Part 9 (1/2)
”Good luck go with you, brother,” replied the Nepthalim with a shrug of his shoulders. ”The temper of the Viceroy of G.o.d is an uncertain quality at best. He is in his seraglio.”
Damis saluted the messenger and made his way toward the inner portion of the palace where the women whom the l.u.s.tful Viceroy had dragged into his harem were kept. He had no plausible excuse for pa.s.sing the guards into this forbidden portion of the palace, but that was a matter which caused him small worry. There were few of the secrets of the palace which were not well known to Damis, who had at one time been major domo of the building. There were some well known to him, the existence of which was not even suspected by the majority of the Sons of G.o.d.
As he neared the seraglio, he turned off to his right and pa.s.sed through a maze of little-used pa.s.sages until he halted before what was apparently a blank wall. Casting a rapid glance around to ensure himself that there was no one in sight, he touched a hidden catch and a portion of the wall swung inward, opening a way before him. He entered a pa.s.sage built in the thickness of the wall and lighted with radium bulbs. The door closed softly behind him. He removed his sandals lest even their quiet tread should betray him and on bare feet crept forward.
The pa.s.sage bent and twisted as it followed the walls until Damis knew that he was in one of the walls of the seraglio. Praying that it would work noiselessly, he slid open a panel of stone and found himself looking through a semi-transparent hanging into the sacred precincts of the seraglio itself. Glavour stood facing him, his heavy face drawn up in a scowl of rage. Damis noted with satisfaction that one of the Viceroy's arms was supported by a silk scarf and that he made no attempt to use it. With a pale face, Havenner stood before his ruler.
”The word has been brought to me from a source which I trust as much as I do your own word, Havenner,” Glavour was saying. ”I tell you, I do not believe your story. If Damis and Turgan were dead, the Terrestrials would not see them alive again on Earth. Neither would they have weapons of which we know nothing. One of our observers admits that he saw a s.p.a.ce s.h.i.+p land a few hours ago, coming from the direction of Mars. You failed in your mission, Havenner, and on you I p.r.o.nounce the doom. I sentence you to the twilight of the G.o.ds.”
”I appeal to Tubain from that sentence!” cried the equerry with dry lips.
”Your appeal shall be noted and laid before him at the proper time,”
replied the Viceroy savagely; ”yet, by the time he arrives, it will be too late. Ho, Guards! Take him away.”
Havenner turned as though to resist, but six of the huge Jovians answered the Viceroy's call. Two of them grasped him by the arms and started to lead him from the room.
”I appeal!” cried Havenner again. ”I brought back the maiden whom I was sent to fetch, and for that reason I made no failure. To bring her was the princ.i.p.al item of my orders.”
Glavour's face grew purple with rage.
”And who sent the message to Tubain which resulted in the orders which he sent me?” he demanded savagely. ”It was sent by one of your henchmen and by your orders. You slew the sender before I could question him, but I know whose orders he obeyed. Take him away!”
The guards started to drag the luckless equerry from the presence of the Viceroy, but Havenner made a final appeal for his life.
”I will confess, Viceroy of G.o.d,” he cried. ”No message was sent to Tubain. I dared not send such a message lest such orders would be returned as I caused to be given to you. I coveted the maiden for myself and I took this means of getting her. I had a false message delivered to you which would prevent you from taking her before Tubain arrived. In reward for my services as spy on you, I planned to ask that she be given to me. I surrender all claims to her, Glavour. Spare my life and you may have her.”
For a moment Glavour could not speak for rage.
”So you have been the spy who has reported my every doing and my every secret council to Tubain!” he gasped. ”But for you, I would long ago have conquered Venus and Mercury and declared myself independent of the Jovian overlord. In time I might have even overthrown him, but every move was known to him before I made it. Not once, but a dozen times, would you go through the twilight were Tubain not at hand. Niton, it is my order that the twilight be as slow as our instruments will allow.
Give him time to learn to suffer and to pray for the blessing of death at my hand. Take him away!”
The struggling Havenner was removed by the guards despite his efforts at resistance and his cries for mercy. Glavour stared after him for a moment and an evil gleam came into his eyes.
”Sonom!” he called sharply.
A guard entered the room and saluted.
”Sonom, bring me the Daughter of Man, Lura!” cried the Viceroy. ”When you have brought her here, post guards at all doors and see that no one is admitted under any circ.u.mstances until Tubain himself arrives and demands admittance.”
The guard hesitated.
”Your Excellency,” he faltered, ”the orders from Tubain were--”
”False rumors given out by the traitor, Havenner, who has now gone to the twilight of the G.o.ds,” interrupted the Viceroy. ”By the crown of Tubain, do I need to repeat my orders? I am Viceroy of the Earth and am supreme until Tubain revokes my rank. Obey my orders!”