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Higher we rose; the three of us now upon the flat top of a tower upon whose counterpart fifty feet away and facing the homeward path, Ruth and Norhala stood with white arms interlaced. The serpent shape flashed toward us; it vanished beneath, merging into the waiting Thing. Then slowly the Thing began to move; quietly it glided to the chasm it had blasted in the cliff wall.
"We will bargain, Norhala," he answered calmly; the voice was deep, filled with sinister strength. "Bargain?" she laughed. "What have you with which to bargain, Cherkis? Does the rat bargain with the tigress? And you, toad, have nothing." He shook his head. "I have these," he waved a hand toward Ruth and her brother. "Me you may slay and mayhap many of mine.
PURPOSEFUL; purposeful as the geometric shiftings of the Little Things of the ruins, of the summoning song of Norhala, of the Protean changes of the Smiting Shape and the Following Thing; and like all of these it was as laden with that baffling certainty of hidden meanings, of messages that the brain recognized as such yet knew it never could read. The rays seemed to spring upward from the earth.
I win, Norhala, even though you slay me. That is all that is now important." There was doubt upon Norhala's face and I caught a quick gleam of contemptuous triumph glint through the depths of the evil eyes. "Empty will be your victory over me, Norhala," he said; then waited. "What is your bargain?" she spoke hesitatingly; with a sinking of my heart I heard the doubt tremble in her throat.
Our head shot above the mists like those of swimmers from water. Unnoticed, we had been climbing out of them. And a hundred yards ahead of us, cleaving them, veiled in them almost to the shoulders, was Norhala, red-gold tresses steaming; and close beside her were the brown curls of Ruth. At her brother's cry she turned and her arm flashed out of the veils with reassuring gesture.
Contemptuously Norhala stepped over it. We were within that chamber of the pool. About it lay a fair dozen of the armored men. Ruth's defense, I thought with a grim delight, had been most excellent those who had taken her and Ventnor had not done so without paying full toll. A violet flashing drew my eyes away.
"You shall teach our people to make these engines, Norhala, and we will make many of them. Queen Norhala you shall wed my son Kulun, he who stands beside me. And while I live you shall rule with me, rule equally. And when I die you and Kulun shall rule. "Thus shall our two royal lines be made one, the old feud wiped out, the long score be settled.
The mournful ghastly mount of death was our pony. And when I looked again I knew what I would see and see them I did two tall skeletons, skulls resting on their bony arms, leaning against the frame of the beast. While ahead of us, floating poised upon the surface of the glistening cube, were two women skeletons Ruth and Norhala! Weird enough was the sight.
Ventnor " Drake's panic cry mingled with my own. But before we could reach him, Norhala flew to him, like a darting swallow. Down the face of the Disk glided the upright body of Ruth, struck softly, stood swaying.
Why leave us again Norhala the Queen? Are we not of your people? Am I not of your kin? Join your power with ours. What that war engine you ride may be, how built, I know not. But this I do know that with our strengths joined we two can go forth from where I have dwelt so long, go forth into the forgotten world, eat its cities and rule.
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