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full power.
"Whatever the centuries may have done to me, small man, I think they have done
worse to you. For you are sadly changed."
"Changed? Yes, you animal, changed indeed! But stronger now, I assure you,
than ever I was then!"
CHAPTER 19
STARTING the long climb down from the griffin's aerie where he had been
standing as he watched his demons routed, the Ancient Master took note again
of the absence of small flyers, and reminded himself grimly that for the time
being at least he was going to have to rely upon human eyes and ears,
stationed in these high towers and elsewhere, to gather intelligence about
what was happening on the lake and along its shores. He would of course use
magical methods of observation when they seemed appropriate. And if a
desperate need arose he could always mount his griffin again and ride out to
see for himself.
But for the time being the problems of gathering intelligence outside the
castle could wait. There was another question for which he had to find the
answer as soon as possible: What had happened to his demons? Who, what power,
had been able to sweep them out of the sky like so many drifting cobwebs?
Having descended the ladder that led immediately down from the tower's top, he
started down the stairs, meanwhile casting about him with his own magical
powers for an answer. But Wood was unable to confirm anything about the event
he had just witnessed except that the demons were definitely gone. Whatever
force had banished them had left no trace of itself behind.
As soon as he reached a level of the tower where there were soldiers within
easy call, Wood summoned several, then hurriedly sent them scurrying on ahead
of him, bearing his orders in different directions.
First of all he wanted to make sure that his important prisoners were secure.
Particularly the one named Mark-Prince of Tasavalta, said to be the adopted
son of a blacksmith named Jord. And the natural son-if the stories Wood had
heard were true-of the enigmatic magician now called the Emperor.
Could it really be true that this child of the Emperor, or anyone else,
innately possessed such powers? Wood doubted that, but so far he had been
unable to discover any other clue to an explanation for his demons'
disappearance.
Mark had shown no sign of magical ability during his first brief confrontation
with the Ancient Master. But if Mark was now shouting demons out of the sky,
it could be assumed with a fair degree of certainty that he was no longer
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bound under the water by
Wood's enchantment.
Reaching the lower levels of the castle, Wood now passed from the base of the
aerie tower into the central keep. In a moment he had reached the room that
he ordinarily used as his headquarters. On entering this chamber, his first
act was to call for General
Amintor.
Before the general had arrived, a messenger came running to the wizard with
information on the prisoners. The two men who last night had been sunken in
the well
were missing this morning. Not only that, but Lady Yambu was gone from what
had seemed a secure cell in a tower.
There was additional unlikely news. Lady Ninazu, who had arrived in a small
boat last night and had been put into a waiting room to await her lord's
pleasure, had also disappeared along with her strange attendant. The bars on
a window had been forced-
"She came out here, to the castle, last night?" It was on the tip of the
wizard's tongue to demand to know why he had not been told last night of her
arrival; but he, of course, had spent much of the night over on the mainland.
A subordinate said nervously: "Your Lordship, if you will allow me to remind
you, I
informed you of the lady's presence shortly after she arrived."
"You informed me? When was this? Where?"
The officer quailed. "In the central courtyard, last night, sire. It was
about an hour after midnight."
The man who made this statement now to Wood had not, in the past, impressed
the magician as being more than ordinarily stupid. And he appeared to be
currently in full possession of his faculties.
Wood looked at him steadily. "Are you completely sure of this?" he asked.
"It was last night, Your Lordship. Just as Your Lordship was entering the
grotto with Lady Yambu. When I-"
"Wait. Wait. Start over. Tell me all the circumstances of this supposed
encounter between us."
The soldier he was questioning grew increasingly nervous, but Wood was
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