Storm Riders
Page 66
“Go fetch the coach,” the monk told his fellow.
“Rigo, help me up,” said Stephano. When he was on his feet, leaning against the back of a chair for support, he faced the monk. “Who the devil are you? What’s going on?”
“They’re from the Arcanum, sir!” Benoit said, his voice shaking. “They’re here to arrest you and Master Rodrigo!”
“The Arcanum?” Stephano was stunned.
“There must be some mistake,” said Rodrigo.
“Lord Captain Stephano de Guichen and Monsieur Rodrigo de Villeneuve,” the monk said formally, “you are both hereby placed under Seal on the order of His Holiness, Grand Bishop de Montagne. You will be transported to the Citadel of the Voice where you will stand trial for heresy with your fellow conspirators, Father Jacob Northrop and Sir Ander Martel.”
“Conspirators!” Stephano repeated, bewildered. “We barely know those gentlemen—”
“You were at the Abbey of Saint Agnes with the priest and the Knight Protector,” said the monk. “Sir Ander is, I believe, your godfather. You met again in the city of Westfirth.”
“All that is true, but—”
“You will have a chance to defend yourself at your trial, Captain. Please turn around. Place your hands behind your back. We have a coach waiting.”
Stephano refused to move. “Do not arrest Monsieur de Villeneuve. He had nothing to do with this.”
“Monsieur de Villeneuve is wanted on the additional charge of conspiring with the enemy, Sir Henry Wallace,” said the monk.
“Oh, God!” Rodrigo whispered. He had gone deathly pale.
“This is ludicrous!” Stephano said angrily. “Rigo was Sir Henry’s hostage!”
“Please face the wall, Captain. We do not want to have to hurt you or your friend.”
Stephano turned, his hands behind him. He felt Rodrigo shudder when they put on the manacles.
“I’ve told them who your mother is, sir,” Benoit said fiercely. “I’ll go to the palace. The countess won’t stand for this!”
Stephano and Rodrigo exchanged glances.
“My mother isn’t in the palace, Benoit,” said Stephano steadily. “She’s gone to her estate.”
The monks took hold of Stephano by the arms and marched him through the kitchen, to the front door. The second monk had hold of Rodrigo, who was close to fainting. His feet dragged the floor.
A wyvern-drawn coach landed on the street in front of the house. The Arcanum wasn’t wasting any time. Stephano had to get a message to Dag, let him know what was going on. And he had to do that without implicating his friends. Benoit was standing in the doorway, a stricken look on his face.
“Benoit, you’re not well!” Stephano called urgently, struggling to look over his shoulder. “Remember your heart palpitations. You should go see Doctor Ellington! His office is across the alley. Our old family physician, Doctor Ellington.”
“My heart? Doctor…” Benoit blinked, then gasped in sudden understanding. “Ah, yes, Doctor Ellington! I do feel all of a flutter, sir. I’ll go see him at once.”
The coach door was open. Stephano recognized the black equipage of the Arcanum; the official seal—a sword and a staff and a flame. He caught a glimpse of his friends waiting with the wagon. They hadn’t seen or heard anything, apparently. Fearing the monks might see them, he looked quickly away and climbed inside the coach.
Rodrigo collapsed on the seat, half senseless. The two monks entered the coach. A third was riding with the driver. He plied his whip. The wyverns rose into the air. The coach left the ground.
Stephano looked down on his house and the streets around it. His friends were in the alley, gathered around the wagon, now staring up in wonderment at the black coach flying over their heads. As he watched, Benoit emerged from the back of the house and ran to talk to them.
They looked up again, this time in shocked dismay. Miri started to cry out to him. Dag stopped her and she stood gazing up at him helplessly. She put her hand to her lips …
The monk closed the shutters, leaving Stephano in darkness.
BOOKS BY MARGARET WEIS AND ROBERT KRAMMES
Shadow Raiders
Storm Riders*
*A Tor Book
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Margaret Weis attended the University of Missouri, Columbia, graduating in 1970 with a B.A. in literature and creative writing. In 1983, she moved to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to work as a book editor for TSR, Inc., producers of the Dungeons & Dragons® role-playing game. She is the author or coauthor of a number of New York Times bestselling series, including The Dragonlance® Chronicles, Darksword, Rose of the Prophet, Star of the Guardians, The Death Gate Cycle, Sovereign Stone, Dragonvarld, and the Lost Chronicles. She lives in Wisconsin with her four dogs. Discover more at www.margaretweis.com.
Robert Krammes lives in southwest Ohio with his wife, Mary, and their two cats. He is a longtime member of The Society for Creative Anachronism, an avid Cincinnati Bengals fan, and a backyard bird-watcher.
Storm Riders is their second collaboration; their first was Shadow Raiders, the first novel of the Dragon Brigades.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.
STORM RIDERS
Copyright © 2013 by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes
Dragon ornament copyright © 2013 by Jeff Easley
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Chris Rahn
Maps by Ellisa Mitchell
Edited by James Frenkel
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows:
Weis, Margaret.
Storm riders / Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes.–First edition
pages cm.
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
ISBN 978-0-7653-3349-0 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-0181-3 (e-book)
1. Magic–Fiction. 2. Imaginary wars and battles–Fiction. I. Krammes, Robert. II. Title.
PS3573.E3978S76 2013
813'.54–dc23
2013006326
e-ISBN 9781466801813
First Edition: July 2013