Vuhon shook his head. “No, we remain a sort of bubble of Oblivion in Mundus, and as such we’re vulnerable. But I’ve found a way to change that, and to be free of Clavicus Vile forever.”
“And you need this sword of Umbra to do that?”
Again, that sudden uncharacteristic rage seemed to rise up in Vuhon.
“No,” he all but snarled.
“But you do want it,” Sul said, breaking his long silence. “It can still undo you, can’t it? Where is Umbra, Vuhon? You said he powers your ingenium. If Umbra is re-imprisoned in the sword, what becomes of your beautiful city?”
Vuhon seemed to be actually shaking with rage. He closed his eyes and drew long deep breaths. When he finally did speak again, it was in even tones.
“We didn’t come just for the sword,” he said. “I came to repair the rift into Vile’s realm, and now that’s done. Umbra wanted to find the weapon, and we shall still look for it, but we have other agents that can do that. If you know where it is, I will find out, I promise you. But it’s time to turn my attentions elsewhere.”
“Why didn’t you use these other ‘agents’ of yours in the first place?” Attrebus asked.
“They couldn’t have sealed the rift. Besides, this little meander gave me time to build my army. It’s already marching, you know. The walkers need not remain near Umbriel—they can go where I choose.” He scratched his chin. “And here is where you might prove yourself useful to me, Prince Attrebus,” he said.
“Why should I want to do that?” Attrebus asked.
“To preserve your own life, and the lives of many of your people. And to finally be the man you want to be.”
A little spark traveled up his spine. “What do you mean, ‘the man I want to be’?”
“I mean I suspect that your adventures have probably caused you to learn that much of your fame is based on fraud.”
“How do you know that?” Attrebus asked, backing away. “If you’ve just come from Oblivion …”
“Don’t you see?” Sul shouted. “He has someone inside the palace. That’s who tried to have you killed.”
“Is this true?” Attrebus challenged.
“Your fame was the problem, apparently. My ally feared you might create popular demand to attack Umbriel before we were ready, and to make the siege more bitter.”
“Siege?”
“Regrettably, I must attack the Imperial City. I suspect they will resist.”
“Why must you attack the city?”
“I need the city,” Vuhon said. “Specifically, I need to reach the White-Gold Tower. Then all of this can end. The dying can stop, and I can bring Umbriel to rest somewhere. If you want to save lives, all you need do is convince your father not to fight—better yet, to evacuate.”
“My father spent his life putting the Empire back together. There’s no way he would surrender the White-Gold Tower. I certainly couldn’t convince him.”
“You could try. It’s the offer I’m making you. I have gifts for you, the kind that only a god can bestow. You can return to Cyrodiil and lead your people to safety. You can be a real hero.”
Attrebus looked at Sul, then back out at the city.
“What about Sul?”
Vuhon ate another butterfly.
“Sul is mine. I’ll learn what he knows and then he will die.”
“If you murder Sul, I’ll never help you.”
“Think carefully, Prince. I could have lied to you and told you he would live. I didn’t. If you don’t help me, you’ll die, too. And then I will still take what I want at whatever cost of life is required.”
Annaïg felt sheer exhilaration as she rushed through the air. The first time she’d been too terrified to even begin to enjoy it. This time she felt it was the most wonderful thing she’d ever done.
She glanced back at the receding bulk of Umbriel. Nothing was following them. No one seemed to have noticed, and no one would until Toel came looking for her. By then she and Glim would be a hundred miles away.
She gripped Glim’s hand harder, just a friendly squeeze, but something about it felt strange. She glanced at over at him.
At first she thought he was surrounded by a stray wisp of cloud, but then she saw it was him, starting to bleed like a water-color that had been spilled on.
And, looking at her hand, so was she.
Attrebus fell silent for a long moment. Sul could practically see the thoughts turning in his head. The boy he’d rescued from kidnappers wouldn’t have thought about it at all—he had believed himself the hero the ballads spoke of, and that man would never turn on a companion.
But he knew that Attrebus was a little more pragmatic now. He might even be capable of making the right decision, to sacrifice him, buy himself time.
It didn’t matter. He couldn’t die, not before he killed Vuhon. And Vuhon had made a mistake just now.
And Attrebus had given him almost all the time he needed.
Sul closed his eyes.
“How long do I have to make my decision?” he heard Attrebus ask.
“Not long,” Vuhon said. “Sul, what are you—”
Pain jagged through Sul, crippling, nightmarish hurt that once would have paralyzed him. But he’d felt it before, and worse, and all he had to do was reach through it, past their confinement, through the walls between worlds to find it there, waiting. Angry.
“Come!” he commanded.
“You shouldn’t have told me we were in Oblivion!” Sul shouted.
And all around them glass whinged and shattered.
Colin had to run. Out the window, down the street, away. Everything in him screamed for him to run.