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magic among the soft ones. We can despise them for their bodies but not for their minds. Perhaps I am
paranoid with our plans so near fruition, but it is not inconceivable that the shapes you think were
watching you were knowledgeable ones among the soft folk. Though," he admitted, "I know of no
wizardry power strong enough to reach all the way from the warm-lands to Cugluch and then penetrate
the Veils of Confusion and Conflict I have drawn about the Manifestation. Nevertheless, I shall try to
learn more about what occurred.
"If that happened to be true, however, it means that the sooner we act the surer we shall be of surprise
and victory." He turned to the General. "See, Mordeesha, how my thoughts give support to your desires
against my own hopes. Perhaps it is for the best. Perhaps I grow overcautious in my old age.
"If you are ready, if the armies are ready, then I will force myself to be ready also. To the final glory,
then?"
"To the final glory," they all recited in unison.
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Skrritch turned, pulled a cord. Three servitors appeared. Each carried a freshly detached, dripping limb
from some unfortunate, unseen source. These were distributed. The four in council sucked out the
contents of the arms by way of mutual congratulations.
They then took their leave, the General to his staff meeting, Eejakrat to his quarters to ponder a possible
impossible mental intrusion into Cugluch, and Kesylict to arrange the mundane matters of mealtimes and
official appointments for the following day.
The Minister had good reason to ponder the Empress' words concerning the notorious cleverness of the
soft ones. By such similar adroitness had he retained his head upon his neck, even to agreeing with the
others that the time to move had arrived. Privately he thought Eejakrat should be given all the time he
wished. Kesylict had read the forbidden records, knew the litany of failure of past battles with the soft
ones. So while he was as ignorant of the complexities of the Manifestation as any of the Royal Council,
he knew that in Eejakrat's manipulation of it lay the Plated Folk's hopes for final victory over their ancient
enemies, and not in General Mordeesha's boasts of superior military strength.
Alone, Skrritch pulled a second call cord. A servitor appeared with a tall, narrow-spouted drinking
vessel. The Empress washed down the remnants of the recent toast, then turned and stared once more
out the window.
Thickening mist obscured even the ramparts of the Keep. The city of Cugluch and its milling thousands
were blotted out as though they did not exist. Day turned toward night as the mist and fog grew darker,
indicating the down passage of the sun.
Mordeesha and his fellow generals had been chafing at the bit for several laying periods. She had held
off as long as possible in order to give Eejakrat still more time to study his Manifestation. But knowing
the wizard, such study could go on forever.
The elastic of patience had been broken now. Soon the word would spread throughout the Greendowns
that the war had begun.
For an instant she thought again of the disturbing dream. Perhaps it had been no more than a daymare.
Even empresses were subjeet to strain. Eejakrat did not seem overly concerned about it, so there was no
reason for it to continue to trouble her thoughts.
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There were promotions and demotions to be bestowed, executions to order, punishments to decide, and
rewards to be handed out. Tomorrow's court schedule, so ably organized by the prosaic Kesylict, was
quite full.
Such everyday activities seemed superfluous, now that the first steps toward final victory had been
initiated. She savored the thought. Of all the emperors and empresses of the far-flung Empire she would
be the first to stride possessively through the gentle lands of the soft ones, the first to bring back plunder
and thousands of slaves from the other side of the world.
And after that, what might she not accomplish? Even Eejakrat had voiced thoughts about the possibilities
the Manifestation might create. Such possibilities extended beyond the bounds of a single world.
She turned on her side and leaned back against a hundred glowing red rubies and crimson cushions. Her [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]