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."• • •Kovrim's voice was growing hoarse, but he dared not stop speaking.He had managed to gather perhaps fifteen or twenty guards around him, all of them except two listening in rapt attention to his speech.The two who'd managed to resist the enthralling influences of his magic had tried to get the priest to stop, first by shouting at him, then by charging forward.But to their surprise, both of the soldiers discovered that they just couldn't bring themselves to attack the man who had enraptured all of their companions.Such was the magic that Kovrim had employed to keep himself protected.Fortunately, the whole diversion had worked about as well as the priest had hoped.He could already see that the mercenaries had taken the house, and a squad of them was marching down the path toward wherehe continued to orate on anything that came to mind.He was running out of energy, though.He prayed that the Sapphire Crescents would hurry.Just about the time Kovrim's voice was giving out, the squad of mercenaries reached the back side of the gathering of house guards.With a sigh of relief, Kovrim finally trailed off, ending the spell.The guards, realizing he was finished, blinked and began to get their bearings again, realizing just how captivated they had become in the priest's mesmerizing words.As they remembered that they were supposed to be preventing intruders from gaining the grounds, more than a few of them grew agitated, and several of them readied their weapons.It quickly became clear, though, that they had allowed themselves to be tricked, and they were outnumbered and unprepared to battle the mercenaries.The guards surrendered without a fight, making Kovrim's smile even larger.As the Sapphire Crescents relieved guards of their weapons, the priest strolled past them toward Adyan, who had led the "attack" down the hill."Easiest engagement I've ever been a part of," the sergeant drawled, giving Kovrim a grin and slap on the back."We need you on the battlefield more often.""I was there in my younger days," Kovrim informed the mercenary."It was only after I grew too old and soft to put up with the hardships of the campaign trail that I retired and took up an administrative position within the temple.""Well, if you ever decide to un-retire, I'm sure Vambran would be able to find a gentle horse and a good use for you," the sergeant replied in his easy accent.Adyan ordered a small detail to mind the prisoners and he, Kovrim, and the rest of the troops moved back up the main path to the house, ready to rejoin the other half of the Sapphire Crescents.Once they were together with the rest of the troops, the Crescents broke into smaller squads and prepared to move through the house room by room, not sure how strong the resistance would be, but clearly understanding that members of Vambran and Kovrim's family were in potential danger inside.As the Crescents entered the house and fanned out, Kovrim realized for the first time that Xaphira was not with them.He worried for her briefly, but then the priest dismissed such thoughts.The woman had been able to take care of herself for quite a long time, and her skills were formidable, as she had already demonstrated several times in the past couple of days.She was lurking somewhere, ready to spring out when she was most needed, he decided.The priest accompanied Adyan and two other mercenaries as they moved into the large dining room of the Matrell estate.One of the soldiers had a lantern, but otherwise, the room was dark, which Kovrim found disturbing.Normally, the servants would have lit lanterns and candles to brighten every room in the house, but thus far, the Crescents had found everything dark and silent.The priest was just about to suggest that they move on when a cry rose up from the kitchens, just through the next door, followed by the sounds of battle.Weapons drawn, the mercenaries rushed through the portal.Kovrim was in the rear, but he saw that another group of Crescents had stumbled onto a contingent of house guards who were accompanying two other men moving through the kitchen, perhaps to sneak out the back way onto the grounds.The guards engaged the mercenaries, leaving their charges to retreat to safety."Don't let them escape!" Kovrim called out, and a pair of Crescents pushed through the swirling fight to pursue the men.Kovrim picked his way more carefully, dodging a sword swipe in the process, and finally reached the door that led out onto the tiled patio off the kitchen.The two soldiers were facing off against one of the men, whom Kovrim recognized as Grozier Talricci.The other man, a somewhat shorter, flabby fellow, cowered behind Grozier, watching the whole skirmish through a pair of spectacles that were slipping off his nose.Suddenly, the timorous fellow reached into a pocket and drew forth a handful of something that Kovrim couldn't see
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