“Pyre! No!”
“You selfish damned hero, will you shut up! Think of the world, not of one willful girl named Tiana. When that has happened, if you love the world and me — and if my lady would be so kind — you will please set me afire!”
“Pyre — no, wait. There are things I would tell y — ”
Too late. He stooped, snatched up the awful diamonds, and pressed them to his closed eyes. Just as he did he said hoarsely, scratchily, with effort and as if from a distance, “Fire … ”
And the crystalline gems began to sparkle with liquid red.
He had succeeded in angering Tiana enough so that she did his last bidding. Her torch touched his oil-soaked robe. Immediately the fire raced upward, red and hot. It enveloped the wizard’s robe and the wizard so that all in an instant he was a thing of leaping tongues of flame. Flame red as blood. He stood erect, his limbs rigid and emotionless. No scream of pain, not even a groan, escaped his compressed lips. The crimson diamonds became eyes and those eyes held not mere pain, but a horror beyond all pain. Then the little chin-beard of peppered salt sizzled and leapt up in yellow that swiftly became red flame.
This much Tiana saw, before all was wrapped in leaping devouring scarlet flames that crackled and danced and ate. She stepped back a pace from mounting heat.
Oh, Pyre. Did you really have to?
The fire grew even more intense, and began to swirl. It roared. It was a great spinning whooshing pillar of flame, searing the marble floor, turning white, forcing Tiana to back away, raging up to ravage the high ceiling. Tiana fled that unnatural and ferocious heat and even so she feared that her back might well burst into —
As she reached the arched doorway into the cooler night, cold struck her back like a hundred hurled needles. She turned back to stare at the pillar of flame — which had turned green. Whatever it touched was covered on the instant with frost. The cold radiated by that uncanny aventurine flame was as fierce as the heat had been, though not all Tiana’s shuddering came from her chill.
The new phenomenon was short-lived. As she watched, the green fire waned and died. This time it was not replaced by aught else, other than the bright flame of a wizard’s life. Pyre stood there whole, unscathed. His robe was the color of freshest milk.
An awestruck pirate moved warily toward the wizard.
A trace of the fire lingered still, green flames that burned frighteningly in his eyes. Trying to be ready for anything, Tiana watched those eyes. If they turned clear, or red …
The last of the green fire flickered and was gone, leaving melting rime, and Pyre’s eyes. Yes, Pyre’s eyes: deep, dark, hawk-bright. Not diamonds. Not rubies. Jaspers, perhaps, or more nearly chips of walnut-stained glass. Pyre’s eyes. They stared past Tiana, those eyes, and their gaze appeared to be focused. Once again, she turned.
Standing in the temple’s arched doorway were eight figures enveloped in black robes. Pyre raised his hand, extended it, opened it. Within his open palm lay twelve effigies: tiny snakes. Four were broken into pieces. He commenced to close his hand as if to crush the remaining eight.
“Do you accept my terms?” he asked, and Tiana, caught up in the silent drama, jumped at his voice. The black figures went prostrate. “Good,” Pyre said. “Then go.”
Without sound or sign they slipped out into the night and were gone. After a moment of staring, Tiana’s awe gave way to anger.
“What folly is this? Those fiends are utterly without mercy, and you have granted them quarter!”
Pyre said, “Yes, I have. Quarter was mine to grant or deny. I gave it.”
Tiana gritted her teeth, closed her eyes for a moment, sighed. “Why?” she asked, in a voice slightly less loud and accusing.
He gazed coolly at her, brows only slightly arched, his mien seemingly imperturbable, he who had just been enveloped in roaring flame. And he shrugged.
“I had two reasons, Tiana. These are the last remnant of a great and noble race that was once lord of all the earth. Their ability to love and create beauty far surpassed ours — humankind’s. Look about at this temple. See the beauty he found in the human form. The time of the Children of the Snake is past and it is meet that I permit them to die in peace.”
Tiana looked closely at the statues. “By the Cud! No artist could make such perfect detail,” she said, and it was a snarl. “These were once living people! You speak of letting those monsters die in peace! I’ll wager that means thousands of years granted them to work such uncleanness.”
“True, but there is my second reason. My powers are at low ebb. Had I forced a fight, you and I would be joining this collection of statues.”
As she did hate to lose an argument, Tiana changed the subject. “Will you be all right? I have to go find Jiltha.” She wanted away from this man to whom she had made more admission than ever she had to any other.
Pyre’s eyes went blank for a moment. He smiled and refocused. “Jiltha is with Bardon. In fact at this moment she is conceiving his child.”
“No! I mean you’re lying! Bardon would never rape such a — a child.”
“You no longer know Bardon. We changed him, he and I. Moreover, Cignas prepared Jiltha for the Altar of Sacrifice. She is no longer a child, but a most desirable woman, in form. As for rape, it is more the other way around. Jiltha has long been more than willing to rid herself of the troublesome commodity you and her father sought to preserve. Oh, Tiana! Not so long a face! They are married, by sword-oath.”
“Cess and dung, I’m not worried about their morals! Jiltha is a throne princess. Her husband must one day be King over Han. Bardon had trouble being a good second mate to two such strong leaders as Caranga and me. Oh, he was entirely efficient at handling details, but I could never trust poor mope-face Bardon with an important decision. Give him a choice between two clear alternatives and he’ll find a muddled compromise with the disadvantages of both and the advantages of neither.”
“He is no longer mope-faced and has found a bit of confidence and self-respect. Besides Tiana — you have just described the way Hower rules Ilan. Bardon should make a fine successor.”
Tiana sighed, almost smiling. “Pyre — are you weary?”
“Come. You no more expect me to make such an admission than I do you. We share the world’s confidence and ego, Tiana Highrider!”
“Hmp. Well, as to Jiltha … there’s small profit in arguing over an accomplished fact. Unless … Pyre? How great is your magic?”
“You would have Jiltha’s virginity restored? A trifle.” He snapped his fingers. “It is done.”
Tiana’s face brightened.
“Now,” Pyre told her equably, “Jiltha is losing her virginity a second time and will Bear twins. If you like, I’ll restore her again, and she will have triplets.”
“Don’t bother. I’m sure Bardon must be growing tired. You know — I saw that snippy little beard of yours blaze up. How is it you are alive? Or are you?”
“I assure you that I am, Tiana. The fire that at last consumed the Eyes of Sarsis was one of purest sorcery. While there is some magic in every common flame, this entirely sorcerous fire was like a maze. I, having made … certain arrangements, was able to pass through unscathed but the Eyes, caught unprepared, were undone.” Still annoyed that the arrogant devil in his spotless robe had made sport of her in the matter of Jiltha and her “commodity,” Tiana was happy to glance around and see the chest from the ship of the Bear-Sarsis. Ah. The battle was over. She had set forth on a mission, and been … distracted. That distraction was now disposed of, by a demon of Ekron’s and by Pyre’s flames. Like it or not, she had failed in one aspect: preserving Jiltha’s status. There remained the chest; the spoils.
Let’s see … how can 1 cheat dear Pyre out of the Jewels of Ullatara ?
“You cannot, dear Tiana,” Pyre told her, and he too almost smiled. “However, I shall merely take those of the Jewels that possess powers sorcerous. You may have the rest, which is considerably more than half. Being a wizard
and certain of my Self, I am indifferent to worldly gain; baubles. Here, you may have these four diamonds. They are badly flawed and so their power is gone, for me. Not their buying power! The same is true of the emeralds in this crown. What need have I with six cracked discolored emeralds the size of eyeballs, set in beaten gold, when none is useful in magicking? Baubles. Ah. Now these, however, are talismans of great power.”
“You — you are taking gems that would ransom emperors and giving me the dregs !”
“Hardly, and besides no emperor is presently in need of ransoming. The normal mundane value of these trinkets, as I said, is a matter of indifference to me.” Pyre picked up a fabulously valuable necklace in which rubies glowed like clots of blood. “This piece is useful only in a spell to cure the diseases of certain long extinct animals.”
Tiana’s eyes glowed like emeralds as she reached for the rubies.
Pyre made them vanish within his robe, in which she felt he could secrete an entire ship, should he desire. “I foresee that Bjonn Northman shall — ”
“Bjaine,” she corrected.
“ — shall very soon marry, and this shall be my wedding gift to his bride.”
Tiana’s eyebrows rose as she considered. A smug look came over her face.
“Come come, Tiana. I said Bjaine’s bride, not you.”
“But Jiltha is wed, and I am the only other woman around.”
“There is Morna … ”
“As I said,” Tiana said, standing tall, chest out, “I am the only woman about!”
“Nevertheless the Nor’man will wed her. Nor could you possibly be happy with him.”
“He is a strong, strong man and unintimidated — I can respect him!” Tiana stamped her foot. “The flames destroyed your wits, Wizard! Morna is a nothing — less than nothing! I have felt Bjaine’s eyes on me! He and I are magnificent! He can take Bardon’s place as second mate, and Caranga grows older by the day … ”
Pyre looked at her with amused contempt. “Is it infinite, your capacity for shamming and lying to yourself? Not Bjaine, Tiana Highrider! Not for you! Besides — fortunately, in view of your present muddled state of mind, the matter is out of your hands. Do you think such as Bjaine could forget that you knocked him senseless with a blow — and skinned him?”
“Stop pretending you know everything!” Tiana practically shouted, with sublime disregard for the fact that Pyre, apparently, did. “I also saved the life of that magnificent big hunk of maleness with his yellow hair and arms like oaks! I am a skilled surgeon, and the skinned patch on his belly is only a minor wound. He’s suffered scores worse. Probably hundreds.”
Pyre sighed, nodding, nodding. “Yes,” he said, “Yes, yes. He also has a great need to dominate women, Tiana. He cannot forgive you for being what you are: a better warrior than he! Your skill as a surgeon would merely provoke morbid fears. Too, you misremember him because of Sarsis’s illusion. Morna, in contrast, went out of her way to let him enslave her. She will love his protection and his whip.”
“Oh, all that would change, with me! Scabs on the Back and mold in the Cud! He is a strong valiant man, and Tiana must have someone worthy of her!” Tiana stormed, sounding a bit plaintive. “Bjaine is the nearest I have found — why, I even said No to a king, up in Collada!”
“Tiana,” Pyre began quietly, but a great jovial bustling voice interrupted, and Caranga came storming into the temple that now entombed the last of Sarsis.
The reunion was joyful and triumphant, and while Tiana was busy tending her foster father’s wounds and telling all she had done, Pyre walked away into the night without a rustle.
*
Vixen sailed from Sonul somewhat short-handed, as many of the crew elected to bide in that city with a need for new lords. Tiana was glad of the extra space since it enabled her to provide a honeymoon cabin for Jiltha and a no-longer remotely morose Bardon. A few days out to sea, Morna came glowing on deck, wearing the necklace Pyre had promised she would have. She announced her sword-marriage to Bjaine and only smiled slyly when the ship’s master asked haughtily if she’d got the sword’s fiat across her backside.
Well, Tiana told herself, at least I didn’t really want the big ugly oaf with his stringy wheat-beard hair!
Thus ended the Eyes and the menace of Sarsis and the menace, to Tiana, of life with Bjaine. And thus, while Pyre bided alone and strove to test his new gemstones of sorcery and Ekron doubtless plotted in Naroka, Tiana Highrider returned to Reme in considerable public triumph and considerable private frustration.
It occurred to no one, save perhaps Pyre, that he had sworn the Oath by the World Fires, and of that swearing there must be consequences.
*
So ends Book II of three of the War of the Wizards
The Eyes of Sarsis Page 22