The Born Queen

CHAPTER NINE

WHEN THE PAIN of the knife wound faded and she ceased to feel her body, A

For an instant she thought she was ready, but then from the very center of her climbed dark, delicious, corrupt rage. It informed everything that remained of her as she sought to strike out through the ragged wall of death at her killer, but here she learned the obvious but unspoken truth: Without a body in the lands of fate, no desire of her will could she obtain.

That was death. That was why the promise of her had forged an alliance with those who had gone before, to give all that rage and purpose, at last, a body again.

Now all that was failed and moot, and the chance would not come again.

She felt herself diminishing, melting, and knew that in time the very place she observed herself from would vanish. It wasn't fair; this was her domain, her kingdom. She had nearly had complete control of it, and now it was eating her. What it spit out would invade the dreams of another, be used by another-probably Hespero.

She caught the strains of a song, and as she focused her attention on it, it began to swell, and her throat yearned to open and join its strange harmonies.

For some reason that frightened her more than anything.

She suddenly saw light in the water and heard a familiar voice speak as if from another room. Then something caught her and pulled her in, and her thoughts suddenly became a confusion of voices, as in her Black Marys. At first she thought that it was the end, that she was merging with the river, but then she understood that she was thinking in only two voices.

Then a place shaped, and a face.

It took her a moment.

"Austra?"

"It's me, A

"Where are we?"

The light came up a little, diffuse strands of it made spidery by the tiny root filaments around the edge of the hole above her. She saw a little more of Austra now and noticed that between them was a stone crypt.

"It's the crypt," she murmured. "The one we found as girls. Virgenya's crypt."

"Is it?" Austra asked, sounding confused. "It looks to me like the womb of Mefitis, where we escaped the men who attacked the coven. See, there's light coming down the shaft."

A

"Take my hand, Austra."

The other stretched out her arm, but instead of the familiar grip of her friend's fingers, A

Austra nodded. "I tried to shake you awake earlier."

"Austra, what were you doing just before you found yourself here?"

"I was with Cazio," she said. "I had been hurt, and there was a battle. I was trying to go to sleep, when suddenly it felt as if something ripped me open." She looked up. "We're dead, aren't we?"

"I should be," A

"Is this the same place we went that time we were trapped in the horz? The otherworld of the Faiths?"

"I don't think so, or at least not exactly. If that were true, I think Hespero-or the other-could find me. I think we're trapped somewhere, or maybe…" She drifted off, silenced by a sudden revelation.

"Austra, you walked the same faneway I did."

"I thought of that," Austra said. "There was a priest, doing things to me, and I-"

"I remember," A

"Saints," Austra breathed. "You were there. I'd forgotten. What does it mean?"

"I don't know," A

"Why did you send me away?" the girl asked.

"I saw you and Cazio dead if I kept you around me." The image flashed through her mind, and she suddenly recognized it. "Saints," she said. "You would have died, both of you, in the Red Hall, protecting me from Hespero. And you would have…"

"I thought it was because you didn't want us around to remind you of who you are."

"There's that, too," A

"I don't want to be dead," Austra said. And more softly: "Cazio asked me to marry him."

"Really?" Jealousy was quick venom.

"I know you love him, too."

A

"I love you, A

"I love you, too," A

"Hespero," A

All the rage was there, waiting for her, welcoming her back into her poor abused-and nearly completely healed-body.

She reached out around her, looking for the praifec, brushing aside something near, a heavy, familiar presence that suddenly shrank away.

Then she saw the Kept, floating there, waiting for her.

At your service, great queen," the demon said. I am here for you.

"You promised to heal the law of death and die."

And so I shall, with your help, Qexqaneh replied. But you have things to do first.

"Yes," A

And the Kept took her up in his coils, and they went to Hespero's army.

Edwyn Mylton was graying, long-limbed, and awkward, but he had the eyes of a child with an active imagination and plans his parents wouldn't approve of.

"What sort of trouble are you getting me into this time, Leoff?" he asked.

"You won't believe it, I think," Leoff said, "and it is exceedingly dangerous. But I have to ask you. There's no one else I can think of."

Edwyn peered down his uneven nose for a moment. "I suppose I had better agree, then, before I know the details." He nodded at Areana. "Frauye Leovigild, it's wonderful to see you again."

"I wish it were as happy as the last occasion," she replied.

"Yes, well, the company is still good," he said. "Most of it." He nodded significantly toward the door.

"Berimund and his men are our friends," Leoff said. "Or at least we share some goals. We can trust them, I think."

"I trust your judgment, Leoff, but they were a little rough in collecting me."

"I'm sorry, old friend; that was a pretense to satisfy any curious Hansans watching."

"Yes, so they explained, but I had a bit of trouble believing it until now. So what are we doing, then?"

"We're going to sing with the dead," Leoff replied. Despite all his worries, he still managed to enjoy the expression on Edwyn's face.

Bri

"This should help," she said. "It's something I concocted from an old herbal, long ago, at my brother's request. He's hard on the drink."

Neil hesitated at the scent.

"What? Do you fear I would poison you? Or are you afraid it's a love philter?"

The elixir was as astringent and as strong as the drink he'd shared with Alis, but it did make him feel better. He'd been foolish; he might have to fight today. He should be at his best, even if that wasn't very good.