‘It is thy belief that Cyrgon deceived thee into bringing Bhelliom within his reach, Anakha?’ Xanetia said.

‘Why bother to ask, Anarae? You know what I’m thinking already. Cyrgon believes that he could use Bhelliom to break that curse so that his people could start invading their neighbors again.’

‘I told you so,’ Danae reminded him again.

‘Please.’ He looked out over the glowing city. ‘I think I need a divine opinion here,’ he said. ‘Up until very recently, we all believed that Bhelliom was just a thing – powerful, but just an object. We know that’s not true now. Bhelliom has its own personality and its own will. It’s more of an ally than just a weapon. Not only that – and please don’t be offended, Aphrael – in some ways it’s even more powerful than the Gods of this world.’

‘I am offended, Sparhawk,’ she said tartly. ‘Besides, I haven’t finished telling you that I told you so yet.’

He laughed, swept her up into his arms, and kissed her. ‘I love you,’ he told her, still laughing.

‘Isn’t he a nice boy?’ Danae said to Xanetia.

The Delphaeic woman smiled.

‘If we didn’t know about Bhelliom’s awareness – and its will – could Cyrgon have known? I don’t think Azash did. Speaking as a Goddess, would you want to pick up something that could make its own decisions – and might just decide that it didn’t like you all that much?’

‘I wouldn’t,’ she replied. ‘Cyrgon might be a different matter, though. He’s so arrogant that he might believe that he could control Bhelliom even against its will.’

‘But he couldn’t, could he? Azash thought he could control Bhelliom by sheer force. He wasn’t even interested in the rings. The rings can compel Bhelliom – because they’re a part of it. Could Cyrgon be as stupid as Azash was?’

‘Sparhawk, you’re talking about one of my distant relatives. Please be a little more respectful.’ Danae’s brow furrowed with thought. She absently kissed her father.

‘Don’t do that,’ he said. ‘This is serious.’

‘I know. It helps me to think. Bhelliom’s never really made itself known before. You’re probably right, Sparhawk. Azash wasn’t really very bright. Cyrgon has the same sort of personality, and he’s made several blunders in the past. That’s one of the drawbacks of divinity. We don’t have to be intelligent. We all know about Bhelliom’s power, but I don’t think any of us have ever come to grips with the notion of its will before. Did it really talk to Sparhawk the way he said it did, Xanetia? As an equal, I mean?’

‘As at least an equal, Goddess,’ Xanetia replied. ‘Bhelliom and Anakha are allies, not friends – and neither is master.’

‘Where are we going with this, Sparhawk?’ Danae asked.

‘I’m not sure. Cyrgon may have made another of those blunders, though. He may just have tricked me into bringing back the one thing that’s going to defeat him. I think we may have an advantage here, but we should probably give a great deal of thought to just exactly how we’re going to use it.’

‘You’re hateful, Sparhawk,’ Danae said.

‘I beg your pardon?’

‘You’ve just taken all the fun out of all the “I told you so”s I’ve been saving up.’

Zalasta arrived in Matherion two days later. After only the briefest of greetings to the rest of them, he went immediately to Sephrenia’s room.

‘He’ll straighten it out, Vanion,’ Sparhawk assured the Preceptor. ‘He’s her oldest friend, and he’s far too wise to be infected with irrational prejudice.’

‘I wouldn’t be all that sure, Sparhawk.’ Vanion’s face was gloomy. ‘I thought she was too wise, and look what happened there. This blind hatred may infect the entire Styric race. If Zalasta feels the same way Sephrenia does, all he’s going to do is reinforce her prejudices.’

Sparhawk shook his head. ‘No, my friend. Zalasta’s above that. He has no reason to trust Elenes either, but he was willing to help us, wasn’t he? He’s a realist, and even if he does share her feelings, he’ll suppress them in the name of political expediency. And if I’m right, he’ll persuade her to do the same. She doesn’t have to like Xanetia. All she has to do is accept the fact that we need her. Once Zalasta convinces her of that, the two of you will be able to patch things up.’

‘Maybe.’

It was several hours later when Zalasta emerged alone from Sephrenia’s room with his rough-hewn Styric face somber. ‘It will not be easy, Prince Sparhawk,’ he said when the two of them met in the corridor outside. ‘She is deeply wounded. I cannot understand what Aphrael was thinking of.’

‘Who can ever understand why Aphrael does things, learned one?’ Sparhawk smiled briefly. ‘She’s the most whimsical and exasperating person I’ve ever known sometimes. As I understand it, she doesn’t approve of Sephrenia’s prejudice, and she’s taking steps. The expression “doing something to somebody for his own good” always implies a certain amount of brutality, I’m afraid. Were you able to talk any sense into Sephrenia at all?’

‘I’m approaching the question obliquely, your Highness,’ Zalasta replied. ‘Sephrenia’s already been deeply injured. This isn’t a good time for a direct confrontation. I was at least able to persuade her to postpone her return to Sarsos.’

‘That’s something, anyway. Let’s go talk to the others. A lot has happened since you left.’

‘The reports come from unimpeachable sources, Anarae,’ Zalasta said coolly.

‘I do assure thee, Zalasta of Styricum, they are nonetheless false. None of the Delphae have left our valley for well over a hundred years – except to deliver our invitation to Anakha.’

‘It’s happened before, Zalasta,’ Kalten told the white-robed Styric. ‘We watched Rebal use some very obvious trickery when he was talking to a group of Edomish peasants.’

‘Oh?’

‘It was the sort of thing one sees in second-rate carnivals, learned one,’ Talen explained. ‘One of his henchmen threw something into a fire; there was a flash of light and a puff of smoke; then somebody dressed in old-time clothes stood up from where he’d been hiding and started bellowing in an ancient form of speech. The peasants all thought they were seeing Incetes rising from the grave.’

‘Those who witnessed the Shining Ones were not so gullible, Master Talen,’ Zalasta objected.

‘And the fellow who gulled them probably wasn’t as clumsy.’ The boy shrugged. ‘A skilled fake can make almost anybody believe almost anything – as long as they aren’t close enough to see the hidden wires. Sephrenia told us that it means that the other side’s a little short on real magicians, so they have to cheat.’

Zalasta frowned. ‘It may be possible,’ he conceded. ‘The sightings were brief and at quite some distance.’ He looked at Xanetia. ‘You are certain, Anarae? Could there perhaps be some of your people who live separately? Who are cut off from Delphaeus and may have joined with our enemies?’

‘They would no longer be of the Delphae, Zalasta of Styricum. We are bound to the lake. It is the lake which doth make us what we are, and I tell thee truly, the light which doth illuminate us is but the least of the things which do make us unlike all others.’ She looked at him gravely. ‘Thou art Styric, Zalasta of Ylara, and thou art well aware of the consequences of markedly differing from thy neighbors.’

‘Yes,’ he agreed, ‘to our sorrow.’

‘The decision of thy race to attempt to co-exist with the other races of man may be suitable for Styrics,’ she continued. ‘For my race, however, it hath not been possible. Ye of the Styric race are oft met with contempt and derision, but thy differences are not threatening to the Elenes or Tamuls who are about ye. We of Delphaeus, however, do inspire terror in the hearts of all others. In time, methinks, thy race will become acceptable. The wind of change hath already begun to blow, engendered in large measure by that fortuitous alliance betwixt ye and the Church of Chyrellos. The knights of that Church are kindly disposed toward Styricum, and their might shall alter Elenic predispositions. For the Delphae, however, such accommodation is impossible. Our very appearance doth set us forever apart from all others, and this doth stand at the heart of our present alliance. We have sought out Anakha, and we have offered him our aid in his struggle with Cyrgon. In exchange, we have besought him only to raise up Bhelliom and to seal us away from all other men. Then none may come against us, nor may we go against any other. Thus will all be safe.’

‘A wise decision perhaps, Anarae,’ he conceded. ‘It was a choice which we considered in eons past. Delphaeic numbers are limited, however, and your hidden valley will easily hold all of you. We Styrics are more numerous and more widespread. Our neighbors would not look kindly on a Styric homeland abutting their own borders. We cannot follow your course, but must live in the world.’

Xanetia rose to her feet, putting one hand on Kalten’s shoulder. ‘Stay, gentle knight,’ she told him. ‘I must confer a moment with Anakha in furtherance of our pact. Should he detect falsity in me, he may slay me.’

Sparhawk stood up, crossed to the door, and opened it for her. Danae, dragging Rollo behind her, followed them from the room.

‘What is it, Anarae?’ Sparhawk asked.

‘Let us repair to that place above where we are wont to speak,’ she replied. ‘What I must tell thee is for thine ears alone.’

Danae gave her a hard look.

‘Thou mayest also hear my words, Highness,’ Xanetia told the little girl.

‘You’re so kind.’

‘We can’t hide from her, Xanetia,’ Sparhawk said. ‘We could go to the top of the highest tower in Matherion, and she’d fly up to eavesdrop on us anyway.’

‘Canst thou truly fly, Highness?’ Xanetia looked startled.

‘Can’t everyone?’

‘Behave yourself,’ Sparhawk told his daughter.

They climbed the stairs to the top of the tower again and went out onto the roof. ‘Anakha, I must tell thee a truth which thou mayest not wish to believe,’ Xanetia said gravely, ‘but it is truth, nonetheless.’

‘That’s an unpromising start,’ Danae observed.

‘I must speak this truth, Anakha,’ Xanetia said gravely, ‘for it is not only in keeping with our pact, but it doth also have a grave import on our common design.’

‘I get the feeling that I should take hold of something solid,’ Sparhawk said wryly.

‘As it seemeth best to thee, Anakha. I must advise thee, however, that thy trust in Zalasta of Styricum is sorely misplaced.’

‘What?’

‘He hath played thee false, Anakha. His heart and his mind are Cyrgon’s.’

Chapter 18

‘That’s absolutely impossible!’ Danae exclaimed. ‘Zalasta loves my sister and me! He’d never betray us!’

‘He doth love thy sister beyond measure, Goddess,’ Xanetia replied. ‘His feelings for thee, however, are not so kindly. In truth, he doth hate thee.’

‘I don’t believe you!’

Sparhawk was a soldier, and soldiers who cannot adjust to surprises rapidly do not live long enough to become veterans. ‘You weren’t at Delphaeus, Aphrael,’ he reminded the Child Goddess. ‘Bhelliom vouched for Xanetia’s truthfulness.’

‘She’s just saying this to drive a wedge between us and Zalasta.’

‘I don’t really think so.’ A number of things were rapidly falling into place in Sparhawk’s mind. ‘The alliance is too important to the Delphae for her to endanger it with something that petty, and what she just told us explains several things that didn’t make sense before. Let’s hear her out. If there’s some question about Zalasta’s loyalty, we’d better find out about it right now. Exactly what did you discover in his mind, Anarae?’

‘A great confusion, Anakha,’ Xanetia said sadly. ‘The mind of Zalasta might have been a noble one, but it doth stand on the brink of madness, consumed with but one thought and one desire. He hath loved thy sister since earliest childhood, Goddess, but his love is not the brotherly affection thou hast believed it was. This I know with greater certainty than all else, for it is ever at the forefront of his mind. He doth think of her as his affianced bride.’

‘That’s absurd!’ Danae said. ‘She doesn’t think of him that way at all.’

‘Nay, but he doth think so of her. My sojourn within his thought was brief, therefore I do not as yet know all. As soon as I did perceive his treachery, my pledge bound me to reveal it to Anakha. With more time, I will discover more.’

‘What prompted you to look into his thought, Xanetia?’ Sparhawk asked her. ‘The room was full of people. Why did you choose him? – or do you just listen to everybody simultaneously? It seems to me that would be very confusing.’ He made a face. ‘I think I’m going at this backward. It might be helpful if I knew how your gift works. Is it like having another set of ears? Do you hear every thought going on around you? – all at the same time?’

‘Nay, Anakha.’ She smiled faintly. ‘That, as thou hast perceived, would be too confusing. Our ears, will we, nil we, hear all sound. My perception of the thought of others doth require my conscious direction. I must reach out to hear, unless the thought of one who is near me be so intense that it doth become as a shout. So it was with Zalasta. His mind doth scream the name of Sephrenia again and again. In equal measure, moreover, doth his mind shriek thy name, Goddess, and those shrieks are filled with his hatred of thee. In his mind art thou a thief, having stolen away all his hope of joy.’

‘A thief? Me? He was the one who was trying to steal what was mine! I put my sister here on this world. She’s mine! She’s always been mine! How dare he?’ Danae’s black eyes were flashing, and her voice was filled with outraged indignation.

‘This isn’t one of the more attractive sides of your nature, Divine One,’ Sparhawk suggested. ‘We don’t own other people.’

‘I’m not a people, Sparhawk! I own what I want!’

‘You’re just digging yourself in deeper. I wouldn’t pursue it any further.’