“For the moment, regarding Belasco, nothing,” said Amirantha. “As for the rest, can you kill that sharp-toothed fellow without bringing harm to our friend?”

“At any time.”

“Do so now, if you don’t mind, then cut the others loose. I most likely will need Magnus and Sandreena’s help with whatever happens to Belasco, and if there’s some lingering effects of their confinement, the sooner that’s over, the better.”

Jim faded into the shadow and for a moment Amirantha felt as if he were alone in the tunnel. Then there was a blur of motion on the left wall and the wailing Shaskahan islander’s body went rigid and his eyes widened, then he slumped to the floor. Jim pulled back the hood of his cloak and stood over Belasco, and then motioned for Amirantha to enter. The Kingdom spy moved then to unfetter his companions.

Magnus and Sandreena were both tied with silver netting, while Kaspar was bound and gagged in a more conventional fashion. Kaspar gasped for breath when Jim pulled the gag from his mouth. “Gods! I thought I was going to suffocate they pushed that so far back.” He cleared his throat and said, “Help me up. My knees are not what they once were and I have been kneeling too long in one position.” Jim gave him a hand and said, “What did they do to Magnus and Sandreena?”

Both magic-users were mute, wide-eyed, staring into space. Kaspar said, “They went that way when those nets were cast on us. They quickly got me out of mine, but they kept those nets on them the entire time.”

Jim nodded. “Slavers’ nets. They use them in Durban if they’re trying to snag a magic-user. The really fine and costly ones not only dampen magic but render the magician tractable.

“Help me get them out of those nets,” said Jim.

Kaspar was stiff-legged for a minute and then set to on Sandreena’s bindings, while Jim cut through the netting holding Magnus. When they were free, both went limp and Kaspar caught Sandreena and lowered her to the floor while Jim did the same for Magnus. Jim said, “Now we wait for them to recover.”

“How long?” asked Kaspar.

Amirantha stood over the prone figure of his brother, whose eyes were trained on him. He said, “The effects should wear off shortly.”

The lips on the altar’s body didn’t move, but a voice sounded in the air. “Is that you, little brother?”

Amirantha said, “It is, big brother.”

“You don’t find me at my best,” came the hollow reply.

“I never did.” Pulling out a dagger, he said, “Is there any compelling reason I shouldn’t end this now?”

“Besides me wishing not to die any time soon, you mean?”

“Obviously; as you’ve shown little inclination in giving me that consideration, I hardly feel moved to grant it to you.”

“Fairly stated,” said the disembodied voice of Belasco.