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.Thepreserver had done his job well.No grotesque stiffening of the limbs, facemuscles relaxed; Edmund might have been peacefully sleeping, except for thegaping, bloody hole in the chest.The preserver had been ordered to leave thewound, visible evidence of the prince's terrible manner of death and oneguaranteed to inflame his people to war when the cadaver was returned.The Patryn rolled over on his back, made himself as comfortable as he could onthe hard stone bed, and wondered how long it would be before the dynast cameto pay him a visit."You're a cool one, aren't you?" The preserver, passing by the cell, on hisway home after his cycle's duty, paused to stare at Haplo."I've seen corpsesmore restless.That one, for example" the preserver motioned gloomily at theprince "will be a handful when it comes back to life.They keep forgettingthey're locked up and crash into the bars.Then, when I make them understand,they pace: back and forth and back and forth.Then they forget again and hurlthemselves against the bars.While you lying there as if you hadn't a care inthe world."Haplo shrugged."A waste of energy.Why wear myself out?"The preserver shook his head and left, glad to return to his home and familyafter a long and arduous shift.If he had the suspicion that Haplo wasn'ttelling all he knew, the preserver was right.A prison is a prison only to aman who can't escape.And Haplo could have walked out of his cell any time hechose.It suited his purpose to stay.Kleitus was not long in coming.He was accompanied by Pons.It was thechancellor's duty to make certain that prisoner and ruler were not disturbedin their conversation.Pons slid his arm through the arm of the highlyastonished wake-time preserver, who was making herself dizzy by repeatedbowings and scrapings, and led her away.The only ones to overhear thedynast's conversation with his prisoner were the dead.Kleitus stood outside Haplo's cell door, intently regarding the man inside.The dynast's face was shadowed by the hood of his purplish black robes.Haplocould not see the expression.But he sat quietly, gazing calmly back at thedynast.Kleitus opened the cell door with a gesture of his hand and a spoken rune.Everyone else used a key.Haplo wondered if this magical show was intended toimpress him.The Patryn, who could have dissolved the cell doors with agesture and a rune, grinned.The dynast glided inside, glanced around with distaste.There was nowhere forhim to sit.Haplo slid to one side of the stone bed, patted it with his hand.Kleitus stiffened, as if to ask if the Patryn were joking.Haplo shrugged."No one sits while we stand," said Kleitus coldly.Several appropriate remarks came to Haplo's tongue, but he swallowed them.Nouse antagonizing this man.The two of them were, after all, going to betraveling companions.Haplo slowly rose to his feet."Why did you come here?" Kleitus asked, lifting long-fingered, delicate handsand folding back the cowl so that his face was visible."Your soldiers brought me," Haplo replied.The dynast smiled faintly, clasped his hands behind his back and began to walkabout the cell.He made one complete turn which didn't take long, the cellbeing extremely cramped paused, and stared at Haplo."We meant, why did you come through Death's Gate to this world?"The question took Haplo by surprise.He'd expected "Where is Death's Gate?" orperhaps "How did you get through it?" but not "why." The truth, or at leastpart of the truth, was necessary in answering.And they'd probably find it outanyway, because every word Haplo spoke seemed to create clouds of images inPage 121 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthe brains of these Sartan."My Lord sent me, Your Majesty," Haplo replied.Kleitus's eyes widened.Perhaps he'd caught a glimpse of the Lord of the Nexusfrom Haplo's mind.Just as well.He'd know the lord, then, when they met."What for? Why did your lord send you?""To look around, see how things were going.""You've been to the other worlds?"Haplo wasn't able to keep the images of Arianus and Pryan from flitting acrosshis memory, and from his mind they were certain to enter Kleitus's."Yes, Sire."'And what is it like on these other worlds?""Wars.Chaos.Turmoil.About what you could expect with the mensch incontrol.""The mensch in control." Kleitus smiled again, this time politely, as if Haplohad made a bad joke."Implying, of course, that we here on Abarrach, with ourwars and turmoil, are no better than mensch." He tilted his head, stared downat Haplo from between half-closed eyelids."Pons told us that you don'tapprove of the Sartan on Abarrach.What was it you said, 'We don't kill ourown kind.' "The dynast's gaze shifted, moved to the body of the prince lying on the stonein the cell opposite.He glanced back at Haplo, who didn't have time torearrange the sardonic sneer on his lips.Kleitus paled, frowned."You, the ancient enemy, scion of a race of cruel andbarbarous people, whose greed and ambition led to the destruction of ourworld, you dare pass judgment on us! Yes, you see we know about you.We'vestudied, found reference to you to your people, rather in the ancient texts."Haplo said nothing, waited.The dynast raised an eyebrow."Tell us again, why have you come to our world?""I'll tell you again." The Patryn was growing impatient, decided to get to thepoint."My Lord sent me.If you want to ask him why he sent me, you can dothat yourself.I'll take you to him.I was going to propose just such ajourney anyway.""Indeed? You'd take me through Death's Gate with you?""Not only that, Your Majesty, I'll show you how to get through it, how to getback.I'll introduce you to My Lord, show you around my world "'And what do you want in return? We don't suppose, from what we've read ofyour people, that you will perform these services for us out of the goodnessof your heart.""In return," Haplo said quietly, "you will teach my people the art ofnecromancy.""Ah." Kleitus's gaze went to the runes tattooed on the back of Haplo's hand."The one magical skill you do not possess.Well, well.We will consider theidea.We could not, of course, leave when the peace of our city is threatened.You would have to wait until this matter between our people and those of theKairn Telest is settled."Haplo shrugged nonchalantly."I'm in no hurry." Kill off more of your people,he suggested silently.The fewer of you Sartan left alive to interfere with MyLord's plans the better.Kleitus's eyes narrowed and Haplo thought for a moment he had gone too far.Hewasn't used to having his mind probed.That fool Alfred had always been fartoo absorbed with his own worries to try to worm into Haplo's.I'll have towatch myself, the Patryn counseled
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