The Riftwar Legacy: The Complete 4-Book Collection

‘If those soldiers got jumped by trolls, there’s a camp nearby.’

‘Yes,’ said Patrus. ‘The town of Raglam’s ahead. It’s sort of an open town. Not quite Kingdom, but enough humans living there that it’s not particularly Northlands, either. Lots of weapons runners, slavers and other no-accounts visit there all the time.’

‘Sounds like my kind of place,’ said James with a grin.

‘You going to get us killed?’

James’s grin widened. ‘Never, Locklear, my old friend; you’re going to get killed some day over a woman, not because of anything I’m planning.’

Locklear returned the grin. ‘Well, if she’s beautiful enough.’

They laughed, and Patrus said, ‘You boys got something you’d like to tell an old conjurer like me about?’

‘I thought we might take a ride into Raglam and have a look around.’

Patrus shook his head. ‘Crazy, that’s what you two are. Sounds like fun.’

The old magician started to march up the draw, and James and Locklear exchanged glances, then laughter.

The patrol leader signalled for his men to halt and said to Gorath and Owyn, ‘Malac’s Cross.’

They were arrayed before The Queen’s Row Tavern, which was obviously crowded, and Owyn said, ‘Why don’t we try the abbey?’

Gorath nodded. They bid their escort goodbye and rode on, and Gorath said, ‘I would have thought you’d prefer an ale and the company of others than the monks of Ishap.’

‘I would, had I the means to pay for that ale,’ said Owyn. ‘Unless you’ve secreted away some booty you failed to mention to me, I’m without a copper to my name, thanks to Delekhan’s guards. In all the preparation for heading off to Northwarden, the Prince was so busy … I forgot to ask for funds.’

Gorath said, ‘So we beg?’

‘We ask for hospitality. I suspect Abbot Graves is a more likely source for such than an overworked innkeeper.’

Gorath said, ‘Perhaps you’re right.’

‘Besides, we might even convince the Abbot to lend us the price of a meal or two between here and Krondor.’

‘We should have thought of that before leaving Prince Arutha.’

‘I didn’t think of it,’ said Owyn. ‘You didn’t think of it. We didn’t think of it. So, there’s no “should”, is there?’

Gorath grumbled that this was so.

They reached the abbey and saw that the gate was closed. ‘Hello, the abbey!’ called Owyn.

‘Who is it?’ came a voice from within.

‘Owyn Belefote. We came to see the Abbot.’

‘Wait,’ was the terse reply. And they waited.

Nearly a quarter of an hour passed before the gate opened, and a very worried-looking monk admitted them. As soon as they had passed through the gate, it slammed behind them. Dismounting, Owyn asked, ‘What is this?’

A monk took their horses and said, ‘The Abbot waits for you within.’

They went inside and found Abbot Graves overseeing a pair of monks who appeared to be packing things up.

‘Are you leaving?’ asked Gorath.

Looking at the two, Graves said, ‘Where is James?’

‘Last we saw him he was on his way to Northwarden,’ replied Owyn. ‘Why?’

‘Damn!’ swore the Abbot. ‘I was hoping he could do me a service.’

Owyn repeated Gorath. ‘Are you leaving?’

‘I must,’ said Graves. ‘Twice in the last week Nighthawks have tried to kill me.’

Owyn and Gorath exchanged questioning looks. Owyn said, ‘But Abbot, James killed the leader of the Nighthawks.’

‘Navon is dead?’ asked Graves.

Before anyone could react, Gorath had his sword drawn and the point levelled at the Abbot’s throat. Two monks leaped to their feet, one trying to put as much distance between himself and the moredhel as possible, while the other assumed a fighting stance, as if ready to defend the abbey’s leader.

‘Wait!’ shouted Owyn, putting his hands out.

‘How did you know du Sandau was the leader of the Nighthawks?’ demanded Gorath. ‘We could have been killed for lack of that knowledge.’

Graves held up his hands. ‘Because he was extorting me.’

Owyn put his hand on Gorath’s sword and slowly forced the point down. ‘Let’s talk,’ he said calmly.

Graves motioned for the monk who was ready to attack to withdraw and the young cleric nodded and departed, the other monk a step behind him.

Gorath said, ‘Explain this “extorting” before I kill you.’

Owyn said, ‘Sandau was forcing Graves to do something against his will by threatening him with something. Isn’t that right?’

‘Yes,’ Graves replied. ‘He found out something about me and used it to gain my help in whatever he was plotting.’

Owyn sat on the table where the monks had been working and said, ‘How can anyone force a priest of Ishap to do anything? You have magic and a powerful church to call on. What did he do?’

Graves said, ‘As I told Jimmy – James, I have ties from my old life that aren’t completely severed.’ Graves sat and Gorath put his sword away. ‘I used to be a thief, a basher, for the Mockers in Krondor. I provided protection for cargo we were running in and out of the city, and kept anyone else from setting up a gang, and I protected our girls, so no one roughed them up.’

He looked down and his expression was one of regret. ‘When I felt the call and went to the Temple of Ishap, I tried to put that life behind me. The church trained me for two years, and I took vows. But I wasn’t honest in my vow.’

‘How could you lie taking a vow in a temple?’ asked Owyn, his expression showing astonishment. ‘It can’t be done!’

Graves said, ‘It can, if you don’t know it’s a lie when you make it. I honestly thought I was rid of my past, but I was lying to myself.’