Eddings, David – Tamuli – 02 – The Shining Ones

ago.’

‘The vampire-raiser?’ Kalten said. ‘What happened to him?

‘May I tell them, Anarae?’ Berit asked politely.

‘An it please thee, Sir Knight.’

“It seems that Ptaga was in southern Tamul proper – in those

mountains between Sama and Samar. He was waving his arms

and creating the illusion of Shining Ones to turn loose on the

populace. One of the real Delphae was out scouting the area and

came across him and quietly joined the crowd of illusions.’ Berit

grinned a nasty little grin.

‘Well?’ Kalten said impatiently. ‘What happened?’

‘Ptaga was inspecting his illusions, and when he came to the

real Shining One, not even he could tell the difference. The

Delphaeic scout reached out and touched him. Ptaga’s cast his

last illusion, I guess. He was in the process of dissolving when

the scout left the area.’

‘Ynak of hydros is most discomfited by his associate’s demise,’

Xanetia added, ‘for without the illusions of Ptaga, our enemies

must produce real forces to confront us.’

‘And that brings us to something we should consider, ‘

Oscagne observed. ‘The arrival of Sir Tynian and Patriarch

Emban with five thousand knights, the elimination of these illusions

which were terrorizing the populace, and our knowledge

of this planned attack from the south changes the whole strategic

situation, doesn’t it?’

“It certainly does,’ Sarabian agreed.

“I think we might want to consider these new developments

in our planning, then, your Majesty.’

‘You’re very right, of course, Oscagne.’ Sarabian squinted at

Sparhawk. ‘Could we prevail on you to go on up to Atan and

bring Betuana back here, old boy?’ he asked. ‘if we’re going to

discuss changes in planning, she should be present. Betuana’s

bigger than I am, and I definitely don’t want to insult her by

leaving her out of our discussions.’

Betuana, the Queen of the Atans, ruled more or less by default.

King Androl, her husband, was a stupendous warrior, and that

may have been a part of the problem. He was so stupendous

that the normal concerns of the military commanders – such

problems as being grossly outnumbered, for example – were

quite beyond his grasp. Men who are sublimely convinced of

their own invincibility seldom make good generals. Betuana, on

the other hand, was a good general, quite possibly one of the

best in the world, and the peculiar Atan society, which totally

ignored any distinctions between the sexes, gave her talents

the fullest opportunity to flower. Far from resenting his wife’s

superiority, Androl was inordinately proud of her. Sparhawk

rather suspected that Betuana might have preferred it otherwise,

but she was realistic about the whole thing.

She had, moreover, a disconcerting level of trust. Sparhawk

had carefully marshaled a number of explanations about both

the need for the council of war and about their mode of travel,

but those explanations proved totally unnecessary. ‘All right,’

she replied calmly when he told her that Bhelliom would transport

them instantly to Matherion.

‘You don’t want any details, your Majesty?’ He was more than

a little surprised.

‘Why waste time explaining something I wouldn’t understand

anyway, Sparhawk-Knight?’ She shrugged. ‘I’ll accept your

word that the jewel can take us to Matherion. You don’t have

any reason to lie to me about it. Give me a few moments to tell

Androl that I’m going and to change clothes. Sarabian-Emperor

finds my work-clothes a trifle unsettling.’ She glanced down at

her armor.

‘He’s changed quite a bit, your Majesty.’

‘So Norkan tells me. I’m curious to find out just how much

your wife has modified him. I’ll be right back.’ She strode from

the room.

‘You get used to that, Sparhawk,’ Khalad said. ‘She’s very

direct, and she doesn’t waste time asking questions about things

she doesn’t need to know about. It’s quite refreshing, actually.’

‘Be nice,’ Sparhawk said mildly.

Ambassador Norkan was nervous, but both Kring and Engessa

were quite nearly as calm as the queen.

‘God.’ Emperor Sarabian exclaimed as the momentary blur

faded and the trees of Atan vanished to be replaced by the

familiar blue carpeting, breeze-touched drapes, and the gleaming,

opalescent walls of the royal sitting room in Ehlana’s castle.

‘isn’t there some way you can announce that you’re coming,

Sparhawk?’

“I don’t think so, your Majesty,’ Sparhawk replied.

‘Having a group of people simply pop out of nowhere is very

unnerving, you know.’ He frowned. ‘What would have happened

if I’d been standing in the same spot as the one you just

appeared in? Would we have suddenly gotten sort of combined?

– all mixed together into one person?’

“I don’t really know, your Majesty.’

‘Tell him that it is impossible, Anakha,’ Vanion, still speaking

for Bhelliom, said. “I would not make such errors, and it is

unusual for two things to be in the same place at once.’

‘Unusual?’ Sarabian demanded. ‘Do you mean that it can

happen?’

“I pray thee, Anakha, ask him not to pursue this question

The answers will greatly disturb him.’

‘You’re looking fit, Sarabian-Emperor,’ Betuana said. ‘You are

much changed. Do you know how to use that sword?’

‘The rapier? Oh, yes, Betuana. Actually, I’m quite proficient.’

‘The weapon is light for my taste, but each of us must select

such arms as suit him best. Sparhawk-Knight and VanionPreceptor

tell me that much has changed. Let us consider those

changes and adjust our plans to fit them.’ She looked at Ehlana

and smiled. ‘You look well, Sister-Queen,’ she said. ‘Matherion

suits you.’

‘And you’re as lovely as ever, dear sister,’ Ehlana replied

warmly. ‘The gown is breathtaking.’

‘Do you really like it?’ Betuana turned almost girlishly to show

off her deep blue Atan gown which left one golden shoulder

bare and was girdled at the hips with a golden chain.

“It’s absolutely stunning, Betuana. Blue is definitely your

color.’

Betuana glowed at the compliment. ‘Now then, Sarabian,’ she

said, all business again, ‘what’s happened, and what are we

going to do about it?’

“I do not find that amusing, Sarabian-Emperor,’ Betuana

declared angrily.

“I didn’t say it to amuse you, Betuana. I felt much the same

way when they told me about it. I’ve sent for the lady. You’re

probably going to have to see for yourself.’

‘Do you take me for some child to be frightened by stories of

ghosts and hobgoblins?’

‘Of course not, but I assure you, Xanetia really is a Delphae.’

‘Does she glow?’

‘Only when it suits her. She’s been suppressing the light for

the sake of our peace of mind – and she’s altered her coloration.

She looks like an ordinary Tamul, but believe me, she’s

far from ordinary.’

“I think you’ve lost your mind, Sarabian-Emperor.’

‘You’ll see, dorlin’. ‘

She gave him a startled look.

‘Local joke.’ He shrugged.

The door opened, and Xanetia, Danae and Sephrenia entered.

Princess Danae, her face artfully innocent, went to Betuana’s

chair and held out her arms. Betuana smiled at the little girl,

picked her up, and held her on her lap. ‘How have you been,

Princess?’ she asked in Elenic.

‘That’s all right, Betuana,’ the little girl replied in Tamul.

‘Sephrenia’s taught us all to speak the language of humans. I’ve

been a little sick, actually, but I’m all better now. It’s really boring

to be sick, isn’t it?’

‘I’ve always thought so, Danae.’

“I don’t think I’ll do it any more, then. You haven’t kissed me

yet.’

‘Oh,’ Betuana smiled. “I forgot. I’m sorry.’ She quickly

attended to the oversight.

Sarabian straightened in his chair. ‘Queen Betuana of Atan, I

have the honor to present Anarae Xanetia of Delphaeus. Would

you mind showing the queen who you are, Anarae?’

‘An it please thee, Majesty,’ Xanetia replied.

“It’s a startling experience, your Majesty,’ Emban said to the

Atan queen, folding his pudgy hands on his paunch, ‘but you

get used to it.’

Xanetia looked gravely at Betuana. ‘Thy people and mine are

cousins, Betuana-Queen,’ she said. ‘Long, however, have we

been separated. I mean thee no harm, so fear me not.’

“I do not fear thee.’ Betuana lapsed automatically into archaic

Tamul.

‘Mine appearance here in Matherion is of necessity disguised,

Betuana-Queen. Behold my true state.’ Once again the color

drained from Xanetia’s hair and face, and her unearthly glow

began to shine through.

Danae calmly reached up to touch Betuana’s face with one

small hand. Sparhawk carefully concealed his smile.

“I know what you’re feeling, Betuana,’ Sephrenia said quite

calmly. ‘i’m sure you can imagine how Xanetia and I both felt

about each other the first time we met. You know about the

enmity between our two races, don’t you?’

Betuana nodded, obviously not trusting herself to speak.

‘i’m going to do something profoundly unnatural, Anarae,’

Sephrenia said then, ‘but I think Atana Betuana needs reassurance.

Let’s both try to control our nausea.’ Then, with no hesitation

or evident revulsion, she embraced the glowing woman.

Sparhawk knew her very well, however, and he could see the

faint ripple along her jaw. Sephrenia had steeled herself as she

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