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ainst the far wall。 He was smiling。 I forced myself to my feet。
〃Lord Antero；〃 he mocked。 〃Y' wake。 Shall I send in th' wenches to draw your bath？ Servants t' lay out your silks？ P'raps that fine…titty musician you been futterin' t' play a tune？ Woulda like to have brought that along； an' let you watch me pleasure her f'r a bit。 But 'twarn't permitted。〃
My mind a whirligig； I said nothing。 Nor could I move further from where I stood。 Greif got up and strolled to me。 I saw his gaping eye socket； black and oozing corruption。 My thrust with the spear butt had indeed put out one of his eyes。 Greif knew what I was staring at； and his muscle…knotted fist smashed into my stomach。 I gagged and went to my knees； breath driven out
He booted me over onto my back and stared down。 〃Aye；〃 he said。 〃You put out one of my glims； you did。 But I found a better way to see。 M' masters give me 。。。 somethin' t' spy with。 Gi' me a bit of their power； t' look at men； an' see some'at of their intents。〃 Greif tapped his empty eye socket； then laughed； very hard； and his mirth echoed around the stone room。
At that moment； I saw； in that empty socket； a red fire； a tiny； red； writhing fire。 And I realized I was entering the reality of that nightmare that had cursed me for so many years。 It was not meeting Greif in Lycanth that made him my nameless torturer； boatman； and escort。 I had been permitted； for good or evil； a glimpse of the future。 I wished desperately I would have realized my nightmare was clairvoyance and cut Greif down when I first met him； standing below me in the courtyard of the Lycanthian inn。
〃I c'n see you're still mazed； an' wonderin' where you are now。 Somewheres in Irayas。 Somewheres far； far under th' ground； where there's nobody to hear you scream； which you will do in a bit。 Y' know； first thing I learned； first time I was grabbed by th' thief takers； is you start breakin' someone with words。 So 。。。 You was duped。 Played false by th' man you thought y'r friend。 Th' man who cast th' protective spell you believed w'ld keep you from harm also lifted it； so's me and my assistants could slip hi； an' winkle you out。〃
Despite my efforts to keep control； my face must have twisted from my heart's distress。 Greif laughed once more and spat into my face。 〃Get up 。。。 an' look about you。 See th' fine toys I've got waitin' to play with。 Th' prince gimme all day t' fun myself with you。 All he said is I can't kill you or send you mad。 Oh yeah； an' I can't maim you nor break bones neither。 Guess th' prince's got his own games he wants t' play wi' you later on。 Wager his games might be even better'n mine； though I've had time to think on what I wanted t' do t' you； an' time t' remember what others done to me。 'Sides； th' limitations he put on； ain't restrictin' to a man who's spent time in th' service of Nisou Symeon。〃
My only consolation was that Greif could not have any knowledge of my nightmare； or else he would be even more gleeful as I contemplated the horror that was to e。 But even as I faced this； that agony was not as great as learning of Janos' betrayal。
〃First；〃 he said。 〃Lift up y'r hands。 There's manacles hangin' down。 Clamp 'em on y'r wrists。〃 He chortled as I found my body obeying。 〃Ain't the spell th' prince's man gimme somethin'？ Gonna be a boot； seein' you actin' as my assistant。〃
A spell had stolen my will； and I could not resist the order； I clamped the shackles on my wrist。 Greif cackled and went to the wall where a rope hung from a bolt in the ceiling and ran down to support the cuffs。 He untied the rope and yanked until I was lifted almost clear of the ground； my toes just touching the flagstones。
〃Y' dislocate anythin'； there'll be time enough t' snap th' bone back in； afore we 。。。 take our trip；〃 he said。 〃Now； I'll just let y' dangle for a few； 'cause I'm sure you got some questions t' ask。 An' I'll answer 'em all； 'cause th' answers'll just make th' last few hours you got worse。〃 He went back to his bench and waited。
I did not want to give him any gratification； but there was one thing I had to confirm。 〃You still serve Nisou Symeon？〃
Greif laughed that foul laugh of his and nodded vigorously。 〃He thinks I do 。。。 an' I take his silver so long's his wishes match mine。 Ain't never left his employ； if that's th' question； an' this marks th' second time I've snared you。 Three times； if y' count th' time I cut th' guts out'n your slave； back in Lycanth； tryin' t' get y'r relics for Symeon's incants。〃
Of course he'd been the murderer of Eanes； and I tried to make myself believe I would avenge that death and put his spirit to rest before I； too； became a ghost。 Hope flickered but dimly in my chest。
〃 'Course；〃 Greif went on； 〃mebbe ye c'd question who m' real master is； since Lord Symeon's sworn obeisance t' th' prince。〃
Again； my intuition had been confirmed。 The thought I'd had some hours ago must be true： Raveline indeed planned to turn our lands into slaughterhouses； setting each against each。
〃How did he 。。。 and you 。。。 get to Irayas？〃
〃Lord Symeon ain't here；〃 Greif said。 〃He's back in Lycanth preparin' matters for th' move against Orissa。 He's ne'er been t' Irayas； neither。 When y' have a lord as powerful as th' prince； man don't have to be standin' there in body t' kiss his ring。 Symeon's been servin' him f r。。。 damned if I know how long for cert； since he ain't exactly my bed partner an' sharin' secrets； but for a long while； I'm guessin'。 I on'y found out 'bout th' wheels wi'in wheels couple； three months ago。 As t' how I got here？〃 Greif looked momentarily troubled。 〃Can't speak on that； neither。 Lord Symeon gimme orders t' serve th' man I'd see when I woke； e'en i' death or th' fires'd take me； put a spell down； an' th' next thing was I woke here； in that six…sided castle th' prince has； out'n th' country。 Not that I'd need any threats hangin' t' obey him。 I know real power when I sees it 。。。 an' what he's tasked me for； I'd be likely as not to pay to do as a priv'lege。〃
He rose and strolled around the cell。 It was littered with instruments of pain： ropes； ringbolts； lashes； pincers； fire； water； and vises。 He picked up； then set down； first one； then another。 〃Hard tellin' what t' start with；〃 he mused。 〃But there's been enough words。 Ain't but one more thing； Antero； my friend； my prize〃… his voice growing thick as anticipation and passion of a sort rose within him。〃You t' think on。 Y' c'd a' had it all； y'know。 If y'd but bent knee t' th' prince 。。。 y' could've been Lord Symeon's flunky when things shake out； an' y' could'a had all Orissa bow an' scrape afore ye； near as much as f'r Symeon himself。 But y' had t' let th' pride show。 Y'll be regrettin' that。 Now 。。。 an' f'r etern'ty t' e。 I got the feel th' prince ain't plannin' to allow you th' real death。〃
He picked up a scourge and ran its thongs over his hand。 〃E'en if that's what y'll be beggin' for；〃 he hissed； and the lash came down on me。
There is no point in soiling these pages with the details of my torture。 Those who wish to know more on the subject are advised to find the nearest wineshop to any prison and purchase drink for a warder to have their curiosity satisfied。 Suffice it to say that Greif had paid close attention when he had been the tormentors' subject； so he was quite skilled hi plying the various instruments of agony。 There are only four things to note： The first is that a bond is formed between torturer and his prey。 It is neither sexual nor non…sexual； and I am not sure how to describe it。 Others I've known who spent a longer time in the grasp of inquisitors have told me that eventually the victim bees a near…willing slave of his afflictor as his soul is ground away by the endless pain。 The second is the red delectation that es as a tittering observer to pain。 This feeling； too； is plex； partially nerve propelled and from close to the same source as sex； or so I'm guessing； but more from the challenge to preserve a bit of your soul； a bit of your own； against the invader and his fire and the agony。 The third thing I learned was that Greif's desire outran his performance。 A skilled torturer； I have learned； never allows his victim the pleasure and relief of unconsciousness。 This was Greif's greatest error； and possibly my salvation。 Three times that blessedness washed over me and allowed my inner being to rearmor itself for Greif's next assault。 The final thing was the most valuable： All things e to an end 。。。 eventually。 As did that day。 But then the real nightmare began。
I recovered consciousness as I was dragged down stone steps； half carried by two men。 In front of me； lighting the way with a lantern； was Greif。 I knew him by the scars of the lash on his back。 He wore naught but a pair of black breeches。 The stairway was old； and I could see white niter outlining the stones around us。 It ended abruptly in a pool of water where a small boat。。。 the black boat of my dream 。。。 was moored。 I was slung aboard； and Greif's two helpers left； with never a word being spoken。 Greif untied the boat； stood at its tiller； and a current caught the craft； sending us rushing into and down a tunnel whose roof curved but a foot above his head。
In bare minutes we were swept into open waters。 It was night； and there was no moon； no stars。 We were moving along a canal that seemed familiar to me。 We were in the heart of Irayas； but I saw no other gondolas or watercraft。 I was neither chained nor fettered and should have leaped out of the boat； failing that； I should have shouted for help。 But I could do neither。 I suppose I was ensorcelled； although it is equally probable I was simply in shock from the abuse。 In fact； the latter is more probable； because events were as vague and as hallucinatory now as they had been before in the dream。
What I remember from that passage are but fragments。 We traveled at a speed as great as I had on the river that had brought us down from the mountains when we entered Gomalalee。 The canal entered the Serpent River； and now I knew we were powered by sorcery； for the boat flew upriver against the current； without aid of oars or sails。 As we passed beyond the city's outskirts； I saw the Holy Mountain on my right； then we sped past it into the range beyond the Old Ones' peak。 I next remember being in a deep gorge。 The hissing river beside the boat's gunwales looked as if it were no longer water； but a dark； thick； oily fluid。
Greif did not touch the tiller； but suddenly the craft bore sideways； about to crash into the rearing cliff。 Instead of meeting stone； however； a cavern's mouth yawned； a cavern the river's currents had carved over centuries。 Inside the cave a stone dock waited。 Greif tied up the boat； clambered out； turned； and beckoned。 Every piece of my soul that remained mine fought； but I followed； stepping awkwardly across the boat's thwarts and then lunging upward to the slime…thick dock carved from the living stone。 My feet dragged as my mind screamed： Strike out。 You can not go up those stairs。 You must not。 But I did。
Greif took one of the torches that guttered on either side of the arched passageway； and beckoned once more。 I heard the baying and knew what was above： there was a great； ruined； cursed city on the gorge's plateau。 Far above me； far outside this river…dug cavern； in the city； in the shattered amphitheaters； in the gods…hammered stones； the creatures sat in patient rings。 Up there in the dark of the moon the creatures that bayed like hounds bore no semblance to anything seen on this earth。 The thought came to me they might have been men； once。 Men who had struck a dark bargain。
I followed Greif。 My mind； moving as slowly as if I were drugged； told me no victim had ever e back down these steps； and desperately tried to devise a strategy。 I found none。 The thunder of a great drum began。 We entered a great chamber； with its arches lifting into blackness。 I heard a gong resound； and as Greif turned I saw that wormlike fire writhe brightly in his dead eye socket。 I heard him say words about my desire； this was what I wanted； this was my weird； and he laughed。 The laugh boomed loud； louder； joined by the baying from the creatures beyond； laughter of joy in pain and death； laughter rising to cacophony； and Raveline was there。 Silence dropped across the chamb