Flight to Savage Empire

Chapter Seven

” ‘First kill?” Trel echoed.

“It’s the term used in gladiatorial training,” Zanos explained. “Some react to the experience without remorse. Others work it out with their consciences, as I did. And still others”-from his sitting position, he glanced over his shoulder into the hut where his wife lay sleeping-“experience deep trauma, like Astra.”

“I see.” The old man nodded. “Most of us here go through the experience, sooner or later. Kill or be killed is the natural law of this land.”

“I know. Astra had to understand that. I just wish she hadn’t learned it this way. I had to put her into recovery sleep to stop her hysterics, but she’s the one who knows how to help injured minds, not me.”

“Perhaps the rest will be enough,” Kimma said gently. “That… and your love.”

“I hope so, because that’s all I’ve gat.” He sighed. “Mowart! If only I could’ve stayed at her side, to protect her!”

“What you did protected us all,” the woman reminded him. “I was closest to Astra when the one with the sword came at her-but there were two others after me. I could see her dodging that sword-I guess her Reader’s powers let her evade his moves. Finally she pulled off her cloak and threw it in his face.

And then she saw your knife-”

“I don’t even remember her taking it!”

“She had to,” said Trel. “She was unarmed-hadn’t touched her sword since she cleaned it this morning.”

Zanos sighed. “I have to make her wear it. She says it’s too heavy-and after today, she may never pick it up again.”

“She will,” Trel assured him. “If she’s only half the woman I perceived last night, when she helped us prepare that mass grave, then she will be everything you need in a wife. Only a woman of the strongest character would be willing to travel with you all the way to Madura.”

Zanos looked up sharply. “How did you know that?”

“From the way you questioned your prisoner. We stayed out of sight, as you asked, but we had to know what you wanted with him. We overheard every word, and…” Trel paused to look at Kimma, then back. “Friend Zanos, wed like to ask you to delay your journey. These are dangerous times for all of us.

The hill clans fear that the Aventines will retake these lands. They’re like animals before a forest fire, not knowing which way to run, attacking anything in their path. We need your help to keep those of us left alive.”

“It might be better if you moved your village on north,” Zanos observed. “Your wife and the others will be well enough to travel in a few days.”

“This is our homeland,” the old man said firmly. “We’ve fought long and hard to keep it. Besides, from what Astra told us last night about Lord Wulfston and the Aventine fleet, I don’t think their army will get very far inland.

“But it’s more than not believing the Aventines can defeat the new alliance. I’ve been waiting thirty-five years to see the end of Drakonius’ reign, and something better rising up to take its place. That finally seems to be happening. The Adepts and Readers who now hold this cluster of lands base their rule on peace and trust rather than the terror and oppression with which Drakonius ruled.”

“If it’s such a good alliance”-all three of them started as Astra stepped out of the darkness of the hut-“then why aren’t you a part of it?”

Zanos jumped to his feet. “Astra-”

“I’m all right, Zanos,” she said flatly, her upraised hand stopping him from touching her.

“But you were asleep for only an hour or two.”

“You put me into recovery sleep. I’ve recovered.”

Have you? he thought as he scrutinized her. She had the sleepy look of someone needing more rest, but her entire attitude had changed. She was… cold. Could her first kill have changed her that much?

She turned to the village elder. “I would like to know why you have not joined this wonderful alliance, Trel.”

“I’m a cautious man, and a very patient one,” he said slowly. “An alliance is like a young tree: it must survive a few storms before it’s able to bear fruit. This alliance weathered an attack by Drakonius and his allies two years ago, and an attempted takeover by several strong Adepts last year. Now the Aventines are challenging them, this time with a powerful army. I believe the alliance will successfully defend us all, and eventually make a peace treaty with the empire. The prophecy will come true.”

“Prophecy?” Astra questioned.

‘ In the days of the white wolf and the red dragon, there shall be peace throughout the world,’ ” he quoted. “The lands just east of here belong to Lord Lenardo, whose symbol is the red dragon. Bordering his lands to the east are those of Lady Aradia, whose symbol is the white wolf. Their marriage last year became the heart of the alliance, and the center of all our hopes. When the young tree has grown a bit more, I wish to taste of its fruit.”

“You may find it bitter,” Astra said grimly. “Last winter, two members of this alliance destroyed the largest hospital in the Aventine Empire-with an earthquake. A hospital, Trel, full of sick and injured people. Hardly an act to promote peace.”

“I hadn’t heard that tale,” Trel replied with a frown. “Who saw them actually start the quake?”

“Portia, the Master of Masters.”

“Is she someone whose word you can trust?”

A strange look crossed Astra’s face. “… no,” she finally admitted.

“I do not want to speak ill of the Master of Masters,” Trel said gently, “but she must be very old by now-Portia was Master of Masters when this was still part of the empire! Can you be sure she told you the truth? As I recall, she’s related to the royal family some way. Could it be that a natural earthquake destroyed the hospital, and the members of the alliance were blamed to give the Emperor support in this war?”

Astra nodded mutely, and Zanos sympathized with her confusion. What if these savage rulers were not mad brutes, as they were portrayed in the empire? But on the other hand, what reason did they have to trust them?

“I suppose that’s possible,” he said. “But if Lenardo fled Portia, how does that prove he’s more to be trusted than she is? It could be that she wouldn’t allow him the power he wanted in the empire, so he found it among the savages. I think you are right to wait and see how well these new rulers govern before you throw your lot in with them, Trel. As for Astra and me, we’re moving on. You are welcome to join us.”

Astra stared at Zanos, wide-eyed. Then suddenly she got up, and walked back into the hut without a word.

Trel and Kimma looked at one another, and left with vague words about looking in on the injured.

Zanos followed Astra into the hut, where he found her tuning her lute.

Some instinct warned Zanos not to unpack his flute and join her-she was in some kind of very personal mood, shutting him out more effectively than if she had barred a door against him.

So he just sat down on the mat, listening to Astra play her “thinking song,” as she called it. All the beautiful chords were there-but her spirit was missing.

Finally, he reached over and put his hand on the strings of her lute, stopping the music. She looked at him with questioning eyes.

“You have to tell me what’s bothering you,” he said softly. “I can’t Read you, Astra. “

“I’m waiting for you to tell me what other decisions you’ve made, ” she replied without expression. “When we move on, how long you’ll let us stay here, what we’ll do about Vortius-”

“I don’t understand.”

She pulled the lute free of his hand. “I thought I was supposed to share your life. For the past two days, all I’ve been is your personal Reader! ‘Read this for me!’ ‘Scan over there!’ ‘Monitor Vortius-!’ ‘

“I had to make decisions for our survival.”

“Our survival doesn’t depend on killing Vortius. It depends on our making a sensible plan. Except for your wanting to avenge yourself on Vortius, we have no plans.”

“That’s not true,” he said. “We plan to go to Madura. Or at least I thought we did. You don’t really want to go, do you?”

“Yes, I do! Returning to your homeland is important to you. But do we have to rush right out of one dangerous situation into another?’

“We don’t know that it’s dangerous to go to Madura. “

“After two warnings? Two warnings that some ‘great evil’ is killing Adepts in your homeland, and you still want to rush into the unknown. You’d prepare for weeks for a single bout in the arena, but you won’t make any preparations for this. Why?”

“If you are too frightened to come with me,” he said bleakly, “just say so.”

“Yes, I’m scared!” she shouted, shoving the lute aside with no care for its delicacy. “If you weren’t so stubborn, you’d admit that you’re frightened, too! You want to keep chasing after Vortius so you don’t have to stop and think about the dangers ahead of us. Zanos, you’ve not even recovered from the white lotus yet. We’ve had one ordeal after another since the day of the games, and we need a rest. At least Trel and his people accept us. Can’t we stay, even for a little while? Long enough to figure out what to do next?”

“I know what I’m going to do next,” he stated firmly. “I’m going to find Vortius and kill him. Even if you want no part of it, that is one thing I must do, Astra.”

“Zanos-” Her face twisted, and he searched the depths of her eyes, trying to understand, desperately wishing he could Read the emotions he could see but not interpret. She suddenly shook her head. “We don’t know each other at all! How could we-we don’t even know ourselves!”

“What do you mean?”

Astra stood up and retrieved her sword, hefting the heavy weapon with both hands. “You told me to wear this until ‘something happened.’ Well, it happened yesterday. First Kimma attacked us, and then Trel confronted me. Right then, I was glad to have this thing, even if I’d have made a very poor showing.” Zanos saw her eyes change again, this time showing the cold anger he sometimes saw in a deadly opponent in the arena. “And when that bandit attacked me today,” she went on bitterly, “I needed this sword-I was sorry I wasn’t wearing it! When I saw your knife within reach, I thanked the gods… but after I used it-”

Zanos stood and placed his hands around hers as she tightly gripped the hilt of the sword.

She looked up at him then, and her anger faded. “I didn’t scream because I’d killed that man, ‘ she said, hardly above a whisper. “It was that I realized… I was glad I’d done it! I enjoyed killing him, Zanos! Is that what you want me to be-a killing machine, like you?”

“Astra,” he pleaded, trying to pry the sword loose from her hands, but she wouldn’t relinquish it.

“Is this what I have to be to survive in your world?’ she asked, transferring the sword to one hand, and putting her other arm around him. “Then I’ll become a warrior for you, Zanos. I’ll learn the way of the sword, my husband.”

The next day, the last of the survivors came out of healing sleep. The village showed its gratitude to Zanos and Astra with gifts and the offer of one of the huts for as long as they wanted to stay. A cheer went up when the Reader and the Adept accepted.

Early that afternoon, a man rode into the Settlement carrying the young girl Astra had seen being carried off by the raiders two days before. She had suffered at the hands of her captors, but Astra could read her joy at returning home.

Deela and Kimma helped the girl down from the horse and into one of the huts, while Trel greeted the rescuer and introduced him to Zanos and Astra.

“Without their help, Javik, there would have been no Settlement for you to bring Seela back to,” Trel told him.

Javik-a balding man of about fifty but with the bearing of a fighter-gave the couple a curt smile as he thanked them. “Let’s sit down and break bread,” he said. “There is much I have to tell you.

“The war is over,” Javik explained, “and the Aventines lost. Badly.”

Astra swallowed hard, almost afraid to ask. “How many died?”

“Less than two score… on both sides.”

Trel stared at him. “Forty people? Out of two armies numbering thousands? How can that be?”

“After the ships were stopped at Dragon’s Mouth, they sailed south and set the army ashore to march northward by land. The people of the Black Wolf met the first of them in a brief conventional battle.

That’s where the deaths occurred. Then Wulfston, his Reader, and perhaps a dozen of his minor Adepts arrived on the battlefield. The area was a wide, sandy plain. The Adepts surrounded the Aventines, then used their powers to trap the army in quicksand.”

“Quicksand?” Astra repeated. “How could they do that?”

“Quicksand is just sand and water,” Zanos told her. “Wulfston’s Adepts probably broke through a dam and let the plain be flooded.”

“Oh, no-they kept it completely in control,” Javik said. “They made it rain on the enemy, then moved pools of rainwater wherever they wanted them. The Aventines lost their supplies and weapons, and a lot of the troops sank into the mire, but not one of them was allowed to drown. But they were helpless-no choice but to surrender. And Wulfston not only let them live… he fed them, and then told them to go home!”

Astra was astounded. “A handful of people defeat the largest army in military history-then just tell them to go home? Javik, are you certain?”

The older man, who had given the impression of a person with no special powers since he entered the village, was suddenly open to Reading. “I Read it for myself, Astra. What the watchers are reporting is true.”

“You’re the Reader who helped Trel’s people survive Drakonius’ takeover,” Astra identified.

“I was just a boy, new to the Path of the Dark Moon then.”

“Aye, but we’d not have survived without you,” Trel put in. “But go on. What else has happened? Has the Aventine army agreed to go home with their tails between their legs?”

“What else could they do? Wulfston did take hostages-two Master Readers. I couldn’t Read his intentions, but I have a feeling that it has something to do with negotiating a peace treaty. If the Emperor doesn’t agree, he’s a fool. His whole army was taken by just one Lord Adept. And their alliance is made up oifour of them.”

“Yes, ‘ agreed Trel, “the watchers reported that Lenardo and Aradia left for the land of the Black Wolf. I take it they arrived too late for the battle.”

“Aye, ” replied Javik. “They sent a message to Lady Lilith to return home-but that went north of here.”

“Watchers?” Astra questioned. “What do you mean? There aren’t supposed to be Readers among the savages, nor have I sensed any.”

“Not Reading, sunwriting,” Trel explained. “The watchers relay messages and news by flashing codes with mirrors. At night, they use lanterns. Kimma and I were out reading their messages when the White Crows attacked here.”

“If I’d been here to warn you-” Javik said grimly.

“You’re only one man,” said Trel. “We had to know what was happening in the invasion. Thank the gods you found Seela.”

“The hill clans are on the move all over this area. It was chance that I ran across the ones holding Seela-you left fewer than half of them alive, and most of those still licking their wounds. By the time I ran into them, they’d had a clash with another clan and had little interest in tangling with me.”

Astra studied the man’s whipcord body-with that strength and Reading powers combined, he must indeed be a fearsome object to the local clans.

“A second clan attacked us yesterday,” Trel told him. “They’re all going insane!”

“Not without reason,” Javik replied. “You know how the clans are-cowards and bullies, but independent. There’s someone trying to unite them- someone who’s had considerable success with the newcomers.”

“Newcomers?” asked Zanos.

“Since the alliance defeated Drakonius, the clans have been swollen with former slavers and troops from his defeated army-people used to working together as a team. A lot of them dream of capturing lands for themselves. If they could form their own alliance and attack just one Lord Adept at a time, they might succeed.”

“No,” said Trel, “not against these lords. That was what those four Adepts tried only last year, when they attacked Lady Aradia. She escaped to Zendi, and the rest of the alliance rallied immediately to the defense as a unit. It was the attackers who lost their lives.”

“Yes-but what if they had kept her separate- attacked when the others could not come to the rescue of a single member? That seems to be what Seriak plans.”

“Who?” asked Trel.

“A new bandit leader. He’s only a minor Adept, but he’s wily. He’s already gathered over a hundred men around him, and they’ve taken an area in the hills up in the land of the Blue Lion, either killing or absorbing the hill bandits. The Lady Lilith may be their intended target. Her castle is far from the lands of her allies-but of course she has her own retainers, and her son Ivorn is said to be developing rapidly into a Lord Adept in his own right. I doubt Seriak would try until he has more Adept talents in league with him-but he is someone we must watch. “

Astra agreed. “Can you tell me where he is?”

“I’ll show you-you are a Magister Reader, are you not?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

“I thought so. I wouldn’t dare go so far out of body alone, but you won’t get disoriented.”

“Wait,” she said. “You can go out of body? You said you were put on the Path of the Dark Moon when you were just a boy.”

“And deserved it,” he replied. “But a man learns to do what he has to-and to save my people I had to make my small abilities stretch. I Read best out of body-but I dare not go far, and I’ve never tried to reach another plane for fear I couldn’t find my way back.”

“You are very brave,” she said. “I cannot imagine any Reader trying to learn such a thing alone. When you are rested, we will travel together to where this Seriak is, and find out what he is plotting.”

While Javik slept after his long journey, Zanos proceeded with Astra’s lessons in swordsmanship. Trel had found a light sword she could wield without straining her arms, and Zanos began teaching her to use it, trying to remember when he had been an adolescent boy just beginning his training as a gladiator, before he had developed the strength of maturity.

But a woman was built differently from a boy. Astra did very well in the school exercises, but once they exchanged real swords for wooden weapons in a practice match, he found that Astra’s arms were too weak to allow her to deflect more than a few blows before he could simply beat her sword down with sheer strength.

“That’s not fair!” Astra protested, panting.

“Of course it’s not fair!’ Zanos told her. “Do you think some hill bandit is going to treat you with courtesy?

Astra, use your advantage-I’m not using Adept power. Can’t you Read what I’m going to do and counter it?”

Astra tried-he could see that she did know what he was about to do-but her responses were too slow. “You’re thinking about it,” he told her. “Don’t think-act. Think with your body, not your brain!”

Still she was too slow. He struck her time after time, raising welts on her arms and legs-and when he stabbed at her chest, instead of parrying his thrust she stepped back, trying to shield herself.

“Astra!” he said in annoyance. “You’re wearing enough padding to stop a real sword!”

“It still hurts!” she insisted.

“Of course it does,” Kimma suddenly spoke up. She had been watching them for some time now.

“Zanos, have you ever tried to train a woman to fight before?”

“No-of course not,” he replied.

“Well, we’ve got different instincts from men,” she told him, “because our anatomy is different.”

“I’ve noticed,” he said wryly.

“No-you haven’t,” insisted Kimma. “Every time you strike Astra’s chest padding, it bruises her breasts-and a woman’s instinct is to protect them. Astra, may I borrow that sword?”

“With pleasure,” Astra replied.

“Let me show you how to take advantage of a man’s instincts,” she said. “Remember-we are definitely not bound here by any rules of fair play.”

Intrigued, Zanos faced off against Kimma. She was about the same size as Astra, but had the strength brought on by her life-style. Still, she was certainly no match for him in muscle power. So… she didn’t try to be. She stayed on the move, darting in and out, making him twist and turn to keep up with her.

“Woman may not have men’s strength,” said Kimma, “but we have endurance. Zanos is arena-trained-I probably can’t wear him down this way, but I could most ordinary men.”

Zanos agreed. “A valuable lesson, Kimma. Thank you.”

But the lesson wasn’t over. Suddenly Kimma ceased dancing about, and began to strike at Zanos as if she were trying to finish off a tiring opponent. But he was not tired. Easily, he deflected blow after blow until-

Kimma struck high, as if slashing at Zanos’ throat. As he lifted his sword to counter her, she suddenly swung wide and came in under his guard-straight toward his vitals!

The pain, the horror of the day he had been wounded there, was on him in a flash of terrified memory-he lowered his sword instinctively to protect his manhood-

And Kimma’s sword sruck him so hard in the center of his chest that despite the padding he was knocked back a pace, stumbled over the tree stump, and landed on his backside with bruising force.

In utter disbelief, he just sat staring up at the woman who-had the fight been real-would have just killed the undefeated champion of the Aventine Empire!

Kimma looked over to where Zanos’ wife stood watching in wide-eyed astonishment. “And that, Astra, is how a woman gets a man to drop his guard. ‘

Blind male instinct rushed through Zanos-he wanted to grab Kimma and strangle her!

But a gladiator who survived was one who learned his lessons with good grace. He felt the hot flush of his skin turn from fury to embarrassment-could almost feel his wife Reading him for fear that something besides his pride had been wounded.

Suddenly it was as if he could see the scene from outside himself, the ridiculous figure he cut, sitting there helpless before the savage swordswoman-

And he burst out laughing. “Kimma,” he said as he climbed to his feet, “I said we can’t count on our opponents fighting fair-but you’ve reminded me of what that really means!”

Astra came to him and touched his arm-as if

Reading were not enough to reassure her that he was all right. Then she turned to Kimma. “You don’t understand-Zanos was once actually wounded that way. His reaction-”

“No, Astra,” he assured her. “Any man would react the same way. It is pure instinct-and the move is one no man would use against another, knowing what it would provoke. When Sporius wounded me, it wasn’t deliberate. He meant to disembowel me, but I made a misstep dodging his blow and- Never mind. I don’t want to remember.

“But my point is this: the threat of permanent damage is quite different from a knee to the groin in street fighting. That traditional low blow is so painful that the recipient often passes out-but there is no permanent damage. You threaten a man with a knife or sword, though, and you rouse his most primitive response.

“I killed Sporius. Accident or no, he had dealt an illegal blow and the match was mine-but I could not think. I merely reacted. He had dropped his guard in horror at what he had done. I had my sword in my hand, but I dropped it-and I broke his neck with my bare hands before the officials could reach us to stop the match. Only after that did I pass out.”

Astra was staring at him. Kimma said, “Astra, what your husband is saying is that if you use this technique to make your opponent drop his guard, you must kill him. Otherwise, he will kill you.” She turned to Zanos, swallowing hard. “My apologies. I knew you had the discipline of a gladiator, and so trusted you to react as you did, since of course I didn’t actually touch you. If I had known of your injury, though, I would never-” She blushed crimson. “Oh, Zanos-I am so sorry!”

“It’s all right, Kimma,” he replied. ” I’m all right. The woman who trained me to use my Adept powers was able to heal me. “

“Oh.” And Kimma’s blush deepened even further.

Astra broke the embarrassed silence. “Show me how to do what you were doing earlier, Kimma. You were leading Zanos a merry chase that would wear down any man but a gladiator.”

From that point on the lesson went better. Astra began to discover her own advantages-and when Kimma left them to their practice once again, Zanos found his wife’s reaction times much improved.

When he praised her, she replied, “I finally realized how to do it when Kimma was choreographing steps for me almost like a dance. It’s like music, Zanos-we don’t stop and think about what notes to play. We just play them. What you said-the body, not the brain. I know it’s going to take long practice-but at least I’ve got the feeling for it now.

But she was worn out; no use to ask more of her today. It would take time to build her endurance- but how much time did they have?

That evening when they retired to their hut, Zanos examined the welts on Astra’s arms and legs, some of them turning into nasty bruises. He placed his hand over the worst of them. “I’ll-”

“Don’t,” said Astra. “The bruises are nothing-and you must save your strength.”

“Taking care of you is what my strength is for,” he replied, and let the healing power flow through the worst of her bruises.

“Thank you,” she whispered, snuggling up against him like a sleepy child. But she wasn’t a child-she was his wife. “Kimma said your breasts were bruised,” he said, laying his hand over her left breast through the soft cloth of her gown. “We’ll see if we cant rearrange the padding tomorrow-maybe Kimma can find something more cushiony.”

His hand could not be still, but gently pressed her breast, feeling the nipple respond. So did his own body, and without thinking, he bent to kiss her mouth.

Tired, Astra remained passive for a moment, but then her own feelings woke and she put her arms around him. Instantly, he was aflame with postponed desire as Astra cuddled against him.

But when he pulled back and began to lift her gown away from her body, she suddenly pulled it out of his hands, saying, “No, Zanos! You know we can’t!”

“Then why-? What did you think we were doing?”

In the dim light he could see only surprise on her face. “I thought-it just feels so good to touch each other-”

He groaned, awareness of her total innocence making her seem more a stranger than on the day they had met. “Astra-now you must learn a lesson in anatomy. A man can’t be satisfied with just touching-at least not that way. I love you, and you arouse desires we dare not fulfill.”

“I’m sorry!” she whispered, and pulled away. “Oh, I wish we were somewhere safe-that I didn’t have to Read to the castle of the Blue Lion tomorrow- that you didn’t have to preserve your powers lest we be attacked. Zanos… how long is it going to be like this? All the way to Madura? Are we never going to dare to express our love?”

The next day, Astra asked Javik, “Have you ever been married?’

“No.” He studied her. “I never dared.”

“I thought you said you had been placed on the Path of the Dark Moon. The Masters arrange marriages for all such Readers-to ensure the next generation for the Academies.”

“I’m sure they would have,” he replied. “I was only fifteen when they failed me, though-too young for the responsibilities of marriage. I was assigned to Trel’s village as assistant to their Reader, who was over seventy years old then. He didn’t survive Drakonius’ takeover-but I did, and had to learn to Read then as best I could to keep my people safe.

“Sometimes I’ve thought about the future-about

who will Read for the Settlement after I’m gone. But every time I decide I should marry and have children, hoping that at least some of them will be Readers, some new danger crops up, and I need every bit of my meager powers to protect us.” He smiled sadly. “I suppose I’m still not too old-but I’m so accustomed to relying on my powers that even if the world were to become a safer place, I’m not sure I could bring myself to risk losing them.”

“Are you sure you would?”

“Nothing is sure,” Javik replied. “I know that most Readers’ powers return after they’ve been married for a while. Or at least return in part. Unless that’s a myth, too! So much of what we were taught in the Academies has turned out to be false-but I left so young that now I’m not sure what we were really taught, and what was just gossip circulated among the boys. I take it you are asking because you and Zanos have not yet…?”

“That’s right. And what do you know about Adepts?”

“The same, so far as I know-which only makes sense.” But then he suddenly became UnReadable for a moment, saying, “Let me show you where Seriak’s encampment is, near Lady Lilith’s castle. It will be a pleasure Reading with a Magister-it’s many years since I’ve worked directly with another Reader.”

They lay down on the mats in Zanos and Astra’s hut, Zanos standing guard over them, Trel and Kimma outside. When they left their bodies, Astra felt that uncertainty in Javik she had sometimes felt in the students at the Academy who were just learning to do this-fear that once out of body, they would not be able to return.

But Javik’s presence reached out to hers and became steady and secure. Then he led northward, following landmarks instead of using the technique Astra would have used had she ever visited Lilith’s castle before-simply imagining the place and suddenly being “there.”

However, it was still only minutes before they “saw” the castle, a huge structure sitting on a steep mountainside. Something about it implied great age and benevolent wisdom.

Javik led her to the hills beyond-where there were signs of a deserted camp, but no people. “Seriak was camped here just a few days ago.”

“But he’s gone now,” Astra told him, Reading in every direction without locating any large groups of people except in villages. “The Lady Lilith has returned home-perhaps he’s afraid to stay so near an Adept. As long as were here, let’s have a look at that castle.”

Within the castle, Astra Read-

She withdrew quickly, Javik following her without question.

“Readers! Two of them, Javik!”

“Yes-I Read them, too. This is where Lord Wulfston sent his two hostages, Amicus and Corus. How far can Master Readers travel out of body, Astra? Could they communicate with Tiberium?”

“No-that must be why they brought them here. I’m going to try to Read them more closely. Don’t communicate with me, or they’ll Read our presence.”

“Just lead-I’ll follow.”

The two Master Readers were not in the dungeon, as Astra would have expected, but languishing in lavish guest quarters on the second level. Both men appeared to be in good health, well fed, and comfortably attired. Only the locked doors with guards stationed outside gave evidence that the two Masters were prisoners and not guests.

Master Amicus was staring out one of the narrow windows, openly thinking about the homeland now lost to him forever, an invitation for Master Corus to communicate, Astra understood-but a possible danger to her if he caught her eavesdropping. But there was too much information to be gathered for her to withdraw.

The savages wanted Amicus and Corus to see the peaceful intentions of the alliance, and eventually persuade the Emperor to consider a peace treaty.

What they didn’t know was how the Aventine Readers feared the savage sorcerers’ mind-twisting powers. They would never trust the word of Readers who had been the prisoners of the Lords Adept.

Even if the empire eventually conquered the savages and he and Corus were released, their own people now regarded them as dead men. What did the future hold, then? He had been forced to swear on his Reader’s Oath that he would not take his own life-but could a dead man be bound by an oath?

Astra empathized with the man’s sense of isolation- made especially piquant by the presence of another Master Reader in the next room, firmly closed to Reading. Amicus was offering an apology-but Corus refused to listen.

By the simple expedient of waiting for his thoughts to turn to it, she found out how Amicus had wronged Corus when they were captured by the savages. Amicus and Corus, out of fear, had done nothing about their suspicions-even knowledge-of Portia’s corruption. When Lenardo had been prying for what they knew, Corus might have confessed-except that Amicus had attacked him-had actually grappled mind to mind as Portia had with Astra! No wonder the other man was unforgiving.

I wish he had confessed. 1 wish 1 had. They probably would have killed us, but-

Astra Read Amicus’ heartfelt wishes that he could undo all the wrong decisions he had ever made-and most of all, that he could make it up with Corus and once more be friends, fellow Readers. It was hard to be sympathetic, though, with someone who wished he had taken a different path only because of where the one he had chosen had ultimately led.

Corus remained steadfastly closed to Reading-Astra guessed that he would never trust Amicus again.

Then her errant powers picked up a surface thought from Corus-something very peculiar. Not Reading, he was not sending his thoughts out clearly the way Amicus was-she wished the other Reader would stop trying to get through so she could Read-

Corus was glad that he would not be returning to the empire! He felt… safe? There was a phrase running through his mind, like a talisman: “When the moon devours the sun, the earth will devour Tiberium.”

“A prophecy?” Zanos asked when Astra told him what she and Javik had learned.

“It sounds like one-but from so long ago that the prophet who spoke it is long forgotten. Lenardo and his friends believe it-and believe that it will happen soon. Lady Lilith is preparing to join with the other alliance members in some plan to avert disaster.”

“The earth will devour Tiberium,” Zanos mused. “That has to mean another earthquake. Are you sure they don’t plan to cause one? There’s a solar eclipse due sometime soon.”

“About Summer Festival,” said Astra. “That would fulfill the part about the moon devouring the sun, all right. Zanos, I can’t Read Lilith at all-she has full Adept powers. I found her by visualizing, and she was directing her retainers to prepare for her absence. She told them she was needed to help prevent a disaster. Of course, she could have been lying.”

“So could Serafon,” Zanos said suddenly. “She’s not too old to have come with us-look at Trel! I think she knew that prophecy, too, and stayed behind to use her own powers to help avert disaster, or to save people if it happens.”

“So either she will be working alone against the force of the savages and nature,” Astra said, “or she will soon have plenty of help. The members of the savage alliance plan to take every minor Adept and the few Readers they have and sneak into the empire.”

Every day Astra and Javik Read both to Zendi and back to Lilith’s castle. There was no sign of Seriak-

apparently he had tired of waiting and gone elsewhere to plot for power. To Astra’s relief, there was also no sign of Vortius. If Zanos became involved in the fate of the Settlement, perhaps he would eventually grow beyond his need for revenge.

Everything they could Read pointed to the savage alliance’s sincerity in trying to prevent disaster in Tiberium. Some among them knew Aventine Readers on the Path of the Dark Moon-and brought about an uneasy treaty to get the network of Readers they needed for their project.

“I wish we could join them!” said Javik. “I’ve come to believe they intend only to help.”

But when the Lady Lilith left her castle, riding straight south to meet with Wulfston, Lenardo, and Aradia near where they would enter the empire, Zanos wondered, “Why are they leaving now? Summer Festival is twenty days away. ‘

“I don’t know,” Astra admitted. “They’re following Lord Lenardo-that’s all I’ve been able to make out.”

Trel was apprehensive. “It’s all very fine for those strong Adepts and Readers to go try to save the Aventine Empire-but who’s going to look out for their lands while they’re gone?”

The idea, it seemed, was for potential enemies not to know they were gone. The watchers sent their messages as usual: hill clan movements, weather warnings, trade caravans. But never a word about the movements of the Lords Adept.

Each day Astra and Javik Read out of body, finding life proceeding in Zendi, in Wulfston’s castle, and in Lilith’s just as if the rulers were at home. But while in the southern lands people saw their rulers seldom, at Lilith’s castle there were no crowds for the Lady Adept and her son to walk concealed among… and the local peasants began to wonder why they were never seen.

One day as Astra and Javik were about to withdraw from their surveillance, Astra felt Master Ami-cus’ sudden startlement.

Carefully, she Read with him. He was Reading northward, to the deserted outlaw camp. It was still empty, but below it, on the road leading to the castle, rode a dozen men.

Strangers, the watcher on the hillside flashed to the one on the castle tower. Merchants, by the look of them.

But Amicus could Read the real threat, miles away, just outside Lilith’s border: a small army, perhaps two hundred strong. Certainly enough to take the castle, provided the Adepts were away!

Astra Read the Master Reader’s indecision-should he call for the guard and give warning? Would he be believed? Besides-he was being held prisoner here. Why aid his enemies? If that army attacked before Lilith returned, what hope had the people around here of defending the castle?

But the invaders were pure savages-if they won, and then found out he was a Reader, they would certainly kill him. Those so-called merchants were scouts for the distant army. He could Read what they discovered, follow them back to their camp, assess their chances-

If it appeared they would win, he would pose as a nonReader and throw in his lot with them while he decided whether to sell them his skills or make his escape. But if Lilith returned before the attack, then he would give the warning, and try to make a powerful friend in the Lady Adept.

Amicus’ self-serving meditations sickened Astra, and she withdrew from his mind lest her feelings give her away to him. The group of men posing as merchants approached the castle and hailed the watch. “Fine goods to offer the lord or lady of this excellent household!” cried their leader-and as he did so, the thought occurred to the two watchmen that their

lady had been remiss in rewarding them lately-they deserved the silver coins the man held out, glistening in the sunlight.

“A small reward for your service, men-get me an audience with the ruler of this land, and you will be rewarded further.” And again, images formed in the men’s minds, of golden coins, of silk for their wives- and of Lilith denying them, taxing them, taking their lands. All lies-but for that one moment, they believed that their mistress had wronged them, and deserved to lose their loyalty.

“The Lady Lilith be not here, sir,” one of them replied.

Not to be outdone, the other said, “No, nor her son neither-but mayhap ol’ Rondivore will trade wi’ ye.

Come in, come in, gentlemen-”

And they led the party inside, where they could look over the plan of the castle, plot their attack.

“Hey! Orfo! Mulbur! Don’t let those people in!” another guard on one of the towers shouted down to the watchmen. “You know our orders-”

And as he reached for his horn to blow a warning, his breath caught in his throat. He choked, gasped for air-but something blocked his windpipe! Face purpling, he fell to his knees, other men in Lilith’s livery running to aid him, pounding him on the back as he coughed and choked.

And Astra realized that a man among the merchants who had looked casually up at the tower was unReadable except physically. The “leader” looked toward him, and he shook his head, obviously not wanting to be noticed as he slipped something to the other man.

“Aye, Seriak,” murmured the ostensible leader, and called, “Ho there-here’s a potion will help that poor fellow!”

It was not the drugged potion, though, that captured Astra’s attention, nor the way the guardsman’s choking fit ceased the moment it was forced between his teeth. No-she was Reading the face of the man they called Seriak, a face which, although now bearded, was burned into her memory so that she would never forget it: the face of Vortius!