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.' He looked at the old courtier's linedface.'Are you all right, Lenda?' he asked."You lookvery tired.''Old men always look very tired, Vanion.' Lenda smiledgently, 'and I'm older than most.' He straightened histhin old shoulders."Being thrown into the dungeonfrom time to time is an occupational hazard for thosein public service.You get used to it.I've been inworse.''I'm sure Lycheas and that fat fellow will enjoy thedungeon, My Lord,' Kalten said lightly."I doubt that, Sir Kalten.''We've made them aware of the fact that the end oftheir confinement will mark their entrance into anotherworld.I'm sure they'll prefer the dungeon.Rats aren't allthat bad.'"I didn't notice Baron Harparin,' Lenda said."Did heescape?''Only in a manner of speaking, My Lord,' Kaltenreplied.'He was being offensive.You know how Harparinwas.Sir Ulath gave him a lesson in courtesy - withhis axe.''This day is top-filled with joyful surprises then,' Lendachortled."My Lord of Lenda,' Vanion said rather formally, "we'regoing to the throne-room now to restore the queen.I'dlike to have you witness that restoration so that you canconfirm her identity in case any doubts arise later.Thecommons are superstitious, and there are those who mightwant to circulate rumours to the effect that Ehlana is notwho she appears to be.''Very well, My Lord Vanion,' Lenda agreed, 'but howdo you plan to restore her?'"You'll see,' Sephrenia smiled.She held out her handsover the swords and spoke at some length in Styric.Theswords glowed briefly as she released the spell, and theknights who had been present during the encasement ofthe Queen of Elenia stepped to the table.She talked tothem briefly in low tones, and then each of them took upone of the swords."Very well,' she said, "let us proceedto the throne-room.''This is all very mysterious,' Lenda said to Sparhawkas they walked down the corridor towards the throneroom.'Have you ever seen real magic performed, My Lord?Sparhawk asked him."I don't believe in magic, Sparhawk.''That may change shortly, Lenda,' Sparhawk smiled.The old courtier produced the key from an inside pocketand unlocked the door to the throne-room.Then they allfollowed Sephrenia inside.The room was dark.DuringLenda's confinement, the candles had been allowed to goout.Sparhawk, nonetheless, could still hear the measureddrumbeat of his queen's heart echoing in the darkness.Kurik stepped back outside and brought in a torch."Freshcandles?' he asked Sephrenia."Definitely,' she replied."Let's not awaken Ehlenna to adark room.'Kurik and Berit replaced the burned-out candle-stubswith fresh tapers.Then Berit looked curiously at the youngqueen he had served so faithfully without ever having seenher.His eyes grew suddenly wide as he stared at her, andhe seemed to catch his breath.His look was one of totallyappropriate veneration, but there was, Sparhawk thought,perhaps a bit more to it than simPle resPect.Berit wasabout the same age as Ehlana, and she was very beautiful,after all.'That's much better,' Sephrenia said, looking around atthe candlelit throne-room.'Sp'arhawk, come with me.' Sheled him to the dais upon which the throne stood.Ehlana sat as she had for all these months.She worethe crown of Elenia on her pale, blonde head, and shewas enfolded in her state robes.Her eyes were closed,and her face serene.Just a few more moments, my queen,' Sparhawk murmured.Strangely, his eyes were filled with tears, and hisheart was in his throat."Remove your gauntlets, Sparhawk,' Sephrenia toldhim."You'll want the rings to touch Bhelliom whenyou use it.'He took off his mailed gauntlets, then reached insidehis surcoat, removed the canvas pouch and untied thedrawstring.'All right, gentlemen,' Sephrenia said then to thesurviving knights, "take your places.'Vanion and the other five Pandions spaced themselvesout around the throne, each of them holding his own swordand that of one of his fallen brothers.Sephrenia stood beside Sparhawk and began to form theincantation in Styric, her fingers weaving an accompaniment.The candles dimmed and flared almost in time tothe sonorous spell.At some time during her incantation,the room became gradually filled with that familiar smellof death.Sparhawk tore his eyes from Ehlana's face to riska quick look around the circle of knights.Where there hadbeen six before, there were now twelve.The filmy shapesof those who had fallen one by one in the precedingmonths had returned unbidden to take their swords onelast time.'Now, Sir Knights,' Sephrenia instructed the livingand the dead alike, 'point your swords at the throne.'And she began to speak a different incantation.Thetip of each sword began to glow, and those incandescentpoints of light grew brighter and brighter untilthey surrounded the throne with a ring of pure light.Sephrenia raised her arm, spoke a single word, thenbrought the arm sharply down.The crystal encasementsurrounding the throne wavered like water, and then itwas gone.Ehlana's head sagged forward, and her body began totremble violently
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