he opened them again the night-black darkness had dissolved into a dusky gloom.
Surprised as he was by this just-in-time return of his powers, he still didn't move. Towering over him was a nightmare figure-grave-devil white with outstretched wings so wide they seemed like they could enfold a score of Palimaks. Behind the beast were similar creatures, slightly smaller, but just as heart-stoppingly ghastly.
The beast bent its terrible head until its eyes were at Palimak's level.
It said, 'Before I eat you-whether you be human or demon-I'll gift you with my name. It's none other than Queen Charize you will honor with your flesh. Queen Charize who will suck up your marrow.
Queen Charize who will savor your soul. So make yourself ready, little one. As ready as you can.'
As Charize spoke, Palimak's eyes flickered left and he saw a high altar with a half-dozen steps leading to the top. Resting on that altar was an enormous coffin whose lid was sculpted into the shape of a demon.
Emblazoned on the sides of the coffin was a golden twin-headed snake with outstretched wings.
Immediately he knew what it was: the long-lost tomb of Lord Asper!
This was the place he had sought from the moment he'd set foot on Syrapis. Long ago his father had told him the tale of his visionary visit to the chamber of horrors ruled by Queen Charize. And of the coffin he'd found there-a coffin containing, Safar had been certain, the body of Lord Asper, as well as many secrets.
It came to Palimak that if only he could reach the coffin he would be safe. And with that knowledge came the odd feeling that he was not fully in command of his mental faculties. It was as if some older, wiser being had entered his body. A being of cool cunning and calculation. He felt strong and coldly superior.
Magical power coursed through his veins.
He spoke, a touch of sarcasm coloring his tones. 'Pardon, royal one, for defiling your ears with my puny voice. But before I die I would demand a boon from you.'
Surprised, Charize stepped back, barbed tail curling like a giant scorpion's.
'What's this?' she growled. 'You can speak?'
A sound like mistral winds hissing through the poisoned thorns of a devil tree stirred the cavern: 'He speaks, sisters, he speaks!'
Palimak shrugged, which surprised the monster queen even more. Her spell should have rendered him not only speechless, but immobile as well.
'It's a small thing,' he replied. 'I open my mouth and words present themselves.' He glanced at the queen's horrid minions who were whispering to one another, uneasy at his ability to shake off the effects of Charize's spell. 'The important thing isn't whether or not I can speak,' Palimak continued, 'but whether you will grant me the boon I've requested.'
Queen Charize had recovered her wits. 'Boon?' she said scornfully. 'Why should I grant you a boon?'
Palimak frowned. 'Are you the Queen Charize,' he asked, 'who claims to be ruler of the Sisters of Asper?'
The question surprised him as much as it did Charize. Where had it come from? And why was his voice deeper, his words formed from an experience and a knowledge beyond his ken?
'Claim!? Claim!?' Charize roared. 'How dare you speak such words of doubt?' Her talons clattered angrily. 'Now, your death will not be so easy, foolish one. You will linger in exquisite agony before I eat you.'
Palimak's instincts begged him to scream pleas of Mercy, lady, mercy. Instead, he amazed himself by finding the courage to smile.
'If the gods will my death, so be it,' he said. 'Painful though that death may be.'
He managed even greater nerve and wagged a finger under the queen's flaring nostril slits. 'But I'll die knowing you are a great liar,' he said. 'Claiming a throne you don't deserve.'
The queen's barbed tail shot toward him, poisoned hook aiming for his heart. Palimak wanted to jump away, but he steeled himself. A heartbeat later he was rewarded as the hook point stopped scant inches from piercing his breast.
Charize glared at him, clearly confounded by his boldness. All around her the other creatures hissed in wonder at their queen's hesitation. Whispering, 'Is it true? Is it true? Does Charize lie?'
At that moment Palimak spotted the bloody corpse of one of her subjects, sprawled near what he thought might be her throne. Several of the beasts were gathered next to the corpse and it seemed to him that they were the ones leading the chorus of doubts. In his misfortune, had he in fact been fortunate enough to have stepped into the middle of a palace revolt?
'Who are you to dare brand Charize a liar?' the queen roared. 'Tell me your name before I kill you.'
'Why, I am Prince Timura,' Palimak answered. 'Perhaps you'll find that name familiar. Hmm?'
Gasps of terror echoed through the chamber. 'Timura! Timura! Timura!'
Charize's great jaws unhinged, but not to attack. Instead she was in shock. Then her jaws snapped shut as she fought to recover her dignity.
'Now, you are the liar,' she said. 'I have met Safar Timura. And you are not him. He was fully human.
There was no demon blood running through his veins.'
'Actually, I'm his son,' Palimak said. 'Disbelieve that at your own peril.'
Charize managed a sound that Palimak took for forced laughter. 'What a fool you are,' she said, 'if you think you are a danger to me.'
'Perhaps I am a fool,' Palimak said. 'Test me and we shall see. But I promise you this: one of us will be dead before the test is done. And I strongly doubt that it will be me.' He chuckled. 'My father told me what a coward you were. How he bested you with the simplest of spells.'
Charize clacked her talons in annoyance. 'It was a silly trick, nothing more,' she said. 'You will notice I didn't fall for the same trick this time. My spell made you powerless to bring light into this chamber!'
Palimak snorted derisively. 'You silly creature,' he scoffed. 'I don't need light. I am part demon … as you noticed. And with my demon eyes I can see you and your sisters quite well.'
He surprised himself when he said this. Until the moment he opened his mouth, Palimak hadn't realized what had happened. Raised among humans, he had kept the demon side of himself at bay for most of his young life. It was a part of him that he feared. A side that he believed was capable of shameful cruelty.
However, he now realized it was the demon side that had saved him. Somehow, when fighting to win his powers back, he'd broken through to his demon self and this was what he was using to confront Charize.
As this realization ran through his mind, it also came to him that there was more to it than that. Far more than just his demon powers were available to him. Suddenly, he felt as if his father was quite near. This notion took him by such surprise that he nearly turned his head to see.
But the chamber abruptly became silent and he quickly shifted his full attention back to Charize. A moment before she'd been wavering between waiting to find out more about her new enemy and killing him on the spot.
As he looked up, he saw that indecision end as she drew back a mighty claw to gut him where he stood.
Unfortunately, there was nothing Palimak could do about it. This was Charize's lair, after all. And on her own ground there was no magic he knew of that was powerful enough to do more than slightly wound her before he died.
Palimak instinctively went for the bluff. He struck quickly, conjuring up a spell that would be quite painful, but would actually do little damage.
Charize gasped as the spell hit her and jumped back. Before she had time to think, Palimak laughed at her.
'That's just a small sample of what I can do,' he said. 'Threaten me again and I shall turn you into ashes.'
He gestured at the others. 'I'm sure your sisters have wearied of your rule and will thank me for killing you. So don't make the mistake of thinking I am vulnerable merely because I am outnumbered.'
The other creatures muttered. From their tone, Palimak could tell that his bluff had struck the target dead center. None of them would mourn if Charize fell.
Unsure of her ground, the queen decided to play for time. 'You asked a boon, small one,' she said.
'What is it?'
Palimak nodded, as if satisfied the danger had passed. 'I entered this chamber,' he said, 'because I seek the tomb of Lord Asper. My father told me it was here and bade me pay homage to him.'
Charize snarled. 'You entered this chamber,' she said, 'because I compelled your obedience. There was no
