Read The Swords of Corium for Free Online

thought,” she said. She shuffled forward and put her hands on her knees, staring at Nadja. “This is the offspring, eh? I’ve been told of her, how she flits about among the dead as if she picked daisies in a field.”
    “I’m not sure I care for your tone,” Gruum said.
    The crone ignored him. “Someday, this creature will be more dangerous than the thing we are making here,” she said. She continued to gaze into Nadja’s face, as if she studied an asp found coiled in her garden.
    “And what, High Lady, is this thing you are building?”
    “It is the Bane of men. A creature that is an abomination upon this world, and which will slay all who meet it. If you want to know more, ask your King. He can tell you the history of such constructs. And remind him he was the one who removed all his father’s bans on sorcery. We will aid this city in her hour of need, but we will do it in our own way. In the manner of our long, long dead matrons.”
    Gruum escaped the crone’s presence as quickly as he could. On his way out, he found a central stairway, which led up to the top of the marble slab the columns held aloft. His eyes drifted to the roof. They were constructing something up there.
    His foot snaked out and touched the first marble step. Before his second foot could mount the stair a dozen priestesses converged upon him.
    “You may cut several of us down barbarian, but we will send your soul to Anduin before we’re done!” shouted the crone from behind him.
    “That Dragon and I have already met,” Gruum said. He turned to face the old woman.
    The crone’s eyes flashed, and she stared at him. She cocked her head finally, nodding. “You speak the truth. But it matters not. Be you the King’s man or no, none can see the Bane before it is complete.”
    Gruum nodded. “My apologies,” he said.
    “Let’s go play, Gruum,” Nadja said, appearing at his side. She took his hand with her own small, pale fingers. Each finger was as cold as a tendril of frost growing upon a window pane at dawn.
    They left the mausoleum. Eventually Nadja showed him the way out of the Necropolis. The girl followed him up into the clean, echoing halls of the palace, skipping and humming. He did not ask her for her company, but neither did he discourage her.

-9-

    When Gruum and Nadja reached the King’s apartments, they found them empty. Gruum glanced about, and found his master’s usual attire was laid upon the bed. Checking an open armoire, he discovered the armor was missing, as were the twin swords. Therian, wherever he was, had dressed for war.
    Gruum headed for the council chambers, and found the King there, consulting with a group of nobles. All of them wore fine armor and carried gleaming weapons. Plumes fanned from their helmets, red or black or both, depending on which Dragon their house worshipped. The nobles ignored Gruum as he entered, but a few eyes slid to Nadja and paused there.
    “Their fleet will arrive within the week,” Therian said.
    “This cannot be, sire,” insisted Viscount Bryg, a tall man with green eyes and a mashed nose. “The ice is much too thick. We have two months at least, maybe three.”
    Therian did not look at the Viscount. He stared down upon an ancient map of Hyborea instead. “The fleets come. I have seen them. They will land troops upon the ice or break through it somehow. Do not forget, they wield the sorcery of Yserth. The power of flame is theirs.”
    “In that case our fleets will be useless, sire,” Viscount Bryg said. “We will have to meet them on the ice, or atop our walls.”
    Therian shook his head slowly. “In battle, it is best to do the unexpected. I will open a way for our war arks. Vosh is not the only sorcerer involved.”
    The nobles eyed one another in concern. “We have so few men, sire,” said Viscount Bryg, choosing his words with care. “Perhaps we’d best stand the walls.”
    Therian looked at Bryg finally. He wore an expression of disdain. “If we allow