The Season of Passage

  The crowd began to applaud. Kratine spoke harshly. 'Your lover was like you in the beginning. He thought he could take advantage of me. He had to be taught the error of his ways. In the end, after much torture, he learned. Do I need to repeat the lessons for you, Janier?'

  She moaned. 'No.'

  He knelt by her side and his cruel manner vanished as quickly as it had come. 'Are you afraid ? You can tell me if you are. I will understand.'

  'Yes, 'Janier said.

  'You want to go home, don't you?'

  'Yes.'

  'As my emissary?'

  'Yes.'

  He stroked her hair and now his touch was gentle. I can be merciful. But surely you realize I have to choose an emissary I can trust?'

  'Yes.'

  'Can I trust you?'

  'Yes.'

  'Do you want me to send you instead of your husband?'

  She coughed. It was hard to breath in Asure. I don't know what you mean.'

  'Do you want me to send you?'

  'Yes.'

  Kratine helped her to her feet. 'At last I sense sincerity in your words,' he said. 'It is good. Now I know you don't mind abandoning your husband. Now there can be no doubt.' He smiled. 'Since the choice has been made, there's no need to keep him hanging around.' Kratine gestured with his hand to his aides. 'Lower our brave warrior into his bath. Excellent.'

  Janier averted her eyes. Yet suddenly there was an agonizing scream, and her head snapped up. Tier was writhing on the sinking metal chains as his feet turned to black stumps on the surface of the boiling pool.

  'Stop!' she screamed. She appealed to Kratine. 'Stop it! Please!'

  He regarded her with puzzlement. 'What do you want?'

  Tier's face twisted into a mask of agony. Blood dripped from his cindered feet into the lava. Faint red clouds of steam spurted over what was left of his calves. The audience cheered loudly as his cries rent the chamber.

  'You can't do this!' Janier cried.

  Kratine spoke calmly. 'But isn't this what you wanted? To go in his place as my emissary?'

  'But you said he was dead!'

  I don't recall making such a statement. He's a strong warrior. A little torture wasn't going to kill him. To be honest, Janier, you surprised me when you assumed he was dead. You are full of surprises. I have always found that an attractive quality in a female.'

  'You misled me! Let him go!'

  Kratine raised an eyebrow as he studied the situation. 'If I let him go, he'll fall rather quickly into his bath. That's what I think, at least. However, I am always ready to oblige a beautiful woman.'

  'You're terrible!' Janier cried. 'You're evil!'

  Suddenly her condemnations were choked off in her throat. Kratine had grabbed her neck, and he was strong, far stronger than she was. He pressed his face close to hers, and his breath was like the fumes that spouted from the lava, only it was cold.

  'Once more you accuse me, Princess!' he said. 'It was your own cowardice that put your lover in the mud.'

  I didn't know he was alive!'

  'You thought he might be dead, but you could not be certain. You thought only of yourself. You were willing to sacrifice him to save yourself. Isn't that so? Admit it. Admit your sin!'

  She pleaded. 'I didn't know.'

  He gestured to Tier, still screaming as more and more of his body was lowered into the hissing mud. 'You can be sure he is alive now. Look! He calls for you to save him. And I will release him, if you agree to take his place. Who is it to be, Janier? You or him?'

  Janier hesitated. Tier was badly hurt. She doubted he could survive long enough to be brought before Chaneen. Kratine would release him, and he would only die later on. It would be a waste. Plus she couldn't be lowered into that boiling mud. She didn't want to go in there.

  In the end Janier could not answer his question, and so revealed her decision. Kratine chuckled to himself as he spoke to his aides. 'Put the brave warrior in his grave, and be quick. He is to be admired.'

  Tier shouted forth a final burst of torment, and then there was silence as he disappeared beneath the surface of the lava. The audience settled back into their seats. Kratine squeezed Janier's arm affectionately.

  'You have passed a severe test, Princess,' he said. 'We grow closer at every turn. I know you are destined to be my emissary.' He put his hand on her back and spoke kindly. 'Is there anything I can do for you?'

  The chains that had bound Tier swung empty above the pit. I want to go home,' she whispered.

  'Of course. You'll be there soon. Just as soon as you take off Chaneen's ring.'

  Janier removed the ring from her finger, no longer able to resist. 'Can I go now?' she asked pitifully.

  'Throw the ring into the mud,' Kratine said.

  She intended to obey the order. But as she turned toward the lava, the ring slipped from her hands and landed on the black rock at her feet. She stooped to retrieve it, but Kratine stopped her.

  'You don't need to touch it again,' he said. 'You're doing well.' Kratine paced in a circle around her. 'Tell me that you renounce your people.'

  Why?'

  'Say it.'

  I renounce my people.'

  Kratine smiled. His teeth were white and sharp. 'Excellent. Now say: "I forsake Rankar's protection."' Janier remained silent.

  Kratine pointed at the lava. 'Have you not learned from your husband's example?'

  She had to escape, she told herself. It was all that mattered. I forsake Rankar's protection,' she whispered.

  'I forsake Chaneen's protection.' Janier could not speak.

  Kratine shook his head. 'What a shame, that you should delay. Time is precious. Now you will have to say it loudly so that all my lovelies can hear.' He scraped her trembling lips with a long nail on his right hand. 'The words are such a small thing.'

  'I forsake Chaneen's protection.'

  'Louder.'

  'I forsake Chaneen's protection!' Janier said.

  'Wonderful. Now do you have any questions you would like to ask before you return home?'

  'No.'

  'Nothing you want to know?' Kratine asked.

  'No.'

  'Are you sure?'

  'Yes.'

  'What?' Kratine asked.

  'Yes'

  'Yes, Master.'

  'Yes, Master,' Janier said.

  He was close, and her hands were free. Janier realized if she acted quickly, she could probably shove him in the boiling mud. But she did nothing. All she could think about was getting away. She felt so afraid.

  I myself have a question,' Kratine said slowly. 'Nothing really important, but a question I'd like you to answer as best you can.' He paused. 'Do you believe in your Master?'

  I don't understand.'

  'In me? I seem to recall you insinuating earlier that I had lied to you.'

  'I'm sorry.'

  I accept your apology. But let me explain why I ask the question. You indicated earlier that your people were noble and good, and that Asurians were disgusting and evil. Obviously you have such opinions because you are a moral woman. Your morality is what makes you human. Do you agree?'

  She hesitated. 'Yes.'

  'Very good. Now answer me this. In front of many witnesses, you renounced your people and forsook Rankar's and Chaneen's protection. Strong statements, I dare say.' He leaned forward and caressed the nape of her neck. 'But were you lying when you said those things?' Janier shook her head.

  'Your sincerity is very important to me, Janier. Are you being completely honest with me?'

  'Yes.'

  'Are you sure?'

  'Yes.'

  What if I told you I think you 're lying to me.'

  I'm not.'

  I think you are.'

  'No, 'Janier said quickly. 'No.'

  'Do you hate your King?'

  'Yes.'

  'Your people?' Kratine asked.

  'Yes.'

  'Your sister?'

  'Yes! Yes!' Janier cried, lying over and over. Kr
atine had suddenly reached out and grabbed her throat once more, and now his nails tore into her flesh. Blood flowed from her neck onto the front of her white gown.

  'You lie!' he shouted.

  'No!'

  'You try to deceive me!'

  'I swear. No, Kratine!' He threw her to the floor, and she grappled at his feet. 'Don't hurt me. I'll do anything you say.'

  Kratine's expression turned sad. 'Such a shame. I honestly believed for a moment there that you had opened your heart tome. Such a waste of beauty.' He motioned with his right hand to his aides. The chains that had held Tier above the lava swung their way. 'Such a shame,' Kratine repeated. The wrist clamps dangled in front of her eyes.

  'What are you going to do?' Janier gasped.

  'Surely you know.' He took the clamps and began to fit them around her wrists. She watched in horror, unable to resist.

  'No,' she moaned.

  'Yes, Princess.' He tightened the clamps securely. She tried to shake loose but she was too late. Kratine shook his head. 'This is a sad day for all of us,' he said.

  She moved to her knees and tugged at his purple cloak, begging. 'Don't put me in there! I'll be your emissary! I'll do what you want!' Suddenly her arms were yanked straight in the air. 'No!'

  They hoisted her above the pool of lava. Her arms popped at the joints and she kicked wildly, while all the time the audience laughed with pleasure. The mud bubbled beneath her feet and the heat scorched

  her skin. Kratine stepped to the edge of the pit.

  'Lower her,' he said.

  Fumes poured into her mouth through her gasping breath and poisoned her lungs. She began to go down, into the pit, into the fire. Sparks flared and splattered her legs. Sweat mixed with blood poured off her forehead, and she knew she was going to die.

  Inches above the boiling pool, however, Kratine bid his aides to halt her descent. 'Tell me that you hate the Sastra,' he said, 'and I will release you.'

  'I hale the Sastra, 'Janier whispered.

  'Tell me that you hate Rankar. Say it with sincerity. That shouldn't be difficult. Hasn't he already failed you in your time of need?'

  Janier began to cough and was unable to speak.

  'Lower her further!' Kratine ordered.

  Janier's foot touched the lava. The pain was immediate and overwhelming. She could smell her flesh burning. She screamed and screamed, unable to stop, even to beg her tormentor for mercy.

  'Wouldn't you rather have me do this to someone else?' Kratine asked.

  'Yes!' she cried.

  'To Rankar for instance, if he was alive?'

  'Yes!'

  'You hate him, don't you? For causing you this pain?'

  'Yes!'

  And Janier did hate him. In her heart, she blamed her King for not having destroyed Kratine and his people in the first place.

  'Most of all, you hate Chaneen,' Kratine said. 'She's responsible for

  your being here. While you suffer, she cowers in the safety of her

  Garden. I dare say she has forsaken you. Don't you hate her, Janier?

  Tell me that you do, and I will let you go. Don't you hale her with all

  your heart?'

  'Yes!'

  Kratine smiled. 'Excellent. I sense, finally, that you are sincere. You have passed another difficult test. I will keep my promise.' He gestured

  to his aides. 'Bring my emissary away from her bath.'

  Yet Kratine was wrong. Janier had lied to him the last time. She still loved her sister. She would never stop loving her sister.

  Janier was swung away from the pool. She collapsed on the ground' as the clamps were removed from her wrists, unable to stand on her scorched feet. Kratine knelt by her side and stroked her back.

  'Please don't kill me,' she whimpered.

  'I won't,' he said gently. 'I love you, Janier. How could I destroy one I love so much? Don't fear, I'm going to make you immortal.'

  She looked up, not understanding. 'Immortal?'

  'Yes. I can do that for you now. You see, now you are like one of my children, like one of my own wives.' He gestured to the watching throng. I have many, you know. They sit in this chamber right now. They are the fairest in all of Asure. They have given me many pleasures. But none, I think, will have given me the pleasure you 're going to.' He tugged on her hair. 'Do you want to be one of my brides?' Janier froze.

  He moved his hand and pulled at her gown near her hips. 'Don't you wish to be immortal? Certainly you don't want to die. I understand that. It's what makes us so alike. Our will to live. Do you understand?'

  Janier shook her head. She tried slowly backing away. The crowd giggled. Kratine still had hold of her gown. He slowly pulled her back to him and patted her leg.

  'You will understand,' he said. He stood and removed his cloak. 'I'm so proud of you. You have come so far. In your land you were only a Princess. Here, right now, you will become a Queen.'

  Still, Janier did not understand what he meant. 'You said you were going to send me home,' she whispered.

  Kratine ignored her for the moment and stepped to where he had deposited the eggshell. Taking the shell in his hands, he raised it to his lips and sipped the sickly green embryonic fluid. He swallowed with satisfaction, and returned to stand over her. He kept the eggshell in his hand.

  'I'm glad you decided to join me, Janier. For a while there I didn't

  know what I was going to do with the restrictions Rankar placed on my original plan.'

  'Rankar?'

  'Don't worry about him. The dead are dead. Besides, he isn't your King anymore. You forsook his protection, remember? I am your King. It's a good thing, too, for the Asurian future.' He sat by her side. 'Janier, are you aware of the passion you arouse in my royal blood?'

  Janier shook her head timidly. Now she understood. 'No,' she whispered.

  'Well, then let me show you.' He grabbed her gown and ripped it across the top. The cloth tumbled from her shoulders. Kratine licked his lips as he stared at her naked breasts. 'Excellent,' he said.

  She wept. 'Why are you doing this?'

  'It's necessary, and I enjoy it,' Kratine replied. I always enjoy my duty. But I could never explain to you the importance of my taking you as a bride, the profound significance of what we've done here today. The young can never understand the pains of old age: the loss of one's vitality and power. The young can never understand death. To them it always seems so far away. But for me, for too long, it has been close at hand. I'm not one to complain, though. I'm not concerned with problems. I'm concerned with solutions. Yes, even with the solution to old age and death. I assure you, I have discovered such a solution.' He shook his head sadly. 'Unfortunately, there are now too few Sastra left alive to carry out the full scope of my plan. Too many died in the war. You might be surprised to hear I didn't even want to go to war with your people. Be that as it may, there's no sense complaining about what has happened. The day may be lost but tomorrow looks bright. The future is full of promise. Chaneen's children will survive the blow I have dealt them. They will flourish over their lands, forgetting much of their ancestry, and losing many of their powers. But they will learn new ways of accomplishing what they want, and one day, one great day, they will come here. And on that day, they will be mine. Do you understand?'

  'No, 'Janier whispered.

  'It doesn't matter.' He stood and motioned to his aides. Instantly a dozen Asurian bitches emerged from the shadows and pinned her to the floor. They stripped her naked and yanked her legs apart. Kratine tipped the eggshell above her, ready to pour the embryonic fluid over her bare flesh.

  'You can't do this!' she screamed.

  Kratine snickered. I can't? Even at this late stage in the game you fail to guess what I can do. You would have fared better, Princess, to have jumped in the pit when you had the chance.'

  Janier struggled with what strength was left in her body against his brides, to no avail. 'Stop,' she cried.

  Kratine stared down at her. 'You are the scourge o
f your kind, Janier. You are the mother of the curse I now lay upon the Sastra. In time Chaneen's children will come to hate you, and I will triumph. My seed will bear fruit. I shall be immortal.' Kratine began to unbuckle his gold girdle with the hand that was not holding the eggshell.

  'Don't touch me!' Janier yanked her head from side to side. 'Chaneen! Chaneen, save me!'

  Kratine regarded her sympathetically. 'You were tricked, Janier. From the very beginning, you have been a fool. This has all been an elaborate ritual. There were worshipers present. I was the priest. You are the sacrifice. Now we will consecrate the sacrament.' Kratine tossed aside his girdle and his illusion of human form began to dissolve.

  Janier twisted her body off the floor, but was thrown back down. The shouts from the audience grew louder. 'But you said you would send me home,' she said, sobbing. I want to go home.' 'I lied,' Kratine said. 'Are you going to rape me?'

  I am going to love you,' he said with a grin. I am going to plant my seed, and then I'm going to make you take your bath.'

  Kratine's human flesh vanished. A hideous monster stood in its place. He was scaled, and coated with mucus. He had claws for hands and horns for ears. A roving black snake uncoiled between his legs as it searched for the place to enter her. Kratine tilted the broken eggshell and

  the embryonic fluid splashed over her body. Immediately her skin seethed with pain as it began to rot on her bones. The crowd began to chant a one-line prayer that echoed in her shaking head like a curse that would go to the end of time.

  Then Kratine climbed on top of her, and entered her, and nothing could have been worse.

  'It's me, my love,' he said in a voice that belonged to her late husband. 'Only me.'

  Janier opened her eyes and saw Kratine had put on an illusion of Tier's face. Quickly she shut her eyes, but he forced open her mouth and bit her tongue and sucked on her blood. Then the stagnant cold sprayed inside her, and the blood in her mouth cracked into ice. A numb wave of a million piercing needles crawled through her limbs and into her head.

  Janier began to die.

  Kratine suddenly pulled away, and kicked her, and spat on her. Perhaps he had not enjoyed his lovemaking as much as he had hoped. He spoke with disgust. 'Hang this witch for her bath!'

  Janier could not breathe. She was cold, so cold.