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‘That’s Krager, all right,’ Kalten noted

‘What exactly did Zalasta offer you, Kolata?’ Oscagne asked the prisoner

‘Poealth – the usual You’re a aht that the E, a little vague, and not really very well informed – sorry, your Majesty, but that’s e all believed’

‘Thank you,’ Sarabian replied ‘That’s what you were supposed to think What really baffles h, is the fact that you all overlooked the fact that the Atans are loyal to me personally Didn’t any of you take that into consideration?’

‘We underestirasped the full iht for a moment that you really understood how ht you ht have That’s why I played the simpleton’

‘Did Zalasta tell you as really behind all of this?’ Oscagne asked

‘He pretended that he was speaking for Cyrgon,’ Kolata replied ‘We didn’t take that too seriously, though Styrics are peculiar people They always try to her power of some kind They never seem to want to accept full responsibility So far as I knoever, it was Zalasta’s scheme’

‘I think that maybe it’s time for us to hear froot him hidden up your sleeve, Vanion?’ Ehlana asked

‘In a , your Majesty Kalten, why don’t you take the Minister of the Interior back to his room? He looks a little tired’

‘I still have questions, Lord Vanion,’ Oscagne protested

‘We’ll get you your answers, old boy,’ Itagne assured hine It’s one of your failings We’re just going to hurry things along’

Vanion waited until Kalten and Ulath had reeneral sort of way that Xanetia knohat other people are thinking This isn’t just sos or hts word for word Most of you probably have so time, why don’t we have her deht now, Anarae?’

‘An it please thee, Lord Vanion,’ the Delphaeic wo herself very much at the moment She is, however, discontent with thee for thine interruption She is pleased with the progress of Eht now be reasonable to expect some small measure of cons of an intimate nature upon her husband, for political activity doth ever stir that side of her personality’

Ehlana’s face turned bright red ‘You stop that at once!’ she exclaiized ‘I didn’t anticipate that last bit Did Xanetia hts correctly?’

‘You knoon’t answer that, Vanion’ The queen’s face was still fla

‘Will you at least concede that she has access to the thoughts of others?’

‘I’d heard about that,’ Sarabian ht it was just another of the wild stories we hear about the Delphae’

‘Bhelliom confirmed it, Emperor Sarabian,’ Sparhawk told him ‘Xanetia can read others the way you’d read an open book I’d iine that she’s read Zalasta fro ant to know’ He looked at Xanetia ‘Could you give us a sort of summary of Zalasta’s life, Anarae?’ he asked her ‘Sephrenia in particular is deeply saddened by what he revealed in the throne-room Maybe if she knows the reason for his actions, she’ll find them easier to understand’

‘I can speak for myself, Sparhawk,’ Sephrenia told him tartly

‘I’ as an interet on too well’

‘What’s this?’ Sarabian asked quickly

‘An ancient enmity, your Majesty,’ Xanetia explained ‘So ancient, in truth, that none living knoweth its source’

‘I know,’ Sephrenia grated at her, ‘and it’s not as ancient as all that’

‘Perhaps, but hearken unto the e for thyself, Sephrenia of Ylara’

Kalten and Ulath returned and quietly took their seats again

‘Zalasta was born soe of Ylara, which lay in the forest near Cenae in northern Astel,’ Xanetia began ‘In his seventh year was there born also in that self-sae sheknow as Sephrenia, one of the Thousand of Styricuhts in the secrets of Styricum, Councillor of Elenia and beloved of Preceptor Vanion’

‘That’s no longer true,’ Sephrenia said shortly

‘I spoke of Lord Vanion’s feelings for thee, Sephrenia, not of thine for him Zalasta’s family was on friendly terms with Sephrenia’s, and they did conclude between thee, they would be wed’

‘I’d forgotten about that,’ Sephrenia said suddenly ‘I’ve never really thought of him that way’

‘It hath been the central fact of his life, however, I do assure thee When thou wert in thy ninth year didst thy mother conceive, and the child she bore was in truth Aphrael, Child Goddess of Styricum, and in the instant of her birth did Zalasta’s hopes and dreaiven over entirely to thine infant sister Zalasta’s wrath knew no bounds, and he did hide himself in the forest, lest his countenance betray his inner out the icians of Styricum, even, at peril of his soul, those outcast and accursed His search had but one aiht overthrow and destroy a God; for his despair drove hi hatred of the Child Goddess; and, asped aloud

‘You’re supposed to be listening,’ her mother said