“Well said,” Morgada quietly interjected. Her wary expression did not change.
Gadjul shifted his seat as much as he could to avoid being too close to Kulgrath. The other Titan was too incensed to notice.
“Fawning abomination!” he snapped at Falstoch. “You are unworthy of being one of us!”
The Fire Rose flared, its brilliance blinding all but Safrag, who stared into its flaming depths without fear. As the artifact’s glow lessened, he glanced from Draug to Kulgrath.
“I have relied heavily in the past on the advice of both of you, and I appreciate your concerns.”
Draug frowned but nodded. Kulgrath remained unmoved.
“You are steadfast in your resolve,” the Titan leader commented. “As strong of determination as the very stone of this sanctum.”
Draug’s eyes flared in sudden horror. Kulgrath’s hand rose toward Safrag as he, too, realized where the master was going.
“It is only right then, that you should be as them.”
The Fire Rose burned.
Draug howled and curled into himself. Kulgrath almost managed to complete a spell, but whether it would have done him any good was moot. He, too, suddenly twisted in agony.
For a moment, there was the terrible sound of crunching bones. Then both Titans became thick, gray vapor. That vapor hurtled toward the thick, oppressive walls. Other Titans darted out of the way as if fearing to join the pair’s fate.
The two clouds of vapor poured into the cracks. As they did, shrieks rose from both. The stone swelled as if taking heaving breaths.
Then all was silent. No one had to ask what had befallen the duo. The power of the Fire Rose had transformed them into stone.
Morgada rose. “The master has wisely administered justice! The Titans and the Fire Rose are safe from unwise influence now.”
“Hail, Safrag!” Falstoch lustily shouted.
The other Titans immediately took up the shout. Safrag nodded benevolently. With his free hand, he then gestured for Falstoch to step forward.
Despite some obvious trepidation, Falstoch held his head high as he walked up to the Talon. Only when he stood directly below Safrag did he then lower his head once more.
“Falstoch, your wisdom is evident to all of us. Therefore, I grant you the seat vacated by Kulgrath.” The other Titans were shrewd enough to immediately applaud the decision. A stunned Falstoch moved to the seat, where Morgada briefly touched his shoulder in congratulation.
Safrag stared at his audience. “I shall ponder who is worthy of the remaining opening in the Black Talon. As for this gathering, it is ended.”
Almost from the moment that he made the pronouncement, the Titans began vanishing in short bursts of black flame. No one wanted to draw Safrag’s ire.
Morgada murmured in Falstoch’s ear. The newest member of the inner circle nodded then also disappeared. Within moments, only Safrag and his apprentice remained.
“An august choice,” the female Titan quietly spoke.
“Falstoch or the removal of Kulgrath and Draug, my dear Morgada?”
She blinked. “Why, both, naturally.”
He smiled wider than before, revealing many, many sharp teeth. “And that is why I keep you near me.”
The female sorcerer looked as demure as any of her kind could manage. “May I … may I merely touch the Fire Rose?”
Still smiling, Safrag extended the artifact to her. He did not release his grip, though.
Morgada’s long, taloned fingers stroked the flowerlike structure. Her golden eyes blazed bright as she sensed the incredible forces flowing through and radiating from it.
“So much power … to remake anything or anyone…”
“To remake even us.”
She cocked her head. “Us?”
Safrag chuckled. “I have decided that Dauroth’s spells were inadequate. I have already begun formulating just what I desire the new Titan race to look like.”
She gaped, displaying her own sharklike teeth. “You intend to transform all of us, as well as the entire realm?”
“I intend to transform most of us. There must be some additional … culling.”
Morgada bowed. “Whatever service I can render in that regard, I offer.”
“Of course.” The Titan leader briefly cupped her jaw, then, stepping back, vanished in a burst of black flames.
For a moment longer, Morgada retained her expression; then she, too, disappeared, materializing a breath later in her personal quarters.
The female Titan immediately began concentrating. In her mind, she saw the subtle seals she had learned to put in place. The runes were hidden with deep, ancient spells. Even Safrag would not have been able to sense them.
Satisfied, Morgada turned her thoughts to contacting her true master. She had come there serving another, the shadowy form known as Xiryn.
She had only just become a Titan when he had visited her in a dream. He had sensed her ambition long earlier and, in truth, had manipulated matters so she would be invited to join the sorcerers’ ranks. Things had so easily gone her way, and Xiryn had offered her a new future, to help steer the choices of the leader of the Titans until the Fire Rose-Xiryn’s ultimate goal-could become his. For her part, Morgada would have a place in his new kingdom that would be second only to his.
With his guidance as well as her own beauty and cunning, Morgada had easily fulfilled his commands to the point where the artifact was nearly in their grasp. Safrag was doing just as Xiryn had predicted; the treacherous leader was playing into their hands.
Especially by seeing Morgada as the only one-save perhaps the fawning Falstoch-whom he could trust near him.
Morgada sensed Xiryn’s desire to speak with her. With that in mind, the dark temptress spread her fingers wide and placed both palms over her eyes. A faint, black glow emanated from her, darkening the rest of the stone chamber.
Xiryn, she called in her thoughts.
I have waited for you. There was just a hint of warning or threat in that statement.
I could not reach out to you! Safrag summoned us to dictate his decision concerning the Fire Rose!
Her explanation appeared to soothe him. And?
He has acted exactly as you predicted, right down to his intention to transform the Titans too.
Morgada sensed his good humor at that. She relaxed.
Very good … The children have been set loose… The hand is all that is awaited.
She knew exactly what he meant by “the hand.” Will he come?
He is as I intended him to be from his birth. He will come because he must come, because it is in his nature to come.
I shall be ready to do my part, Morgada replied.
As you should. The voice faded. As you should …
Contact was broken. Morgada lowered her hands. A sheen of sweat covered her perfect, azure skin, yet it was caused not by fear, but rather anticipation. Soon all would come together. The only pawn still awaiting was Golgren-Golgren, who had been created through Xiryn’s efforts. He was who would wrest the Fire Rose from Safrag, as Xiryn desired.
The female Titan smiled. And once that happened, it would be Morgada who took it from Golgren, not Xiryn.
Tyranos let out a growl, not the first. The wizard had to constantly cope with Golgren’s arrogance. But at last things were happening as he desired.
Probably the half-ogre was feeling very proud of himself, the wizard thought as he concentrated. Wonder how he’d feel if he knew that I’d let him take the staff.
It had been a grueling decision but one that Tyranos had in the end felt necessary. He had a method by which to retrieve the staff-a painful method, granted-but for the moment he needed Golgren’s unknowing assistance. Tyranos needed Golgren to act out the plan set in place by the gargoyle’s shadowy lord.