touched Double D's stomach. As she moved it beyond his chest, her fingers touched the scruff on the bottom of the a.s.sa.s.sin's chin. "Oh, my gosh, it's a man!"

Sam responded. "Step aside."

She did as Sam instructed. A moment later, Sam's hand b.u.mped the mask. The mask shifted upward, and Double D appeared. "Holy," Sam said as he pulled his hand away.

Gravity grabbed the weight of the mask and forced it back into position over Double D's eyes. The a.s.sa.s.sin vanished.

"Oh, my gosh, Sam, that's it. Take it off."

Sam reached out, felt around and then yanked the mask off Double D's head. The a.s.sa.s.sin was in stride, and his intended path was for the curtains behind the coffin.

Sam handed the magical item to Shalee. "I think this is in your arena. Put it on."

Shalee's brow furrowed as she studied the skull. "No!" she reb.u.t.ted. "Look at it. It's creepy."

"Just put it on and see what happens."

The sorceress examined the mask. After a fair series of moments, she shrugged and then placed it against her face. Just like Double D, she vanished. "Can you see me?"

Sam shook his head. For the moment, he forgot about the prince's death. "Whoa! That's amazing. What kind of magic is that?"

Shalee pulled the mask away from her face. As she reappeared, she responded. "I think it's dark magic. What should we do with him? We can't let him get away."

Sam did not respond. Instead, he circled the frozen figure and rifled through Double D's pockets. "I want to know who we're dealing with."

"Be careful," the sorceress urged.

"Why? He's not going anywhere."

"I don't know. Just be careful. He's a killer."

Shalee's warning was accurate. Sam pulled out a small, wooden case that was filled with poisonous darts. Their points were capped with leather sleeves, and as he closed the case, he noticed that the initials DD were burned into the lid. "Hmmm ... DD ... I wonder what it stands for."

"Who cares?" Shalee snapped. "What are we gonna do with this creep? I can't keep everyone frozen forever. And don't forget, Aaron's gone."

Sam put the case in his pocket and then lifted the a.s.sa.s.sin off the floor. He turned Double D around and carried him back to the coffin. He adjusted Double D's posture until he was in the perfect position and then placed the a.s.sa.s.sin's hand back on the handle of the knife that was still buried into the king's skewered head.

" Goodness gracious, Sam, what are you doing?" Shalee whispered.

"I'm making him look guilty. You said we don't want him to get away, right?"