by JANRAE FRANK
"I cannot think of anything more that I can possibly do for your Twice-Born Son. Perhaps if I had a sample of the venom itself I could make an antidote."
"I will send my swan-mays to catch one of the creatures and bring you its severed hands. The venom is in its fingers."
"But even if I had an antidote, his life force is halved with the link broken. Dynanna refuses to let us bring her to him. She thinks he is dead and we are trying to trick her into coming to his sepulcher to claim his half of their shared soul that might be trapped there with his ghost. She escapes from us and runs away."
"As it would be, unfortunately." Willodarus' eyes hooded, brooding. The rite by which Dynarien had been slain had been so dark and terrible. The god would never forget gathering all the shattered pieces that he could find and never getting them all – some had been stolen, locked in the Legacy of Waejonan. He had punished the Waejontori, but he had not punished them enough yet and they still held those pieces of his son's soul. The god shook himself loose and leaves of many colors fell about him, materializing out of the air. "Then you must find a way to bring them into physical contact."
"I am trying, Holy One. I am very sincerely trying."
"I know. With all that has been happening, Fusaaki, I have not even taken time to ask if your travels were successful. I know they were longer than we expected."
Fusaaki looked up. "Hai."
"Shall we talk about it?"
"If it is your will, Holy One."
"But you are reluctant?"
"It gives me nightmares, Holy One. We were cornered, chased, trapped. We lost several gryphons."
"But you came through and that is what mattered. How did you find the uncleansed lands?"
"Two of the continents can be settled. The vegetation has returned. The taint has receded. Tiny species can be reintroduced. The predators there are huge, dangerous. There are also some tiny pockets of native sapients remaining, but in a twisted mutated state, horribly mutated. We managed to capture some and I examined them. I do not believe the genetic code can be repaired, even if we had lifemages to repair them."
"I had hoped for better. You did not happen to find any of Ishla's little demon-eaters, did you? She's convinced that at least one of them must have survived the Age of Burning. They're very dangerous and she does not want one of them falling into the wrong hands. They're very impressionable when they're young."
"No, Holy One. I found no demon-eaters."
"Something else is bothering you?"
"Yes, Holy One. The mage in Rowanhart. Because I was delayed he nearly died. I was only able to help him a little. Why is all this happening?"
Willodarus sat down on one of the silver chairs. "Your faith is a wondrous thing, Fusaaki. And your loyalty even more so. However, even gods are not always good parents. We are not monogamous creatures. When we have gotten children, half the time we forget about them after a few years until they get our attention or some else reminds us or they become a favorite."
"Like Dynarien and Dynanna."
"Yes. Just so. We get so many things on our minds. So many demands. And those two rascals don't always think to call for help. Any way as I was saying. I have not been a good parent. The three brothers, Brandrahoon, Isranon, and Waejonan were my sons by my daughter. I did not know she was my daughter until many, many years later. As usual, I had not kept track. I suspect, knowing now that Galee escaped, that she must have completed their corruption. Had I been harder of heart and destroyed her in a decisive fashion..." Willodarus shook his head, like a dog shaking off water. "Wild creatures do not kill out of anger or hate, but only to survive. That is how I have always been. Now it is to my sorrow."
* * * *
"Queiggy?" Aramyn found him in his cellar, working steadily on his translation of the journal. "I've asked Mohanja to give you some time off. You look like you could use some rest."
The yuwenghau had happily gone back to his old job as chief clerk the moment the palace was secured. He looked up, startled. "But, I don't want any. I want to do this translation."
"That's just my point. You need a nice, pleasant place to work on that translation. Some place like Imralon."
"But... I've never been there." Queiggy flushed, his cheeks brightening with his increasing uncertainty.
"I know you don't Jump, but I'm certain you must know someone you can hitch a ride with."
"It's a very long way if I took a gryphon."
"No. You need to Jump. Gather up your translation and the book." Aramyn took a satchel from his shoulder. "Here are samples of all our attempts to make an ante-venom. Healer's notes. Dynarien's dying. Maybe something here or some information in that book can help him."
"Dying?"
"Galee. All ten fingers. Go. Now. No arguments."
Queiggy lifted his backpack, which lay in a corner near the table, onto it and stuffed everything in. He did not bother with clothing, but pulled a pouch of coins from a drawer. Then he shouldered the pack and the satchel before walking out and leaving Aramyn to close up behind him.
His head spun round and round, and he could scarcely think. People spoke as he passed, but he forgot to answer. Aramyn followed. Queiggy drew his focus together. He had not reached out to his father in centuries and was not even certain that he could do it any longer. His head sank until his chin rested on his chest. The air smelled clean and clear, all the darkness had lifted. Channadar reclined in Dragonfly's arms, wrapped up in a blanket against the autumn chill. With each passing day, Channadar appeared much improved – except for the arm, which he would never be able to use again. The Fae danced for them. They paused, watching Queiggy, but said nothing.
"He leaves," whispered Channadar.
"He gathers his power," Tiderider whispered back. "Feel it. Feel it gathering in waves."
Queiggy walked into the Stalking Grounds, commanded the postern gate to reveal itself, and strode out onto the mountain. As he climbed, he began to Call. Queiggy found a sheltered spot and he Called and Shouted, extending his awareness through the sky and earth, for three days without result, calling first "Teakamon," and then "Willodarus." Finally he became a tree, giving himself over to the magic completely, and he shook his branches in rage and anger at their ignoring him when he might well have the key to saving Dynarien. For another three days he got no answer. Then he wept, his tears running down his trunk until they became a pool of amber beads.
An iridescent sapphire hand scooped up the beads and smelled them. "Lovely. They are as sweet as your heart is kind. You are a very strange assassin. But, then you are actually a holy avenger. My husband's sons and grandsons rarely turn to Hadjys, Queig."
"Grandsons – Mariko?" Queiggy's form swiftly shrank and shifted, his limbs dwindling to human again.
She smiled at him with infinite gentleness. "Hai. You have something to save my son?"
"Possibly. It's better than no chance at all." Queiggy quickly explained.
"Better. Fusaaki can use this I think." She offered him her hand. "Work on your translation in Imralon with us, grandson of my husband."
Queiggy put his hand in hers and they vanished.
* * * *
When Fusaaki returned to Dynarien's side later that day, he found Mariko and a strange yuwenghau waiting for him. "Who is this, Holy One?" he asked Mariko.
"I have brought someone to help save my son," she replied.
Queiggy unshouldered his satchel, handing it to Fusaaki. "The Guild was trying for an ante-venom. This is what we've produced so far. Also you'll find some vials of the original venom. I'm translating the creature's journal for more clues as to its nature."
Fusaaki felt his energies renewed by hope as he accepted the little yuwenghau's offering. "Who do I thank?"
"I am Queig, son of Teakamon."
The healer clasped Queiggy's arms in thanks. "Now there is a chance for him."
EPILOGUE
Arruth visited Jysy that night. Jysy knew, finally, that the episodes were not true dreams.
Willodarus called them visitations. Jysy did not quite understand it, but she took his word for it.
They sat on the beds in the suite they had shared in Creeya.
"I have the whole west wing to myself now," Arruth told her. "No one lives here anymore."
Jysy felt a chill run through her. When Arruth had been alive, the two sisters had been given to pranks – especially Arruth who had been quite audacious. Arruth had put the noodles down the front of Bryndel's pants while he was paying court to Talons before the betrothal. "What did you do?"
Arruth laughed, making Jysy cringe. "I chased them out. I killed many of them." Arruth took Jysy into the outer room of their suite and showed her the bodies. "I want you to kill the children. I will haunt you until you kill the children. Bryndel's children."
"I won't hurt them. I won't hurt Edouina!"
The ghost chuckled. "I'll make you, and you can't stop me."
Jysy screamed.
Then she blinked at the bright sun – too bright and hot for autumn – piercing the east window of her room. She felt disoriented: she did not remember where she was. Tears ran down her face and she clutched at the light coverlet, sobbing. She woke a little more from the dream that was not a dream, realizing she was in her bed in the palace at Imralon. While it was chilly fall in Creeya, it was a very warm, humid spring on the far distant underside of their world where Imralon lay on the continent of Sealandia.
Jimi reached her first, gathered her into his arms, and held her, letting her weep.
"Arruth. It was Arruth again."
"And who is Arruth?" Akira demanded, his tone severe as he entered the room, looking about for whatever or whoever had frightened Jysy in her bed. Her screams had awakened half the palace.
"Her murdered sister. Her ghost anyway," Jimi said.
When Akira left, Jimi wedged a chair under the doorknob. Then he returned, drew Jysy's nightgown over her head and began to kiss away the terrors.
THE END
SF/F/H FROM PAGETURNER EDITIONS
FROM PAGETURNER EDITIONS
STEFAN VUCAK'S EPPIE NOMINEE SPACE SAGA "THE SHADOW GODS"
In the Shadow of Death
Against the Gods of Shadow
A Whisper From Shadow
Immortal in Shadow
With Shadow and Thunder
Through the Valley of Shadow
JANRAE FRANK'S #1 BESTSELLING FANTASY SAGAS
Dark Brothers of the Light Book I. Blood Rites
Dark Brothers of the Light Book II. Blood Heresy
Dark Brothers of the Light Book III. Blood Dawn
Dark Brothers of the Light Book IV: Blood Wraiths
Dark Brothers of the Light Book V: Blood Paladin
In the Darkness, Hunting: Tales of Chimquar the Lionhawk
Journey of the Sacred King I: My Sister's Keeper
THE COSMIC KALEVALA
The Saga of Lost Earths –Emil Petaja (Nebula nominee author)
The Star Mill – Emil Petaja
The Stolen Sun – Emil Petaja
Tramontane – Emil Petaja
JACK JARDINE'S HUMOROUS SF AND MYSTERY
The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #1 The Flying Saucer Gambit
The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #2 The Emerald Elephant Gambit
The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #3 The Golden Goddess Gambit
The Agent of T.E.R.R.A. #4 The Time Trap Gambit
The Mind Monsters
Unaccustomed As I Am To Public Dying & Other Humorous and Ironic Mystery Stories
The Nymph and the Satyr
ARDATH MAYHAR'S AWARD-WINNING SF & F
The Crystal Skull & Other Tales of the Terrifying and Twisted
The World Ends in Hickory Hollow, or After Armageddon
The Tupla: A Nover of Horror
The Twilight Dancer & Other Tales of Magic, Mystery and the Supernatural
The Black Tower: A Novel of Dark Fantasy
Forbidden Geometries: A Novel Alien Worlds
HAL ANNAS' COSMIC RECKONING TRILOGY
I. The Woman from Eternity
II. Daughter of Doom
III. Witch of the Dark Star
THE HILARIOUS ADVENTURES OF TOFFEE
1. The Dream Girl – Charles F. Myers
2. Toffee Haunts a Ghost – Charles F. Myers
3. Toffee Turns the Trick – Charles F. Myers
OTHER AWARD WINNING & NOMINEE STORIES AND AUTHORS
Moonworm's Dance & Other SF Classics – Stanley Mullen (includes The Day the Earth Stood Still & Other SF Classics – Harry Bates (Balrog Award winning story)
Hugo nominee story Space to Swing a Cat)
People of the Darkness–Ross Rocklynne (Nebulas nominee author)
When They Come From Space–Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)
What Thin Partitions–Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)
Star Bright & Other SF Classics – Mark Clifton
Eight Keys to Eden–Mark Clifton (Hugo winning author)
Rat in the Skull & Other Off-Trail Science Fiction–Rog Phillips (Hugo nominee author)
The Involuntary Immortals–Rog Phillips (Hugo nominee author)
Inside Man & Other Science Fictions–H. L. Gold (Hugo winner, Nebula nominee)
Women of the Wood and Other Stories–A. Merritt (Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame award)
A Martian Odyssey & Other SF Classics –Stanley G. Weinbaum (SFWA Hall of Fame author)
Dawn of Flame & Other Stories –Stanley G. Weinbaum (SFWA Hall of Fame author)
The Black Flame – Stanley G. Weinbaum
Scout–Octavio Ramos, Jr. (Best Original Fiction)
Smoke Signals–Octavio Ramos, Jr. (Best Original Fiction winning author)
The City at World's End–Edmond Hamilton
The Star Kings–Edmond Hamilton (Sense of Wonder Award winning author)
A Yank at Valhalla–Edmond Hamilton (Sense of Wonder Award winning author)
Dawn of the Demigods, or People Minus X – Raymond Z. Gallun (Nebula Nominee Author)
THE BESTSELLING SF/F/H OF J. D. CRAYNE
Tetragravitron (Captain Spycer #1)
Monster Lake
Invisible Encounter & Other Stories
The Cosmic Circle
PLANETS OF ADVENTURE
Colorful Space Opera from the Legendary Pulp Planet Stories
#1. "The Sword of Fire" – A Novel of an Enslaved World" by Emmett McDowell. & "The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears" – A Novel of Peril on Alien Worlds by Keith Bennett.
#2. "The Seven Jewels of Chamar" – A Novel of Future Centuries by Nebula Nominee Raymond F. Jones. & "Flame Jewel of the Ancients" – A Novel of Outlaw Worlds by Edwin L. Grabber.
#3. "Captives of the Weir-Wind" – A Novel of the Void by Nebula Nominee Ross Rocklynne. & "Black Priestess of Varda" – A Novel of a Magic World by Erik Fennel.
NEMESIS: THE NEW MAGAZINE OF PULP THRILLS
#1. Featuring Gun Moll, the 1920s Undercover Nemesis of Crime in "Tentacles of Evil," an all-new, complete book-length novel; plus a Nick Bancroft mystery by Bob Liter, "The Greensox Murders" by Jean Marie Stine, and a classic mystery short reprinted from the heyday of the pulps.
#2 Featuring Rachel Rocket, the 1930s Winged Nemesis of Foreign Terror in "Hell Wings Over Manhattan," an all-new, complete book-length novel, plus spine-tingling science fiction stories, including EPPIE nominee Stefan Vucak's "Hunger," author J. D. Crayne's disturbing "Point of View," Hugo Award winner Larry Niven's "No Exit," written with Jean Marie Stine, and a classic novelette of space ship mystery by the king of space opera, Edmond Hamilton. Illustrated. (Illustrations not available in Palm).
#3 Featuring Victory Rose, the 1940s Nemesis of Axis Tyranny, in Hitler's Final Trumpet," an all-new, complete book-length novel, plus classic jungle pulp tales, including a complete Ki-Gor novel.
# 4 Featuring Femme Noir, the 1950s Nemesis of Hell's Restless Spirits, in an all new, book length novel, plus all new and classic pulp shudder tales, including "The Summons from Beyond" t
he legendary round-robin novelette of cosmic horror by H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, C.L. Moore, A. Merritt, and Frank Belknap Long.
OTHER FINE CONTEMPORARY & CLASSIC SF/F/H
A Million Years to Conquer–Henry Kuttner
After the Polothas – Stephen Brown
Arcadia – Tabitha Bradley
Backdoor to Heaven – Vicki McElfresh
Buck Rogers #1: Armageddon 2419 A.D.–Philip Francis Nowlan
Buck Rogers #2. The Airlords of Han – Philip Francis Nowlan
Chaka: Zulu King–Book I. The Curse of Baleka–H. R. Haggard
Chaka: Zulu King–Book II. Umpslopogass' Revenge–H. R. Haggard
Claimed!–Francis Stevens
Darby O'Gill: The Classic Irish Fantasy–Hermine Templeton
Diranda: Tales of the Fifth Quadrant – Tabitha Bradley
Dracula's Daughters–Ed. Jean Marie Stine
Dwellers in the Mirage–A. Merritt
From Beyond & 16 Other Macabre Masterpieces–H. P. Lovecraft
Future Eves: Classic Science Fiction about Women by Women–(ed) Jean Marie Stine
Ghost Hunters and Psychic Detectives: 8 Classic Tales of Sleuthing and the Supernatural–(ed.) J. M. Stine
Horrors!: Rarely Reprinted Classic Terror Tales–(ed.) J. M. Stine. J.L. Hill
House on the Borderland–William Hope Hodgson
House of Many Worlds [Elspeth Marriner #1]– Sam Merwin Jr.
Invisible Encounter and Other SF Stories – J. D. Crayne
Murcheson Inc., Space Salvage – Cleve Cartmill
Ki-Gor, Lord of the Jungle–John Peter Drummond
Lost Stars: Forgotten SF from the "Best of Anthologies"–(ed.) J. M. Stine
Metropolis–Thea von Harbou
Mission to Misenum [Elspeth Marriner #2] – Sam Merwin Jr.
Mistress of the Djinn–Geoff St. Reynard
Chronicles of the Sorceress Morgaine I-V – Joe Vadalma
Nightmare!–Francis Stevens
Pete Manx, Time Troubler – Arthur K. Barnes
Possessed!–Francis Stevens
Ralph 124C 41+ – Hugo Gernsback
Seven Out of Time – Arthur Leo Zagut
Star Tower – Joe Vadalma
The Cosmic Wheel–J. D. Crayne