‘I think it was sort of what they had in mind when they invented the word “ominous”.’

‘Was there any smoke?’ Kurik asked him.

‘Only coming from the chimneys of a couple of large buildings in the centre of the city. They seemed to be sort of connected. One of them has all kinds of spires, and the other one’s got a big black dome.’

‘The rest of the city must be deserted,’ Kurik said. ‘Have you ever been in Zemoch before, Sephrenia?’

‘Once.’

‘What’s the place with all the spires?’

‘Otha’s palace.’

‘And the one with the black dome?’ Kurik did not really have to ask. They all knew the answer.

‘The building with the black dome is the Temple of Azash. He’s there – waiting for us.’

Chapter 26

Subterfuge had never really been an option, Sparhawk concluded as he and his companions put aside their minimal disguises to don their armour. Deceiving unsophisticated peasants and third-rate militiamen out in the countryside was one thing, but attempting to pass unchallenged through a deserted city patrolled by elite troops would have been futile. Ultimately they would be obliged to resort to force of arms, and under the circumstances, that meant full armour. Chain-mail was adequate for impromptu social get-togethers in rural surroundings, he thought wryly, but city life require

‘All right, what’s the plan?’ Kalten asked as the knights helped each other into their armour.

‘I haven’t exactly put one together yet,’ Sparhawk admitted. ‘To be perfectly honest with you, I didn’t really think we’d get this far. I thought the best we could hope for was to get close enough to Otha’s city to include it in the general destruction when I smashed the Bhelliom. As soon as we get settled into harness, we’ll talk with Sephrenia.’

High, thin clouds had begun to drift in from the east during the afternoon, and as the day moved on towards sunset, those clouds began to thicken. The desiccated chill began to lessen, and it was replaced by a peculiar sultriness. There were occasional rumblings of thunder far beyond the eastern horizon when, as the sun was dying amidst bloody clouds, the knights gathered around Sephrenia.

‘Our glorious leader here seems to have neglected a few strategic incidentals,’ Kalten announced to sort of start things off.

‘Be nice,’ Sparhawk murmured to him.

‘I am, Sparhawk. I haven’t used the word “idiot” even once. The question that makes us all burn with curiosity is what do we do now?’

‘Just offhand I’d say we could rule out a siege,’ Ulath observed.

‘Frontal assaults are always fun,’ Tynian said.