narrow palace entrance: each looking nervous and peering into the tunnel towards them, into the impenetrable darkness.
‘Damn. They’re awake. How did you get past them?’ Samuel asked.
‘They were asleep before. It was easy.’
Samuel nodded to himself. ‘Then how do we get out? I can’t use any magic in here.’
‘So you have some magic now? That’s some good news, at least. You’re not as useless as I thought.’
Samuel ignored her remark.
‘I’ll show you how I did it before,’ she said.
‘Before?’ Samuel asked.
‘Of course. I’ve been in here many times now, trying to find the others while you were doing who-knows- what. I would have thought they would have started catching onto me by now, but those three seem impressively stupid-even for men.’
She cupped her hands to her mouth to shout.
‘No! Don’t-’ Samuel began, but she moaned out something to them in the Paatin tongue, using a long and wilting voice. At once, the three men glared into the tunnel with fear and fled.
She chuckled softly and started at once down the passage towards them, with Samuel now following behind.
‘What did you say?’ he asked her.
‘I’ve been coaxing a few words out of Shara. It took some imagination, but I finally got the word for
‘And how would you know that?’
‘I’m clever,’ she told him smugly.
‘I have heard that something does live in here.’
‘You are as bad as them, Magician, but perhaps that would explain the body I found-half a body, at least.’
‘What!’ Samuel stated in disbelief, but she started away before he could question her further.
Samuel was trying to slow her down, but she marched straight out into the light of the palace, smiling happily at theabsenceof anyonewho might be waiting tocatch them. He almost choked in fear as she stepped straight through the magical membrane that covered the entrance, but she, too, passed through it without effect.
‘Quickly,’ she said. ‘Let’s go before they get the nerve to return. It’s almost time for them to be replaced, so they will have to come back or lose their heads if they are found absent.’
‘How do you know so much about all this?’ he asked her as they hurried back towards the main corridors of the palace.
‘I’m a god. I told you. My dreams are the hopes and fears of those around me. I may not speak their language, and even their thoughts are unintelligible to me, but I see the activities of this palace played out before me every night in my dreams.’
‘Are you telling me the truth? You must see some interesting things.’
She gave him a knowing smile. ‘Oh, I do! Unfortunately, I have no control over what I see, or whose thoughts they are, or I would have learnt much more.’
They had now reached the populated halls, and the palace staff each stopped their duties and bowed their heads as the two passed. A call of joy sounded far behind and Shara came rushing up to them with relief painted on her face. She had obviously been looking for them all this time and now seemed happy to follow along quietly as she regained her breath.
Finally reaching their rooms, Samuel stopped at the Koian woman’s door and faced her.
‘I don’t want you going in there any more. I will do any searching that needs to be done.’
‘As you wish,’ she told him and promptly disappeared inside, followed by her Paatin shadow. Somehow, Samuel doubted she would listen to him.
‘Don’t you ever send your servants out so you can be alone?’ Samuel asked of the Paatin Queen, for he was ever mindful of the array of guards and servants standing just on the other side of the thin veils that surrounded her bed.
‘What are you afraid they might hear, Samuel? I’m sure they know what we are doing here. There is nothing to be ashamed of.’
‘It just seems a little strange to me.’
‘I thought magicians embraced the strange? Is that not what you do?’
‘Not like this.’ He ran a finger down her smooth back and she wiggled in his arms.
‘They, too, find you interesting, Samuel. I hear my servants giggle and talk about you, but I don’t mind. I like to hear what they say.’
‘What do they say?’ he asked, alarmed by the prospect.
‘They talk about your skin, mostly. None of the Paatin are as pale as you. They find it amusing.’
‘What about you? You are very light in comparison to most Paatin.’
‘My parents were of mixed blood, Samuel. I was born in the lands you called the Eastern Reaches, long ago when the world was quite different. It makes an attractive blend, don’t you think?’ He had to admit she was right, and smiled in agreement. ‘Normally the Paatin despise those who result from mixed parentage, but they do not consider mein that light. I am their queen, worshipped as a god, and nothing else matters, except that I care for them.’
‘I’ve never seen people so dedicated to what they believe. Before this, I thought the Turians wereobsessive, but,as stubborn as they are, few Turians would have sacrificed themselvesneedlesslyfor the Emperor.’
‘It is one of the necessities of their harsh life, Samuel. They are accustomed to doing everything in extremes.’
Another bout of giggling sounded from outside before the serving girls hushed themselves up.
‘What are they talking about now?’
‘They are wondering why I have invited you into my chamber so many times. I rarely welcome any man into my bed more than once. They are making suggestions about your abilities.’ Samuel went red. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. Does that embarrass you? I can have them executed if you like.’
‘No!’ Samuel said with a start.
‘Did you think I would do it? How terrible of you. I was only playing. My servants have the sense to know when to giggle and when to be silent. They know me wellenough.’
‘Then tell me, why have you invited me here so many times?’
‘I want your child, Samuel,’ she told him and he immediately drew away from her. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘That’s quite a surprise. You haven’t mentioned that until now.’
Again, she looked as if he should know these things. ‘Why else would we do this, Samuel? Men and woman lie together for love, or pleasure, or to make children. Did you think something else?’
He was not sure what to say. ‘I am quite…surprised.’
‘You are not like other magicians, so I am curious to know if you can sire children or not. Until now, I have not been able to find a man who can father my child. I am hoping that you possess something that the others did not.’
‘I cannot father any children,’ Samuel told her. ‘Magicians cannot. Even if I am different in other ways, I am the same in that. I had a lover for some time and we never had children. I am sure it is not possible.’
‘What about that Koian woman? Have you bedded her?’
‘Of course not!’ Samuel said, insulted by the mention.
Alahativa laughed. ‘You sound so indignant. Are you not attracted to her?’
‘No. She is a childish and spoilt brat. I have never seen anyone so intolerable and rude.’
‘Shehasobviously worked her way under your skin.How intriguing. It is strange that the woman seemsto have no name at all-don’t you think? She claims to have many titles, as would a king or queen, yet she lacks all the civilities and mannerisms of a ruler. And she is such a strange-looking thing-as is her kinsman-yet she is not
