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frowned, "she blanked again, and all I felt was Ashara! Why Ashara?"
I didn't know. But if Ashara were aroused and aware, at least she would protect
Callina.
We had given ourselves away, Regis and I; we had lost vital strength; but for
the moment, perhaps, we were safe. My main worry now was for Regis. I was
mature, trained in the use of these powers, and I knew the limits of my own
endurance. He didn't. Unless he learned caution, the next step would be nerve
depletion and collapse.
I tried to warn him, but he shrugged it off. "Don't worry about me. Who's that
with Linnell?"
I turned to see if he meant Kathie or the man in harlequin costume who had so
disturbed me. Beside them was another masked figure, a man in a cowled robe
which hid his face and body completely. But something about him reminded me,
suddenly and horribly, of the hell in Derik's mind. Another victim--or the
controller? I had to fight myself to keep from running across the room and
pitching him bodily away from Linnell.
I went toward them, slowly. Linnell asked, "Lew, where have you been?"
"Outside, watching the eclipse," I said briefly.
Linnell glanced up at me, timidly, troubled.
"What is it, chiya?" The childish pet name still came easily.
"Lew, who is Kathie, really? When I'm near her, I feel terribly strange. It's
not just because she looks so like me, it's as if she were me. And then I
feel--I don't know--as if I had to come close to her, touch her, embrace her.
It's a kind of pain! I can't keep away from her! But if I do touch her, I want
to pull away and scream--" Linnell was twisting her hands nervously, ready to
burst into hysterical tears or laughter. I didn't know what to say. Linnell
wasn't a girl to fret over trifles; if it affected her like this, it was no
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minor whim.
Kathie had been dancing with Rafe Scott. As she came back, she smiled at
Linnell; and almost without discernible volition, Linnell began to move in her
direction. Was Kathie working some malicious mental trick on my little cousin?
But no. Kathie had no awareness of Darkovan powers. I knew that. And nothing
could get through that block I'd put on her.
Linnell touched Kathie's hand, almost shyly; in immediate response, Kathie put
an arm around Linnell's waist, and they walked for a minute like that, enlaced.
Then, with a sudden lithe movement Linnell drew herself, free and came and
caught at me.
"There's Callina," I said.
The Keeper, aloof in her starry draperies, threaded her way through the maze of
dancers. "Where have you been, Callina?Linnell demanded. She looked at her
sister's strange costume "with sorrowful puzzlement, but she did not comment;
and Callina made no attempt to justify or explain herself.
"Yes," I demanded, with an intent look at Callina, shading the words
telepathically, "where have you been?"
She seemed unaware of either overtone, and her careless words were devoid of any
hidden message that I could read. "Talking with Derik. He drew me apart to hear
some long confused drunken tale of his, but he never did get it told. I don't
envy you, darling," she added, smiling at her sister. "Fortunately all the wine
conquered him at last--may he never be defeated by a worse enemy." She shrugged
daintily. "Hastur is signaling to me. Beltran is there, I suppose it's time for
the ceremony."
"Callina--" Linnell almost sobbed, but the woman moved away from her
outstretched hands. "Don't pity me, Linne," she said, "I won't have it." And I
could tell that what she meant was "I can't bear it."
I don't know what I might have said or done, but she drew herself away; her eyes
brooded, blue ice like Ashara's, past me into silence. Bitterly helpless, I
watched her shrouded form move through the bright crowd.
I should have guessed everything then, when she left us without a touch, silent
and remote as Ashara's self, making a lonely island of her tragedy and cutting
us all away from her. I listened, numbed, as Hastur made the formal announcement
and locked the doubled marriage bracelets upon the arms of the pair. Callina was
Beltran's consort from the moment Hastur released her hand.
I glanced round at Regis and suddenly, appalled, sucked in air; the boy had
turned ashen gray. I slid an arm around him and half-carried him to the archway.
He drew a sobbing breath as the cold air reached his face, and muttered,
"Thanks. Guess you were right." And abruptly he doubled up and collapsed on the
floor. His lax hand was clammy and his breathing was shallow. I looked around
for. help. Dio was crossing the floor, on Lerrys arm--
Lerrys stopped dead in his tracks. He stared around wildly for a moment, his
face convulsed; stiffened and clutched at Dio.
That was the first shock-wave. Then hell broke loose. Suddenly the room was a
distorted nightmare, warped out of all perspective, and Dio's scream died in
shivering air that would not carry sound. Then she was struggling in the grip of
something that shook her like a kitten. She took one faltering step-Then I saw
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two men standing together, the only calm figures in the distorted air. The
harlequin and the horrible cowled man. Only now the cowl was flung back, and. it
was Dyan's cruel thin-lipped face that glared bleakly at Dio. She moved,
fighting, another step, another; slid to the floor and lay there without moving.
I fought the paralysis of the warped space that held us in frozen stasis. Then
harlequin and cowl turned--and caught Linnell between them.
They did not physically touch her. But ;she was in then-grip as if they had
bound her hand and foot. I think she screamed, but the very idea of sound had
died. Linnell writhed, caught by some invisible force; a dark, flickering halo
suddenly sprang up around them; Linnell sagged, held up hideously balanced on
empty air; then fell, striking the floor with a crushing impact. I sobbed
soundless curses; I could not move.
Kathie flung herself down by Linnell. I think she was the only person capable of
free motion in the entire hall. As she caught Linnell in her arms, I saw for a
moment that the tortured face had gone smooth and free of horror; a moment
Linnell lay quiet, soothed, then she struggled in a bone-wrenching spasm and
slackened--a loose, limp, small thing with her head lolling on her twin's
breast.
And above them harlequin and cowled shadow swelled, took on height and power.
For a moment, seeing clearly outside space, Kadarin's gaunt' features blazed
through the harlequin mask. Then the faces swam together, coalesced-- and for a
moment the beautiful, damnable face I had seen in Ashara's Tower reeled before
my eyes; then the shadows closed down.
Only seconds later the lights blazed back; but the world had changed. I heard
Kathie's scream, and heard the crowd milling and crying out as I elbowed and
thrust my way savagely to Linnell.
She was lying, a tumbled, pathetic heap, across Kathie's knees. Behind her, only [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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