Heretics book 3 - The Apocryphile Press

154 :: JOHN R. MABRY
Instead, he turned his attention back to the man, now leaning
over the Mikael body, now stooping to wipe the vomit
from his cheek. Then Mikael realized the man was speaking.
He paid closer attention to the words, which slowly became
intelligible.
“...sick. There, that’s better. I’m really very sorry for all
this unpleasantness. I’m not at all sure what to do with you.”
A nag of recognition pulled at Mikael. He knew that
voice, but from where? He beamed beatifically at the top of
the stranger’s head, wishing nothing but peace for him.
The man grabbed a blanket from a pile in a dark corner
and spread it out over Mikael’s body. “There, that’s better,
isn’t it?”
The man sighed and squatted beside the unconscious friar.
His thumb worried at the ring on his right hand, and Mikael
suddenly knew who it was that was tucking him in—Dane
the Younger.
“I wish you would wake up—I have so much I want to ask
you!” Dane sat back on his haunches and seemed to consider.
Then, apparently thinking aloud, he said, “But maybe I
can still ask...what if you’re not sick, but plagued? Hm....”
He rose and paced the room’s meager distance.
He stopped and raised his right hand, which sported a
large red jewel set into his ring. “I hold this dread ring, and
I command its power. I do not wish to use it, but I will if I
must. Therefore, if there be any demon associated with this
man’s condition, I command it to appear to me now, or face
your doom!”
Dispassionately, Mikael watched the air ripple, and as if
projected on the wall, the image of a dragon appeared. The
dragon coiled and resolved into the visage of a man, half
beautiful, half scarred and deformed. “Who dares summon
me?” It was an odd voice. Mikael knew that under normal
circumstances he would be terrified, but he felt oddly com-