The Gods Awaken

'I told you-my grandmother,' Jooli snapped. 'Queen Clayre.' Then, as if it would explain everything,

'She's a witch.'

'What do we do?' Leiria asked.

'Wait and see what happens next,' Jooli advised.

But even as she answered she was digging through her own mental book of spells, searching for a defense. Feeling helpless even as she did so. The power of her grandmother's attack had surprised her, humbled her. She'd had no idea that Queen Clayre possessed such abilities.

At that moment the ground turned spongy under her feet. It started to crumble and she jumped away, shouting a warning to the others.

She whipped around to confront whatever new threat Clayre had in store for them and saw a large dark hole in the ground where she and the others had been standing. Then glowing red dots appeared in the hole. The air suddenly took on a sharp, foul scent of rodent droppings. There was a scurrying and a squeaking-and then hundreds of large rats poured out of the hole.

Coralean booted one rat and slashed at another with his sword. Shouting in surprise as it dodged his cut and leaped onto the blade itself and ran up his arm. He hurled it away, splattering its body against the fortress walls.

But then others swarmed up at him and he cursed and swatted at the squeaking tide. Leiria and the soldiers fared no better. The numbers were overwhelming and they soon found themselves being driven back, dripping with blood from the many bites they suffered.

Jooli cast the only spell she thought might prove effective, but it flattened in the air like a burst goatskin bag.

Screams came from every direction and she could see where other holes had suddenly appeared, pocking the hill like an ugly skin disease. Thousands upon thousands of rats poured out of the holes, attacking the Kyranians with a stunning ferocity.

Fleeing people stumbled, then were quickly overwhelmed by the rodents who went for the most vulnerable parts-snapping at eyes and throats and lips. Slashing ears into bloody ribbons.

Jooli leaped up onto a low wall, clubbing rats away with the flat of her blade. Leiria used her spear to vault onto the wall and they stood back to back, protecting one another against the horrid tide.

But the rats kept coming and Jooli felt her strength slipping away at a frightening rate.

She knew she couldn't last much longer.

Rhodes danced up and down, shouting in glee as the rats overwhelmed the Kyranians. Kalasariz did his own little ghost dance inside the king, thrilled at this easy victory.

Even the inscrutable Queen Clayre let some true emotion leak through, saying 'Good show!' as a big rat leaped over Leiria's head and sank its teeth into the back of Jooli's neck.

But then there came a sound like a thunderclap and the fortress door boomed open.

And now it was Queen Clayre's turn to cry, 'What's happening?'

Leiria heard Jooli shout in pain and she whirled about, plucked the rat from Jooli's back, snapped its neck and threw it away. A rodent jumped on Leiria's leg, digging in sharp claws and teeth. She smashed it off with her fist, then caught another in mid-leap on her spear point.

It was then that she heard the thunderclap, followed by the crash of the big fortress door slamming open.

She looked up, dazed. And beheld a most wondrous sight.

Charging out of the fortress was Safar, mounted on Khysmet! Palimak was seated behind his father, gripping his waist. Safar was waving a long curving sword that glowed like a golden beacon.

And he shouted in a great voice: 'Come the winds! North and South! East and West! Come! Come the winds!'

There was a roaring sound, like a distant sea gathering its strength. Then the roar became a wail, then a giant banshee shriek.

The next thing Leiria knew, she was being hammered by fierce winds blasting over her from all sides. She grabbed Jooli and the two women toppled off the wall to take shelter behind the stonework.

Leiria raised her head to see-wind-borne grit lashing her face and scouring her helmet like a sanding machine gone mad.

At first all she could see was the glowing tip of Safar's sword. Then the atmosphere seemed to steady and she could make out the dark, funneling cloud that swirled around man and horse and boy. The banshee sound suddenly changed to shrill squeaks and she saw the rats being lifted off the ground and hurled into the sky.

Thousand upon thousands of them, swept into the heavens, to disappear into the great blue cloud that had a woman's face.

Then the cloud tore apart and was gone.

The wind ceased. And all was silent.

Rhodes shouted in surprise as the model of the Kyranian fortress exploded.

And then thousands of rats were falling from the vaulted ceiling of his mother's chambers. Squealing in fear and anger.

It was as if a rodent hell had opened its gates and let loose a vicious tide of fur and claws and teeth.

Clayre stood frozen in fear as the first of the rats went for her. Then she screamed in terror.

Quickly, Rhodes grabbed his mother, lifting her off the ground. Then he rushed up the stairs, Clayre under one arm, smashing rodents under his heavy boots.

He got her through the door, turned, and slammed and barred it, squashing several rats as they tried to slip past.

The king set his mother on her feet. 'What a mess!' he said, then turned his back on her and staggered to his chambers where he collapsed on his bed.

He slept for three days straight and not even Kalasariz could arouse him.

Then he got up, called for food and ate like a war horse. When he was satisfied, Kalasariz spoke to him from within, saying, You seem quite calm, majesty, considering all that has happened.

Instead of answering the question, Rhodes said, 'Was that Safar Timura? The big man on the white horse?'

Yes, Kalasariz replied. You can see why he's given me so much trouble over the years. He's a verypowerful wizard.

Rhodes thought a moment, then nodded as he made up his mind. 'I want that power,' he said.'

Then you shall have it, Kalasariz vowed. We'll just consider your mother's first effort a noble butfailed experiment.

'I have no problem with that,' Rhodes said. 'I'm not one to give up easily.'

He paused, then, 'That stallion Safar was riding?'

Yes, what about it?

'That's the steed I was talking about,' Rhodes said. 'The horse I saw in the mural when I last visited my mother. And then it was gone. Vanished!'

Perhaps we should examine that mural more closely, Kalasariz suggested.

And so Rhodes revisited his mother's chambers. While he'd slept, the rats had been exterminated by poisonous spells. Their bodies were still being hauled away by slaves when he entered his mother's rooms. Clayre was nowhere to be seen. She was probably off somewhere in borrowed quarters, nursing her wounded pride.

'The mural's just over here,' Rhodes said, lighting a torch and carrying it to his mother's throne.

But when he looked up his jaw dropped in astonishment.

There was no sign of the mural. The wall was completely blank.

CHAPTER NINETEEN