He stooped and kissed her, briefly, wondering if he would ever have a chance to do it properly. Most likely not but she would be a good companion on hell-road.
They came into a great antechamber. Kery had his sword out, the only weapon left to him, but no one was in sight. All the royal guards must be out hunting him. He grinned wolfishly and stepped to the farther door.
"Kery—" Sathi huddled close against him. "Kery, do we dare? It may be death—"
"It will be like that anyway," he said curtly and swung the door open.
A great, richly furnished suite of chambers, dark and still, lay before him. He padded through the first, looking right and left like a questing animal, and into the next.
Two men stood there, talking—Jonan and Mongku.
They saw him and froze for he was a terrible sight, bloody, black with smoke, fury cold and bitter-blue in his eyes. He grinned, a white flash of teeth in his sooted face, and drew his sword and stalked forward.
"So you have come," said Mongku quietly.
"Aye," said Kery. "Where is the pipe of Killorn?"