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