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‘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 conte to the Elenes or Tamuls who are about ye We of Delphaeus, however, do inspire terror in the hearts of all others In time, e 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 Styricuht 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 hie, we have besought him only to raise up Bhelliom and to seal us away froo 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 hbors would not look kindly on a Styric ho their own borders We cannot follow your course, butone 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 ave her a hard look
‘Thou hness,’ Xanetia told the little girl
‘You’re so kind’
‘We can’t hide froo 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 cliain and went out onto the roof ‘Anakha, I must tell thee a truth which thou ravely, ‘but it is truth, nonetheless’
‘That’s an unpro start,’ Danae observed
‘I ravely, ‘for it is not only in keeping with our pact, but it doth also have a grave i that I should take hold of so 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 on’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 s for thee, however, are not so kindly In truth, he doth hate thee’
‘I don’t believe you!’
Sparhaas 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 ‘Bhellio this to drive a wedge between us and Zalasta’
‘I don’t really think so’ A nu into place in Sparhawk’s mind ‘The alliance is too i 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 reat confusion, Anakha,’ Xanetia said sadly ‘The ht have been a noble one, but it doth stand on the brink of ht 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 knoith 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, e bound me to reveal it to Anakha With more time, I will discover ht, Xanetia?’ Sparhawk asked her ‘The room was full of people Why did you choose him? – or do you just listen to everybody si’ He ht be helpful if I kne 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, e, nil we, hear all sound My perception of the thought of others doth require my conscious direction I ht of one who is near me be so intense that it doth become as a shout So it ith Zalasta His ain In equal measure, moreover, doth his mind shriek thy name, Goddess, and those shrieks are filled with his hatred of thee In hisstolen away all his hope of joy’
‘A thief? Me? He was the one as trying to steal as mine! I put my sister here on this world She’s mine! She’s always been , 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 ohat I want!’
‘You’re just digging yourself in deeper I wouldn’t pursue it any further’