The door opened and a servant moved across the wide room. He bowed to all three occupants then approached Rael. ‘A message, lord, from the Lady Sofarita.’
Rael took it, read it, then leaned back in his chair.
‘Good news, I hope,’ said Ammon.
Rael rose. ‘Your army was attacked in the Gen-el Pass. Three thousand dead, the rest scattered. Our conversation here is concluded.’
‘I think the Source must have come to hate me,’ said Rael. He had told her of the destruction of Ammon’s army, and of the approach of the invincible Almecs. Taking him by the hand she led him to the roof garden. A long table had been set there, covered by soft towels. Beside it was a smaller table, upon which sat vials of scented oil.
‘Take off your clothes, Rael,’ she said.
‘I have no time, Mirani.’
‘Do as you are told, husband,’ she said. Rael sighed and removed his tunic and leggings. She gestured for him to lie face down on the massage bed. Once he had done so she poured oil into her hands and gently began to knead the muscles of his shoulders. ‘They are like bands of iron,’ she told him. He groaned as she probed more deeply. ‘You think the Source hates you? If that is true he has a strange way of showing it. You and I have known more than a century of love. Arrogant man!’ Her fingers and thumbs eased the tension from his upper back then moved down along the spine. ‘The Source does not hate you, Rael. But he must hate what we have become. Slave masters and tyrants. All our plans, all our ambitions, are for one purpose only: to retain control, to dominate. We live by stealing the lives of others. If the Source did not hate that, then I would have no time for the Source. Now do you understand why I refuse to join the Council?’ He lay very still as her hands worked their magic. She continued the massage, using her elbow to stretch the long muscles above the hips. Rael groaned again.
‘Are you trying to heal me or kill me?’ he said.
‘I am trying to make you see the truth,’ she told him. ‘Mejana is the bright light of dawn; Sofarita, the sunshine that follows rain. They are not evil, Rael, they are necessary. We were blessed with many children in the early days. All grew to adulthood. All died in the fall of the world. All except Chryssa.’ He closed his eyes against the pain of remembrance. ‘She lived for but a few years, and gave us great joy. Think of how Mejana must have felt when her daughter, the light of her life, was crystal-drawn. Think of her pain, Rael. Yes, she murdered Baliel, and ordered the deaths of others. Yes, she hates the Avatar. But her cause is just. She has dedicated her life to ensure that no mother will ever see her child crystal-drawn again. Do not hate her, Rael. Admire her. Respect her.
‘And as for these reverses you suffer … Did you expect all wars to be so easily won? You are the Questor General. You will find a way to win. I would expect no less of you. Now turn over.’
He rolled onto his back. Mirani loosened the ties of her dress, and let it fall to the grass. Then she climbed to the table, straddling him.
He reached up and stroked her shoulders. ‘How did you get to be so hard?’ he asked, with a smile.
‘I married a soldier,’ she said. And kissed him.
‘The dangers are too great,’ Questor Ro told Talaban. Sofarita sat silently on the grass, apparently lost in thought. The heavy scent of jasmine was in the air and the trio were sitting in the afternoon sunshine. Ro had not been pleased to see the tall officer arrive. He had noticed, with concealed dismay, the way Sofarita brightened with his presence.
‘I think it is our only hope, Questor,’ said Talaban.
Sofarita glanced up. ‘Tell me again what you learned from the hunchback. Every detail.’
Talaban smiled. ‘I could tell you his entire life, lady, but that would serve little purpose. The important fact is that the Crystal Queen did not intend to move a part of her continent to this world. What she was trying to do was, first, create a barrier over which the tidal wave would flow and then move her cities to a more clement part of their own planet. What she actually did was open a gateway between worlds. This, in itself, would be unimportant -save for the fact that she did not completely close the gateway. Tremendous forces are at play here, straining to draw her land back to its own place. She is using massive amounts of power merely to hold her continent in place. That is why she needs so many deaths. And why she fears you, lady. You can drain away some of the power she needs. But not from here. Rael tells me that he no longer dares to approach you carrying crystals. He leaves them back at the Council Chamber. Even there your power is drawing on them, but less so. It is my belief that if we travel to the west, and approach the realm of the Crystal Queen, you will be able to weaken her. Perhaps then the Almecs will be sucked back through the gateway.’