Part 39 (1/2)
”I thought if the one, that you would follow Then I would be alone with the Goddess once more Cherkis will not slay theive the maid and the blasted one back to you for the arts that you can teach him
”Mercy, Masters, I meant no harm--bid the Goddess be merciful!”
The ebon pools of eyes were clarified of their ancient shadows by his terror; age iped from them by fear, even as it iped froly youthful, the face of Yuruk prayed to us
”Why do you wait?” she asked us ”Time presses, and even noe should be on the way When so many are so soon to die, why tarry over one? Slay him!”
”Norhala,” I answered, ”we cannot slay hiht--hand to hand The one, taken with her brother It will not bring her back if we kill hih whom she was taken We would punish him--yes, but slay him we cannot And ould be after the maid and her brother quickly”
A h and steady anger
”As you will,” she said at last; then added, half sarcastically, ”Perhaps it is because I who a that I cannot understand you But Yuruk has disobeyed ME That of MINE which I coiven to the ene to me what YOU would do Matters to me only what I will to do”
She pointed to the dead
”Yuruk”--the golden voice was cold--”gather up these carrion and pile theether”
The eunuch arose, stole out fearfully froging the the of them a heap One there as not dead His eyes opened as the eunuch seized hied ”Give me drink I burn!”
I felt a thrill of pity; lifted my canteen and walked toward hi out, ”he shall have no water But drink he shall have, and soon--drink of fire!”
The soldier's fevered eyes rolled toward her, saw and read aright the ruthlessness in the beautiful face
”Sorceress!” he groaned ”Cursed spawn of Ahriman!” He spat at her
The black talons of Yuruk stretched around his throat
”Son of unclean dogs!” he whined ”You dare blaspheme the Goddess!”
He snapped the soldier's neck as though it had been a rotten twig
At the callous cruelty I stood for an instant petrified; I heard Drake sildly, saw his pistol flash up
Norhala struck down his arm
”Your chance has passed,” she said, ”and not for THAT shall you slay him”
And now Yuruk had cast that body upon the others; the pile was complete
”Mount!” commanded Norhala, and pointed He cast hi She looked at one of the great Shapes; so it understood plainly
The star slipped forward--there was an al form of the black see upon the mound of the dead
Norhala threw up her hands Out of the violet ovals beneath the upper tips of the Things spurted streams of blue flame They fell upon Yuruk and splashed over him upon the heap of the slain In the mound was a dreadful movement, a contortion; the bodies stiffened, seemed to try to rise, to push away--dead nerves and h them