Sara Douglass – The Serpent Bride – DarkGlass Mountain Book 1

keep the pass so tightly closed that few people ever attempt its passage in any case, and the few

stray peddlers who try are either turned back or, if too persistent, otherwise stopped.”

Axis grimaced at the “otherwise stopped,” but said nothing.

“No one will realize until it is too late,” said Ezekiel.

“Besides,” said Isaiah, “the latest intelligence puts the majority of the Outlands” armed

forces up here.” He pointed to an area halfway between Pelemere and Hosea. “No one in their

command will realize until too late just what it is comes up the Salamaan Pass.”

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. “It is late, and I am tired. I thank you,” he said to the

generals, “for these reports. All goes well. By tomorrow—”

He turned as the door opened, then smiled as Ishbel walked in.

In contrast to the men, all of whom looked weary, she looked refreshed and lovely, her

hair left in a long loose plait over one shoulder, wound about with a thin bejeweled gold wire,

and wearing a simple white linen robe that accentuated her figure and coloring.

Axis froze. His reaction was not at Ishbel”s entrance as such, but at what he”d felt from

the shadows in the back of the room at her entrance.

Everything Ishbel had told him about Maximilian suddenly roared to the forefront of his

mind.

Stars…

Ishbel went directly to Isaiah, who laid a hand on her shoulder, and pulled her close for a

slow kiss.

The generals all looked on impassively.

Axis watched Isaiah and Ishbel, then, so briefly most would have missed it, glanced

toward the shadows at the rear of the large chamber.

“Well,” said Isaiah, still smiling down at Ishbel”s face, “tomorrow is another day and,

right now, I would rather think about the rest of this night.”

Axis suppressed a wince.

Taking the hint, the generals murmured their good-nights, and left.

“I”m sure,” said Isaiah, as the door closed behind the departing men, “that you also need

your rest, Axis.”

“Isaiah—” said Axis, then got no further.

“Ishbel,” said a voice, “what have you done?”

Axis looked to the back of the chamber as Isaiah and Ishbel spun about, Isaiah pushing

Ishbel a little way behind him.

A man and a woman had stepped forth from the shadows.

The man, tall, dark, and with a face marked by pain and tragedy, registered briefly in

Axis” mind—Maximilian of Escator, it could be no other—but his attention was almost

immediately and completely caught by the woman.

For a single heart-stopping moment he thought it was Azhure, then realized that she was

far younger and, while as tall as Azhure had been, slighter. She shared Azhure”s long and almost

blue-black hair, but her face was finer, and her eyes…they were the most extraordinary eyes

Axis had ever seen. Pale gray, the irises ringed with black, they were startlingly beautiful.

Then Ishbel gave a cry, and Axis looked at her directly.

He”d never seen such a look of utter devastation, such all-consuming guilt, on anyone”s

face as he saw now on Ishbel”s.

It was, she thought, the most terrible moment she could ever possibly suffer. She”d

thought that Maximilian would have gone home to Escator, and stayed there. She”d thought him

to have forgotten her.

But no, he”d come all this way—a hard, terrible journey, if his appearance was any

indication—and she did not know how she could possibly tell him about their child, or explain

Isaiah.

Isaiah had grabbed a sword from the table, but Ishbel reached out one shaky hand and

waved him away.

“No,” she said, “not that.”

Isaiah let the sword droop, but did not step away from Ishbel”s side.

“That was a poor way to announce yourself, Maximilian Persimius,” Isaiah said, softly.

Maximilian ignored him. He stepped forward, walked toward Ishbel, stopping two or

three paces from her. “Ishbel?”

She realized that he was as shocked as she, she could see it in his eyes.

Along with such astounding pain that each successive breath she took became harder and

harder.

I have caused that pain, she thought. Oh, gods, what can I do?

Ishbel became aware that everyone in the room was incredibly tense, and that no one

knew what to do or say.

“I would like,” she said, holding Maximilian”s eyes and speaking with as much dignity as

she could, “to speak with Maxel alone.”

“The baby is dead, isn”t it?” said the woman, who, to this point, had hardly even

registered on Ishbel”s consciousness. “The baby is dead and you have fallen gratefully into the

bed of a man who seeks to invade your homeland. Maxel, you are well rid of this woman. I think

we ought to—”

“Be quiet, you fool!” Isaiah snapped at the woman.

“Dead?” Maximilian said at the same time, and Ishbel”s eyes filled with tears. She did not

know how she could keep standing. She wished everyone would just go so that she could speak

to Maximilian.

She wished…oh, she wished that everything had been different.

“Will she be safe with you, Maximilian Persimius?” Isaiah said, and Ishbel saw

Maximilian look at him.

Something altered in Maximilian”s face, even more shock, if that were possible, piled

atop everything else he must be feeling.

Recognition.

“What have you done?” Maximilian whispered, still staring at Isaiah.

“Nothing but prepare the way for the Lord of Elcho Falling,” Isaiah said, and then

Maximilian stepped forward and hit him.

Axis” first thought was to wonder if it were some northern trait, this ritual of face-striking

on first acquaintance.

His second was one of astonishment at Maximilian”s strength, for the power of his blow

sent Isaiah—a big man—sprawling back several paces.

Axis grabbed at Maximilian, pulling him back, although it was apparent that Maximilian

had no intention of continuing the assault.

“Let me go,” Maximilian said, and Axis did so. The dark-haired woman was by his side

now, taking his arm.

“You are Axis,” she said. “My name is Ravenna.”

Axis” sense of disorientation deepened. Social introductions? Now?

Isaiah slowly rose to his feet, one hand rubbing at his jaw, his eyes wary.

“Will everyone please leave Maximilian and me alone,” Ishbel said. Her voice was

strained, her entire body stiff, and Axis noticed that she held her head slightly to one side so that she did not have to look anyone in the eye.

“I will not leave you with—” Isaiah began, but Axis interrupted.

“Isaiah, out, now. Maximilian will not hurt Ishbel. Ravenna, come with me.”

Within a moment, Ishbel and Maximilian were left alone as Axis hustled the other two

out the door.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Sakkuth, Isembaard

Axis turned to Ravenna the moment they were in the corridor. “My father is with your

party. Where is he?”

“What?” said Isaiah. “How do you know this?”

“I saw Maximilian and my father, StarDrifter, today,” Axis said. “While we were on your

grand procession into Sakkuth. They watched from a rooftop.”

“And you thought this was not important enough to tell me, or Ishbel?” Isaiah said.

“Damn you! Did you not think enough of Ishbel to tell her that her husband was close? Did you

not have the courtesy?”

He whipped about to Ravenna. “Who are you?”

“I don”t think I need to—” Ravenna began.

“Tell me your name, curse you!”

“My name is Ravenna,” she said. “I am a marsh woman, one who patrols the pathways

between this world and the Land of Dreams.”

“Very pretty,” said Isaiah. “Unfortunately I am not impressed with your pretensions.” He

took a step forward, jabbing a finger in Ravenna”s face. “How dare you interfere between

Maximilian and Ishbel! You have no right.”

“That is hardly an accusation you can toss about lightly.”

“My father…” Axis said, desperate to edge the conversation back into civility.

“He is well, Axis,” Ravenna said. “More than anxious to see you.”

Axis smiled. “And I him.”

“Oh, for the gods” sakes,” Isaiah muttered. “Ravenna, who else do you have in „your

party”? Who else can I expect to find emerging from the shadows?”

“My mother, Venetia,” said Ravenna. “StarDrifter”s wife, Salome”—she sent an

apologetic glance to Axis as she said this—“and two men-at-arms. Not an invasion force. Not the

kind you feel you need to carry about with you.”

Axis broke in before Isaiah could speak. “Isaiah, I apologize to you, and I will humble

myself before Ishbel when I have the chance. I should have said something and it was wrong of

me not to do so. The fact was, the sight of my father stunned me so much, roiled my emotions so

deeply, that I was unable to think clearly, and—”

“You were one of the greatest military commanders this world has ever seen,” said

Isaiah, “and I do not believe for a moment this excuse that the sight of your father upset you so

much you forgot to mention to me you had seen both him and Maximilian.”

Now he addressed Ravenna again. “I knew Maximilian was in that room, hiding in the