Page 71 of Quiver of Cobras
‘I’m not sure we have much of a choice,’ I said, keeping my voice low to avoid being overheard. ‘Carduus is getting close to creating a potion that will trace the sphere. We have to put it out of action for good.’
Morgan threw me a swift, narrow-eyed look. There wasn’t time to explain further, however. The dragon was too close.
‘Greetings,’ Mendax intoned in his high-pitched voice. ‘I’m glad to see that you are all here and you are taking our negotiations seriously. This is, after all, a very serious matter.’
Morgan stepped forward, his emerald-green eyes glittering. ‘Did you bring the oath breaker?’
Mendax inclined his head. ‘I did. Did you bring the ring?’
Morgan dug into his pocket and pulled it out, displaying it for the dragon to see. There was no denying the hungry expression on Mendax’s face. Finn was right, I realised: this arsebadger of a dragon was only concerned with gold and riches to hoard for himself. We really couldn’t trust him. ‘It was not easy to get hold of.’
‘No,’ Mendax murmured, ‘I don’t suppose it was. I take it that because of the truce Rubus is still breathing, however.’
‘He is.’
The old dragon shrugged. ‘Shame.’ He reached into his pocket and took out a small box. ‘The oath breaker you desire is in here.’
Finn started forward as if to take it but Mendax pulled it just out of reach. ‘This exchange is purely to establish trust. You understand that we are here for something far more important.’
‘The sphere,’ I ground out.
‘Indeed.’ He turned his coal-black eyes to me. ‘Have you … found it?’
Morgan cleared his throat. ‘Let’s just say we’re getting close. It will depend on how effective this oath breaker of yours actually is.’
Mendax bared his teeth in a nasty grin. ‘If you follow the instructions, I think you’ll find that it’s very effective indeed. Why don’t we make the exchange and meet again this time tomorrow?’
‘That can be arranged.’ Morgan didn’t move. ‘Not here, though.’
The dragon lifted his head and laughed; the sound was particularly grating.
I walked past Morgan and up to Mendax, pausing right in front of him and gazing curiously at his hair. ‘I was wondering how you comb that mess of yours so that the horns don’t show,’ I said.
The laughter ceased abruptly. ‘I suppose you think you’re funny.’
‘No,’ I told him. ‘I’m just mean.’
‘You said it.’ Mendax sniffed. ‘Well, I’m not the devil and I don’t have horns. You know who the real devil is and you have an inkling about what hell will be unleashed if he gets his hands on Chen’s sphere. I can stop that. Whether you allow me to is up to you.’
I curled my bottom lip and grabbed the box, twisting away before he could protest. As I walked back, Morgan tossed the ring towards him. ‘There,’ he said. ‘You have the ring and we have the oath breaker. If it works, we’ll meet you tomorrow in front of the main library.’
‘And you’ll bring the sphere?’
‘If we can find it.’
‘You’d better,’ Mendax growled. ‘If you don’t, all this will cease to exist.’ He raised his hand and wiggled his fingers. ‘Toodle-oo.’ He twisted round and shambled away.
The three of us watched him go. ‘Despite his words,’ Finn muttered, ‘I get the impression that he couldn’t give a fuck if this demesne is destroyed. He just wants the sphere.’
‘He promised to destroy it.’
Finn gave me a long look. ‘Do we believe that?’
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. ‘Do we have a choice?’
Chapter Nineteen
Artemesia examined the box with a critical eye. ‘It’s very small,’ she said. ‘Have you opened it?’
