'He's split himself,' they hissed as one.
Arvin felt the blood drain from his face. They'd just seen through his metamorphosis. Releasing Gonthril and shouting, 'Attack them!' he threw up a mental shield. Next to him, Gonthril leaped forward, shouting the word that would turn the rope that had bound him to stone. He whipped this improvised weapon around like a staff, aiming at the closest Zelia's head.
She ducked, but the other Zelia had time to manifest a power. A wall of psionic energy slammed into Arvin, knocking him to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gonthril crumple too, his nose and mouth leaking blood like he'd just been smashed in the face with a brick. Despite the roaring in his ears, Arvin heard what sounded like the tinkle of tiny bells-a hallucinatory noise that was another of Zelia's secondary displays. Dazed, he tried to mount a psionic defense-only to feel his muladhara open and spill all of its stored energy in a swirling rush.
The Zelias must have seen the distress in his eyes. They smiled.
'You… haven't won,' Arvin gasped. 'I destroyed… the Circled Serpent. You'll never become…'
The eyes of the Zelia on the left flashed. Arvin felt her awareness enter his mind. Powerless to stop her, he felt her rifle through his thoughts. The memories she was looking for floated to the surface of Arvin's mind- memories of the Circled Serpent being destroyed. She probed further, and earlier memories floated to the surface of Arvin's mind: the dog-headed man confronting him in the cavern, then a skip ahead to Arvin learning that the Dmetrio-seed had killed him and fled with the Circled Serpent.
'So he did betray me,' hissed the Zelia whose eyes had flashed. 'The fool. He could have ruled Hlondeth.'
The other Zelia cocked her head, still staring mockingly at Arvin. 'What made you think I wanted to become an avatar?' she asked.
Frowning took too much effort. Arvin's entire body felt like one big bruise. Something felt loose inside his chest. Intense agony shot through him with each breath. He oouldn't muster the strength to lever himself off the floor; he could barely raise his head. Beside him, Gonthril lay still. Dead or unconscious, Arvin couldn't tell.
'Why… wouldn't you?' Arvin asked.
He was surprised that the Zelias hadn't killed him yet. They wanted to gloat over their victory, it seemed. If he could keep them talking, maybe he could still make the hassaael work for him.
The Zelia on the left-Arvin had lost track of which one was the original but suspected that she was the one- answered. 'Because Set's followers will reward me so well for destroying the key.'
'Set's… followers?' Arvin repeated dazedly. Then he understood. The dog-man who had followed him up Mount Ugruth-Zelia was working with him. Working forhim. Arvin had been wrong. She hadn't wanted to become an avatar at all.
'Exactly,' she hissed, obviously still listening in on his thoughts. 'The Dmetrio-seed was merely supposed to rule Hlondeth, once Dediana was out of the way.' She tsk-tsked. 'A pity that he grew greedy.' She sighed melodramatically. 'They all do in the end.'
The Zelia to the right had been silent for some time; Arvin noticed her frown, as if concentrating on something intensely. Then her eyes slid sideways in a furtive glance that was directed at the first Zelia.
Odd that he couldn't feel both Zelias inside his head. It was almost as if…
He spoke quickly, even as the thought formed in his mind. 'She's drained you,' he gasped. 'She's going to kill you. She said 'me,' not 'us.' If you kill her first, she-'
Zelia, too, must have known how to control sound. Arvin heard a hissing and no more words emerged, even though he was still talking.
He smiled. Zelia had just played right into his hand.
Swifter than a cobra, the duplicate twisted and bit the other in the throat. The original Zelia recoiled, one hand pressed to her wound. She removed it, then blinked in surprise at the twin beads of blood on her fingers.
Both women began breathing with tight, shallow gasps; their faces a bright red. Blood trickled from the nose of the original Zelia.
'You fool!' she hissed at the duplicate. 'Can't you see what he's done? He fate linked us! You're going to die now, too.' She shook her head. 'Why did you… I would never
'Yes, you would,' the duplicate panted back. A blue forked tongue flicked away the blood that flowed from her own nose. Her lips twisted in a wry grimace. 'In fact… you just… did.'
The first turned to Arvin, her eyes wild. 'Set… curse you,' the original panted, 'and drag… your soul… to the… Abyss!' Then she collapsed.
A heartbeat later, the duplicate fell on top of her. For a moment, both bodies were still. Then, like dough melting in the rain, they flowed into one another until only one Zelia remained.
Dead.
A brittle laugh erupted from Arvin's lips. He no longer cared about the agony in his chest. Victory sang in his ears. He'd done it! Defeated Zelia! Karrell and his children were safe.
'I've already been to the Abyss,' he whispered, — and back again. Now it's your turn.'
Still lying on his back, he reached out with one hand. He was able-barely-to reach Gonthril's neck. Under his fingers he felt a faint lifebeat. Gonthril was alive.
Arvin let his fingers linger on the crystal at the rebel leader's throat. 'Nine lives,' he said.
He chuckled weakly. It had taken him at least that many to claim his revenge, but he was alive and Zelia, dead.
Arvin used the stone in his forehead to manifest a sending. When it was done, he closed his eyes. In a moment or two, once he'd rallied his strength again, he would manifest another sending, calling upon the Secession to rescue him and Gonthril. But for the time being, he would rest. His part was, at last, over.
Out over the Vilhon Reach, thunder grumbled once then stilled.
In a but deep in the Black Jungles, an infant finished suckling at his mother's breast then fell asleep beside his sister.
Their mother smiled.
VANITY’S BROOD0LISA SMEDMAN
