Part 16 (2/2)

'Salome!' Taramis breathed the word, and the hairs prickled on her scalp as she realized the incredible, nuht you died within the hour of your birth,' she said feebly

'So thought many,' answered the woman who called herself Salome 'They carriedbabe whose life was so young it was scarcely the flicker of a candle And do you knohy they bore me forth to die?'

'I - I have heard the story-' faltered Tarahed fiercely, and slapped her bosom The low-necked tunic left the upper parts of her firm breasts bare, and between them there shone a curious mark - a crescent, red as blood

'The

'Aye!' Saloed with hate 'The curse of the kings of Khauran! Aye, they tell the tale in theeyes, the pious fools! They tell how the first queen of our line had traffic with a fiend of darkness and bore hiendry to this day And thereafter in each century a girl baby was born into the Askhaurian dynasty, with a scarlet half-nified her destiny

'”Every century a witch shall be born” So ran the ancient curse And so it has coht to slay hters of Khauran, with theupon their ivory bosoms Each was named Salome I too am Salome It was always Salome, the witch It will always be Salome, the witch, even when the round the civilizations to ruin, and a neorld has risen from the ashes and dust - even then there shall be Salomes to walk the earth, to trap s of the world, to see the heads of the wise men fall at their pleasure'

'But - but you-' stammered Taramis

'I?' The scintillant eyes burned like dark fires of mystery 'They carried me into the desert far from the city, and laidsun And then they rode away and left me for the jackals and the vultures and the desert wolves

'But the life in er than the life in common folk, for it partakes of the essence of the forces that seethe in the black gulfs beyond mortal ken The hours passed, and the sun slashed down like theof that torment I remember, faintly and far away, as one remembers a dim, formless dream Then there were camels, and yellow-skinned ue Strayed from the caravan road, they passed close by, and their leader saw nized the scarlet crescent on ician frodoia He tookareoe had steeped him deep in black wisdohtin her dark eyes Then she tossed her head

'He drovethat I was but a cos, and not fit to coht me He would have h me, he said, but I was only a harlot of darkness But what of it? I could never endure to secludeinto a crystal globe,over incantations written on serpent's skin in the blood of virgins, poring over es

'He said I was but an earthly sprite, knowing naught of the deeper gulfs of cosmic sorcery Well, this world contains all I desire - power, and poeantry, handsome men and soft women for my paramours and my slaves He had told e I have returned to take that to which I have as ht of possession'

'What do youout of her bewilder a few of uardsmen you have established a claiet that I aive you a place of honor, as enerous of you, dear, sweet sister! But before you begin putting me in my place - perhaps you will tell me whose soldiers camp in the plain outside the city walls?'

'They are the Shemitish mercenaries of Constantius, the Kothic voivode of the Free Companies'

'And what do they in Khauran?' cooed Salo subtly nity which she scarcely felt

'Constantius asked per the borders of Khauran on his way to Turan He hi as they are within my domains'

'And Constantius,' pursued Salome 'Did he not ask your hand today?'

Taralance of suspicion

'How did you know that?'

An insolent shrug of the slim naked shoulders was the only reply

'You refused, dear sister?'

'Certainly I refused!' exclairily 'Do you, an Askhaurian princess yourself, suppose that the Queen of Khauran could treat such a proposal with anything but disdain? Wed a bloody-handed adventurer, a doanized plunderers and hiredhis black-bearded slayers into Khauran But he is virtually a prisoner in the south tower, guarded by my soldiers Todom He himself shall be kept captive until they are over the border Meantime, my soldiers man the walls of the city, and I have warned hies perpetrated on the villagers or shepherds by his mercenaries'

'He is confined in the south tower?' asked Salome 'That is what I said Why do you ask?'

For answer Salole of cruel rants you an audience, Falcon!'

A gold-arabesqued door opened and a tall figure entered the chaht of which Taraer

'Constantius! You dare enter my chamber!' 'As you see, Your Majesty!' He bent his dark, hawk-like head in mock humility

Constantius, whom men called Falcon, was tall, broad-shoul-lered, sli as pliant steel He was landsome in an aquiline, ruthless way His face was burnt dark ay the sun, and his hair, which grew far back froh, arrow forehead, was black as a raven His dark eyes were jenetrating and alert, the hardness of his thin lips not softened ay his thin black mustache His boots were of Kordavan leather, lis hose and doublet of plain, dark silk, tarnished with the wear af the ca hisqueen with an effrontery that made her wince

'By Ishtar, Taraht-tunic than in your queenly robes Truly, this is an auspicious night!'

Fear grew in the queen's dark eyes She was no fool; she knew that Constantius would never dare this outrage unless he was sure of himself

'You are mad!' she said 'If I am in your power in this chamber, you are no less in the power of my subjects, ill rend you to pieces if you touch ly, and Saloh of this farce; let us on to the next act in the comedy Listen, dear sister: it was I who sent Constantius here When I decided to take the throne of Khauran, I cast about for a man to aid me, and chose the Falcon, because of his utter lack of all characteristics ood'

'I am overwhelmed, princess,' murmured Constantius sardonically, with a profound bow

'I sent him to Khauran, and, once his men were camped in the plain outside, and he was in the palace, I entered the city by that sht it was you returning from some nocturnal adventure-'

'You hell-cat!' Taraot the better of her regal reserve

Salome smiled hardly

'They were properly surprised and shocked, but admitted ave the order to the surprised guards that sent theuarded Constantius in the south tower Then I ca on the way'

Taraers clenched and she paled

'Well, what next?' she asked in a shaky voice

'Listen!' Saloh the caseruff voices shouted in an alien tongue, and cries of alarrow fearful,' said Constantius sardonically 'You had better go and reassure them, Salome!'

'Call me Taramis,' answered Salome 'We must become accustomed to it'