“Ayereinforcements for Huon, tooand seemingly in larger numbers than ours.”

“Kalan should have his new weapons ready soon,” Meliadus said defensively. “They will give us an advantage.”

“If they work.” Taragorm spoke sardonically. “I am beginning to wonder if I have not made a mistake, joining you. You struck too impetuously…”

“Brother! We must not quarrel, or we’re finished. There is no time now!”

“Aye, that I’ll grant you. If Huon wins we’re all doomed.”

“Huon will not win.”

“We need a million men to attack the palace and succeed.”

“We’ll find a million men. If only we can make a little headway, others will come over to our side.”

Taragorm ignored this statement and turned instead to Flana. “It is a shame, Flana. You would have made a beautiful queen …”

“She will still make a queen,” Meliadus said savagely, restraining himself from striking Taragorm. “Your pessimism amounts to treachery, Taragorm!”

“And will you slay me for my treachery, brother? With all my knowledge. Only I know all the secrets of Time.”

Meliadus shrugged. “Of course I will not slay you. Let us cease this arguing and concentrate instead on winning the palace.”

Bored by the quarrel, Flana left the room.

“I must see Kalan,” Meliadus said. “He has suffered a setback, having to remove all his equipment to a new site so hastily. Come, Taragorm, we’ll visit him together.”

They summoned their litters, climbed in and had their slaves carry them through the dimly lit corridors of the tower, down twisting ramps to the rooms Kalan had adapted as laboratories. A door opened and foul-smelling heat struck their bodies. Meliadus could feel it through his mask. He coughed as he left his litter and walked into the chamber where Kalan stood, his scrawny body naked to the waist and only his mask on his head, supervising the serpent-masked scientists who toiled for him.

Kalan greeted them impatiently. “What do you want? I have no time for conversation!”

“We wondered what progress you were making, Baron.” Meliadus yelled over the boiling sound.

“Good progress, I hope. The facilities are ridiculously primitive. The weapon is almost ready.”

Taragorm glanced at the tangle of tubes and wires from which all the noise and heat and stink was issuing. “That’s a weapon?”

“It will be, it will be.”

“What will it do?”

“Bring me men to mount it on our roof and I’ll show you in a few hours.”

Meliadus nodded. “Very well. You realise what depends on your success, Kalan?”

“Aye, that I do. I’m beginning to curse myself for joining you, Meliadus, but I’m in with you now and can only continue. Please leaveI’ll send word when the weapon’s ready.”

Meliadus and Taragorm walked back through the corridors, their litters following behind.

“I hope Kalan has not lost all sanity,” Taragorm said icily. “For if he has, that thing might destroy us.”

“Or destroy nothing,” Meliadus said gloomily.