Harshini

then the Stone that controls those jewels is probably the one on Slarn.”

R'shiel frowned. “I'm not sure I want to risk Malik's Curse just to satisfy my curiosity.” She'd seen a man with the wasting disease once, on his way from the Citadel to the colony on Slarn. It still gave her nightmares.

“The disease would be the least of your problems,” Kalan pointed out. “Just getting there would be trouble enough. You couldn't use the demons. The priests would sense you coming from the other side of the Fardohnyan Gulf.”

“Pity the Seeing Stone at the Citadel is lost,” she sighed, glancing at the lump of crystal behind her. “Do you think the Sisterhood destroyed it?”

“No human possesses the power to destroy a Seeing Stone, Divine One. It's missing, certainly, but I doubt it was destroyed.”

“Then it might be still in the Citadel? Hidden somewhere?”

The High Arrion did not seem to share her optimism. “I suppose, although where you would hide something as large as a Seeing Stone is beyond me.”

“I wonder if there are any records in the Citadel's library? The Founding Sisters documented everything. There are even reports on the number of sacks of grain they confiscated when they took over the Citadel.”

“It's worth a try, I suppose, and if it is still there, it would be a lot safer than trying to get near the one on Slarn. But the Citadel is under Karien control. How are you going to get inside? And, more importantly, what does it have to do with your quest to destroy Xaphista? Do you have the time to waste answering questions that have no relevance to the task at hand?”

“I suppose not.” She glanced up at the Stone again with a sigh. For a moment, it had seemed like such a good idea, too.

R'shiel had the librarians scouring the archives of the Collective looking for something, anything, to help her cause, but so far they had come up with nothing. Dikorian, the Collective's Chief Librarian, was not hopeful either. He knew his archives like he knew his own reflection and had never heard of anything in them that gave even a hint about how to destroy a god. Maybe, with a bit more time... she shook her head impatiently, reminding herself of why she had come here this evening. Time was something she didn't have to waste at the moment. “Right now I have to help Glenaranan and his friends. Will you see that I am not disturbed?”

Kalan nodded. “Of course.”

The High Arrion stepped down from the altar and began the long walk through the temple across the gorgeously mosaic-tiled floor. Every building R'shiel had entered in Greenharbour had floors like it, their intricate geometrical patterns sometimes so complex they made her dizzy.

She waited until Kalan was lost in the shadows before turning back to the Stone. Pushing away stray thoughts of Seeing Stones and chips of crystal, R'shiel swallowed a lump of apprehension and reached out, placing her palms upon it, then opened herself to the power. She felt her eyes darken, felt the familiar, intoxicatingly sweet energy surge through every cell in her body, and then thought of Korandellan.

Demon child.

R'shiel jumped in fright. It seemed hours since she had laid her hands on the Stone. The power filled her and she opened her eyes, which now burned black. Korandellan's image appeared in the crystal against a milky backdrop. He looked haggard.

“Korandellan!”

You should not sound so surprised, demon child. You are the one who called for me.

“I... I know... I just wasn't sure if it would work.”

You should not doubt yourself, R'shiel. You are capable of so much more than you realise.

“I'm glad you think so.”

The King smiled indulgently. How can I help you, child?

“Glenanaran, Farandelan and Joranara are unconscious. The Collective was attacked and they built a dome of light to protect it. They collapsed just before I got here and we can't wake them. They don't seem injured at all - they just won't wake up.”

His face clouded with concern. It was unwise of them to draw on so much power. The gods always exact a price for such excess.

“The gods? You mean they're like this as some sort of punishment?” She could feel her ire rising and fought it down. Linked mentally with Korandellan, it would distress him greatly to be exposed to her anger. “So what can I do?”

You must appeal to Cheltaran directly, I fear.

“The God of Healing? I don't know him.”

But he knows you, demon child. I'm certain he will heed your summons.

The image flickered for a moment and R'shiel realised that Korandellan was weakening. The idea alarmed her. Korandellan was as strong in the power as she, and certainly far more skilled. The effort it took to link through the Stone was minimal. It should not be having that effect on him. “Are you all right?”

I am tired, that is all.

“How can you be tired? You're the King of the Harshini.”

Your faith in me is encouraging, R'shiel. Korandellan could not lie, but he could avoid giving her a direct answer.

“What's wrong?”

He sighed, obviously reluctant to share his burden. The strain of holding Sanctuary out of time is telling on me.

“Why don't you just let it go? Nobody knows where Sanctuary is.”

Xaphista's priests would find us easily, if we were back in normal time. I cannot risk it.

“But if your hold weakens, they'll find it anyway.”

Then I must rely on you to remove the threat of the Kariens, and trust you are able to achieve it before I falter.

Korandellan was not trying to pressure her - it was not in his nature to do anything so blatantly human, but R'shiel felt it, nonetheless. It simply wasn't fair. She never asked to be the demon child. She certainly did not want to feel responsible for the survival of the Harshini.

The King smiled. I fear I have made the burden of your destiny heavier. Do not concern yourself, R'shiel. Things will turn out as the gods will them.

Which isn't saying much, she thought irreverently. “Is there anything I can do?”

If you are following a path that leads to breaking the power of the Overlord, you are doing all you can, my dear.

“Well, I'll try to do it a bit faster,” she offered with a wan smile.

Korandellan nodded wearily. You will prevail.

The strain of maintaining the link was telling visibly on the King's face. She took her hands from the Stone and it cleared almost instantly, the milky backdrop returning to the crystalline clarity that characterised the magical talisman. R'shiel sank down onto the floor, sitting with her back to the marble base, her knees drawn up to her chin. She let the power go with some reluctance.

So, I have to call Cheltaran, she told herself. That would take care of the wounded Harshini. Then, if Dikorian can't help me... maybe the answers I need are at the Citadel. But I'm running out of time.

That the Harshini might be imperilled had never occurred to her until now. In fact, she had never really felt that she was working to a timetable. She knew that at some distant point in the future she would finally have to confront Xaphista, but she had always thought the one thing on her side was time. Perhaps she could sneak away after this damned election. Damin was a smart boy, Adrina even smarter. Surely, between the two of them, they can figure out how to secure his throne without my help?

She climbed to her feet and glanced around the temple. What makes it holy? she wondered idly. The gods - or the people who worship them?