Priestess of the Flame
Page 7
after all, a woman, with many, if notall, a woman's many weaknesses. And while even in his presence Lianewill say that her lover was at the beginning looked upon as no morethan a tool which might further Liane's power, he has won now a placein her heart."
I saw Hendricks tremble as she admitted her love, and that portion ofhis face which we could see flushed hotly.
"And so, Liane has elected to give up, at least for the present, theplace in the Council which she could command. For after all, thatwould be a remote power, lacking in the elements of physical powerwhich Liane has over these, her people, and in which she has learnedto delight.
"So, Commander Hanson, bear to your superiors this word: Liane willpermit a production of whatever reasonable amount of temite isdesired. She will remain here with her consort, brooking nointerference, no changes, no commands from any person or organization.Go, now, and take with you the words of Liane!"
I looked up at her gravely, and shook my head.
"We shall go," I said, "and we shall take with us your words. But Iwarn you that the words you have spoken are treason to the universe,in that you have defied the Council!"
Liane leaped from her throne, her scarlet lips drawn back against herwhite and gleaming teeth. Her eyes, dilated with anger, blazed downupon us almost as hotly as the flame which rose behind her.
"Go! And quickly!" she fairly screamed. "If you have no desire to feelthe embrace of the sacred Flame, then _go_!"
I bowed silently, and motioned to Correy and Kincaide. Swiftly, wemade our way down a long aisle, surrounded by motionless figuresstaring unwinkingly at the column of fire, toward the door by which wehad entered this great chamber.
Behind us, I could hear Liane's clear voice lifted in her own gutturallanguage, as she addressed the multitude.
* * * * *
Safely within the _Ertak_, we discussed the morning's adventure over alate luncheon.
"I suppose," said Kincaide, "there's nothing left to do but tellFetter as much as seems wise, to reassure him, and then return to Baseto make our report."
"We'll come back, if we do," growled Correy. "And we'll come back to_fight_. The Council won't stand for her attitude."
"Undoubtedly that's true," I admitted. "Still, I believe we should putit up to Base, and through Base to the Council, before doing anythingmore. Much, if not all, of what she said was perfectly true."
"It was that," nodded Kincaide. "There were scores, if not hundreds ofdoors leading into that big chamber; I imagine it can be reached,underground, from any point on the continent. And those windingpassages would be simple to defend from any form of invasion."
"But could these Lakonians fight?" asked Correy. "That's what I'd liketo know. I doubt it. They look like a sleepy, ignorant lot."
"I think they'd fight, to the death, if Liane ordered them to," Ireplied thoughtfully. "Did you notice the way they stared at theflame, never moving, never even winking? My idea is that it exercisesa sort of auto-hypnotic influence over them, which gives Liane justthe right opportunity to impress her will upon them."
"I wondered about that," Kincaide commented. "I believe you're right,sir. Any idea as to when we'll shove off?"
"There's no particular hurry; Fetter will be busy until evening, Iimagine, so we won't bother him until then. As soon as we've had achat with him, we can start."
"And without Hendricks," said Kincaide, shaking his head sadly. "Iwonder--"
"If you don't mind, Mr. Kincaide, we won't mention his name on the_Ertak_ after this," I interrupted. "I, for one, would rather forgethim. Wouldn't you?"
"I would, sir, if I could," said Kincaide softly. "But that's noteasy, is it?"
It wasn't easy. As a matter of fact, it was impossible. I knew I wouldnever forget my picture of him, standing there shaken and miserable,beside the woman for whom he had disgraced his uniform, hiding hishead in shame from the eyes of the men he had called comrades, and whohad called him friend. But to talk of him was morbid.
* * * * *
It was late in the afternoon when I called Correy and Kincaide to thenavigating room, where I had spent several hours charting our returncourse.
"I believe, gentlemen," I remarked, "that we can call on Mr. Fetternow. I'll ask you to remain in charge of the ship, Mr. Kincaide, whileMr. Correy and I--"
An attention signal sounded sharply to interrupt me. I answered itinstantly.
"Sentry at exit, sir," said an excited voice. "Mr. Hendricks and thewoman stowaway are here asking for you. They say it is very urgent."
"Bring them both here at once, under guard," I ordered. "Be sure youare properly relieved."
"Right, sir!"
I turned to Correy and Kincaide, who were watching me with curiouseyes. My excitement must have shown upon my face.
"Mr. Hendricks and Liane are at the exit, asking to see me," Isnapped. "They'll be here in a moment. What do you suppose is in theair?"
"Hendricks?" muttered Correy, his face darkening. "It seems to me hehas a lot of nerve to--"
There was a sharp tap on the door.
"Come!" I ordered quickly. The door opened and Liane, followed byHendricks, hurried into the room.
"That will do," I nodded to the guard who had accompanied them. "Youmay go."
"You wonder why we're here, I suppose?" demanded Liane. "I'll tellyou, quickly, for every instant is precious."
This was a very different Liane. She was no longer clad in diaphanousblack; she was wearing a tunic similar to the one she had worn onboard the _Ertak_, save that this one was torn and soiled. Her lips,as she talked, twitched with an insane anger; her amazing eyes werelike those of a cornered beast of the wilderness.
"My council of wise old men turned against me when I told them myplans to marry the man of my choice. They said he was an outsider, anenemy, a foreigner. They would have none of him. They demanded that Igive him to the Flame, and marry one of my own kind. They had not, ofcourse, understood what I had said to you there in the great chapel ofthe Flame.
"I defied them. We escaped through a passage which is not known to anysave myself, and the existence of which my father taught me years ago.We are here, but they will guess where we have gone. My old men areexciting my people against me--and for that shall all, down to thelast one, know the embrace of the Flame!" She gritted her teeth on thewords, her nostrils distended with rage.
"I--I am safe. I can command them; I can make them know my power, and Ishall. The Flame will have much to feed upon in the days which are tocome, I promise you. But my beloved would not be safe; at this moment Icannot protect him. So I have brought him back. I--I know he ... but Iwill not be weak. I am Liane!"
* * * * *
She faced Hendricks, who had stood there like a graven image, watchingher. Her arms went about his neck; her lips sought his.
"My beloved!" she whispered. "Liane was but a woman, after all.Darling! Good-by!" She kissed him again, and hurried to the door.
"One more thing!" she cried. "I must master them myself. I must showthem I--I, Liane--am ruler here. You promise? You promise me you willnot interfere; that you will do nothing?"
"But--"
Liane interrupted me before I could put my objections into words.
"Promise!" she commanded. "There are hundreds, thousands of them! Youcannot slay them all--and if you did, there would be more. I can bendthem to my will; they know my power. Promise, or there will be manydeaths upon your hands!"
"I promise," I said.
"And you--all of you?" she demanded, sweeping Correy and Kincaide withher eyes.
"Commander Hanson speaks for us all," nodded Kincaide.
With a last glance at Hendricks, whose eyes had never left her for aninstant, she was gone.
Hendricks uttered a long, quivering sigh. His face, as he turned tous, was ghastly white.
"She's gone," he muttered. "Forever."
"That's exceedingly unfortunate, sir, for you," I
replied crisply. "Assoon as it's perfectly safe, we'll see to it that you depart also."
The sting of my words apparently did not touch him.
"You don't understand," he said dully. "I know what you think, and Ido not blame you. She came back; you know that.
"'You are coming with me,' she said. 'I care for you. I want you. Youare coming with me, at once.' I told her I was not; that I loved her,but that I could not, would not, go.
"She opened a port and showed me one of her