David Gemmell - Echoes of the Great Song

Empire?

What empire? The thought depressed Rael. There was no empire any more.

The door opened and Viruk stepped inside. 'What do you want, cousin?' he asked, irritated by the sudden intrusion.

'Don't cousin me, you whoreson!' thundered Viruk. 'You send me from an Avatar city to rescue an androgynous sub-human and what do I find when I return? The city being run by Vagar dogs. I ought to cut your throat, you treacherous bastard!'

Coldly angry, Rael rose from his desk and moved to stand in front of the outraged warrior. 'If anyone is guilty of treachery it is you, you arrogant fool,' he said. 'The village woman you bedded is the real power in the cities now. And do you know why? Because you broke the law and healed her, Viruk. She is crystal-joined. Surely even you will understand what that means. We tried to kill her. We failed.'

'I could kill her,' said Viruk. 'There is nothing that lives or breathes that I cannot kill.'

'It is not — at this time — an option. Her powers give us at least a fighting chance against the Almecs. But once Anu's pyramid is complete we may have a better chance.'

'What then? Do we seize back power?'

'Of course,' lied Rael, smoothly.

Viruk smiled broadly. 'That is more like it.'

'Now I must greet my guests.' Rael looked at Viruk's travel-stained clothes. 'I suggest you go to your home and bathe.'

'You wouldn't happen to know if my marsh marigolds arrived safely?' asked Viruk.

'No, I wouldn't,' the Questor General told him.

After Viruk had left, Rael walked down to the Council Chamber and sent a servant to request the presence of the Lady Mejana and Ammon.

Mejana arrived first, dressed in a voluminous blue robe. She nodded curtly at Rael, then sat down on his right without speaking. They sat in silence for several minutes before a servant announced the arrival of the king.

Ammon entered, dressed in a borrowed tunic of pearl-grey silk and silver-thonged sandals. His dark hair had been washed and perfumed and hung low to his shoulders, and his movements were languid and graceful.

Moving around the table he drew up a seat close to Rael. 'Charming apartments you offered me,' he said, 'but I would appreciate the talents of a tailor.'

'I shall have one sent to you as soon as we are finished here,' said Rael. 'But first let me welcome you to Egaru. It pleases me to have been helpful in your rescue.'

'No doubt there will be a price to pay,' said Ammon. His violet eyes flickered towards Mejana. 'And you are, lady?'

Rael cut in swiftly. 'Allow me to present the Lady Mejana, my First Councillor.'

Ammon bowed his head briefly. 'Is this a new fashion among the Avatar, lady, to eschew blue hair?' he asked, mischievously.

'I am not an Avatar, sire.'

Ammon assumed an expression of mock surprise. 'Indeed? Then how, one wonders, have you achieved such remarkable status?'

'As you are well aware,' said Rael, keeping his tone even, 'Mejana is the head of the Pajists, an organization funded by yourself and your minister Anwar. However, that is of small consequence now. We are all facing a terrible enemy. What we must decide here is how best to combat them.'

'My army should be here within a few days,' said Ammon. 'I would suggest we then defend the walls.'

'Certain assurances must first be given,' said Mejana.

'Such as?'

'Your promise that the soldiers will leave once the war is won.'

'I do not need to offer assurances, lady. This land was once under the direct rule of the Erek-jhip-zhonad. It will be again. It seems to me that it is I who should be making demands.'

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.'