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"Maybe it was a little conspiracy," I said "Of pupil and teacher But as you said, there was never anyone else "

She was s in her eyes Her face was luly beautiful

"Surrender," she said, "and I'll teach you things you never dreamed of You've never known battle Real battle You've never felt the purity of a righteous cause "

I didn't answer I felt dizzy, not entle caress of her words, and the fathoreat part of her beauty was the sweetness of her expression, the serenity of it, the way that her eyes held steady even when the glistening white flesh of her face moved suddenly with a smile or a subtle frown I knew if I letShe ain "Drink, prince," she whispered "Take the stre

ngth you need to do as I would have you do "

I don't kno ed for an instant, then the clarity was as always overwhelh the walls

"Azim! Azim! Azim!"

As she drewafter her, it seemed my body didn't exist anymore except as a vision I kept in place I felt ofsolid that was myself; but this skin, this sensation It was utterly new What was left of me?

The wooden doors opened as if bycorridor of slender white marble pillars and scalloped arches, but this was but the outer border of an immense central roo worshipers who did not even see us or sense our presence as they continued to dance, to chant, to leap into the air in the hopes of gliod

"Keep at h the din as if I'd been touched by a velvet glove

The crowd parted, violently, bodies thrust to right and left Screa replaced the chant immediately; the room was in chaos, as a path lay open for us to the center of the room The cymbals and drums were silenced; moans and soft piteous cries surrounded us

Then a great sigh of wonder rose as Akasha stepped forward and threw back her veil

Many feet away, in the center of the ornate floor stood the blood god, Azim, clothed in a black silk turban and jeweled robes His face was disfigured with fury as he stared at Akasha, as he stared at me

Prayers rose from the crowd around us; a shrill voice cried out an anthem to "the eternal mother "

"Silence!" Azie; but I understood the word