David Gemmell. Winter Warriors

‘That is a vulgar story,’ chided Axiana.

A young, female servant approached them and curtsied deeply. ‘You have a visitor, my lady,’ she said. ‘The Lord Kalizkan.’ Axiana clapped her hands together in delight.

‘Send him out to us,’ she said.

Moments later the tall wizard made his entrance. He was wearing robes now of sky blue satin, and a match­ing wide-brimmed hat of stiffened silk. Sweeping off the hat he made an elaborate bow. ‘And how is the queen today?’ he asked, with a wide, enchanting smile.

100

‘I am well, sir. All the better for seeing you.’ Ulmenetha rose and offered the wizard her seat. He gave her a dazzling smile and sat beside the queen. Ulmenetha moved back to allow them privacy and returned to her seat in the swinging chair. It was a pleasure to see Axiana in such high spirits. Kalizkan was good for her, and Ulmenetha liked him. The wizard leaned in close to the queen and the two talked for some time. Then Axiana called out. ‘Come here, Ulmenetha, you must see this!’

The priestess obeyed and stood before the white-bearded wizard. ‘What is your favourite flower?’ he asked her.

‘The high mountain lily,’ she told him.

‘The white lily with blue stripes?’

‘Yes.’

Kalizkan reached down and lifted a handful of dirt. Then his pale eyes narrowed in concentration. A tiny stem appeared in the dark earth, then grew, putting out slender leaves. A bud appeared and opened slowly, exposing long white petals, striped with the blue of a summer sky. Reaching out he offered her the flower. Ulmenetha’s fingers touched it, and it became smoke, dispersing on the breeze. ‘Is that not wonderful?’ said Axiana.

Ulmenetha nodded. ‘You have a great talent, sir,’ she said.

‘I have studied long and hard,’ he told them. ‘But it pleases me to bring pleasure to my friends.’

‘Is your orphanage prospering, Kalizkan?’ asked the queen.

‘It is, dear lady, thanks to the kindness of the king and your good wishes. But there are so many more children living on the streets, close to starvation. One wishes one could help them all.’

101

As the two talked on, oblivious to Ulmenetha, the priest­ess found herself once more thinking of the demons in the air. Quietly she made her way back to the swinging chair and settled her back against the cushions. The sun had reached noon and was shining down with painful bright­ness. She closed her eyes — and a thought came to her.

Demons had no love of bright light. Perhaps now she could soar unobserved.

With a last look at the chatting couple she took a deep breath, reaching for the inner calm that precipitated flight. Then she released her spirit and fled towards the sun like an arrow. High above the city she floated, and gazed down. The roof garden was tiny now, the size of her thumbnail, the river flowing through the city no more than a thin web-thread of glistening blue and white. No demons were flying now, but she could see them in the shadows, under the eaves of buildings. There were hundreds of them. Perhaps thousands. They were writhing over the city like white maggots on rotting pork.

Three detached themselves from the shadows of the palace, and swept up towards her, their talons reaching out. Ulmenetha waited, frozen in terror. They closed upon her, and she could see their opal eyes and their sharp teeth. There was nowhere to run. They were between her and the safety of her flesh.

A shining figure of bright light appeared alongside her, a sword of flame in his hands. Ulmenetha tried to look into his face, but the brilliance of the light forced her to turn away. The demons veered away from him. A voice whispered into her mind. It was strangely familiar. ‘Go now, swiftly!’ he urged her.

Ulmenetha needed no urging. With the demons fallen back she fled for the sanctuary of her flesh.

102.

She swept over the roof garden and saw the queen sitting beside . . . sitting beside . . .

The eyes of her body flared open, and a strangled cry burst from her lips. Axiana and Kalizkan moved swiftly to her side. ‘Are you well, Ulmenetha?’ asked Axiana, reaching out to stroke her friend’s cheek.