Flight to Opar Read online

  He ran back to the second boat and repeated the procedure.

  Behind were screams, yells and the roar of the leopard, but he had no time to stand and stare.

  By the time he had the sixth longboat into the lake, he was panting. The bedlam on the isle was frightening, but he did not once look away from his work. There were six row-boats to launch after the longboats and one to climb into. He pushed and hauled and, after what seemed a long time, he was rowing a boat around the island. When he got to the other side, behind the temple, he beached the craft.

  Then he sat down to rest for a moment. For all he knew, the soldiers might have Awineth and be hustling her back to the beach. He hoped not. The longer the capture took, the more time the boats had to drift away.

  From the noises, the soldiers were not having an easy time of it. Nor could they expect to. The women numbered about eighty, priestesses and women from the village in the western lake. They would be inflamed at this desecration. Their lack of weapons would not stop them from attacking the men. Crazed with the drug, they would launch themselves without fear of death. The men, though fighting for their lives, would still be inhibited. They couldn't overcome a lifetime of conditioning. Not at first, anyway. When they found themselves seriously threatened, then they would.

  He rose and strode around the temple on a walk of flat round stones. Near the front, he peered around. There was no semblance of order among the soldiers now. They were milling around in the crowd, each man battling for himself. At least twenty of them lay on the earth in front of the bonfires. About the same number of women were dead. As Hadon watched, three men went down, each attacked by two or three clawing, biting, kicking females. A woman, eyes glazed, rose from one of them, holding in one hand the soldier's torn-out genitals. A trooper thrust a spear into her back and then he went down, his knees bending under as a screaming fury tackled him. He tried to pull his short sword, but a big beefy woman grabbed his ears, yanked his head against the ground and fastened her teeth on his nose. Both rolled out of sight.

  The big cat, blood dripping from its mouth, was trying to get out of the melee. He ran through the swirl, was half flattened when a struggling couple fell on him, rolled away, got to his paws and was confronted by a man with a sword; the leopard crouched, leaped and fastened his jaws on the man's throat. The cat whirled away, reared up and swiped once with his paw. A woman crumpled, her breasts torn.

  The leopard spurted through the human whirlpool, dodging, weaving, and then found the walk leading to the beach. He disappeared through the archway of the oaks. Undoubtedly he would swim across the lake and into the forest.

  Hadon ventured further around the curve of the building. Now he could see Awineth before the entrance, struggling with two soldiers. Arranged in a semicircle in front of her were the commander, helmetless, wielding his tenu, and five spearmen. They were hacking and thrusting at about twenty women. A woman seized a spear shaft and fell backward, jerking its holder forward. Two women grabbed him and the three spun into the crowd. Then Tahesa charged out of the doorway, two men following. Abeth was not with them.

  Tahesa shouted at the commander, who partially turned to speak to him. A woman grabbed the commander's ankles and pulled his feet from under him. He fell hard on his back, striking his head on the limestone. Tahesa sliced the woman's skull open, but another woman grabbed his sword arm and he disappeared.

  At that the other men lost all courage. They ran along the temple away from Hadon—he was glad of that—pursued by a howling, screeching mob.

  Awineth leaned against the entrance, her mouth hanging open, her breasts rising and falling quickly.

  Hadon glanced at the scene by the fires. The surviving soldiers were fleeing, throwing their weapons down, intent only on getting to the boats. Few of them made it to the oaks, and those who did would find themselves stranded. They would have to swim to get away, and it was doubtful that, burdened with leather cuirasses and helmets, they would elude the women.

  Hadon rah quickly along the front of the temple to Awineth. She looked up when he stood before her, her face twisted and, screaming, she attacked him. This was not unexpected, since to her he would be merely another male intruder. Even if she recognized him, she might have attacked him. The last time he'd seen her, she had been very angry with him because he had stayed behind to protect Lalila. In fact, she had tried to knife Lalila.

  His fist buried itself in her diaphragm. She bent forward, vomiting black liquid all over him, and collapsed in his arms. Throwing her over his shoulder, he ran as fast as he could to the rear of the temple. There was some activity behind it, but at the other side. Hadon got to the boat without being observed and placed Awineth on its deck. He pushed the boat out, climbed in and began rowing. Just before dawn, he pulled into the narrow river feeding into the lake. The vegetation closed around them, blocking them from the view of the soldiers who had stayed on the mainland. Awineth had awakened, but she was too sick to do anything but moan and stare at him. Some time later, she had recovered enough to curse him.

  He hadn't expected gratitude.

  7.

  About three hours later, the boat left the river and entered the western lake. This was three miles wide. Judging from its shape as seen from the mountain the day before, its length was six or seven miles. The oak forest circled it; beyond that, higher up, grew the pines.

  The sun shone on the square green sails of a number of fishing craft of different sizes. Here and there were boats propelled by paddlers, hauling seines behind them.

  Hadon made for the island about a mile away, though he paused several times to answer the questions of the fisherfolk. They were almost pure Khoklem stock, descendants of those who had first peopled the great island of Khokarsa. They were short, snub-nosed, thick-lipped and straight of hair. Their skins were darker than those of the city-dwellers, who were mixtures of Khoklem and the later arrivals, the Klemsaasa. The men wore round wide-brimmed straw hats and loincloths; the women, conical brimless straw hats and loincloths. The children wore nothing. All were painted on the forehead with a blue stylized horned fish.

  Hadon had some trouble making himself understood, since they spoke a dialect. Their vocabulary was different and they still retained some click-consonants which had dropped out of standard Khokarsan over a thousand years ago.

  Awineth took over then. She understood them much better, though not wholly, since their tongue resembled the ritual language of the priestesses. When they learned that she was Queen Awineth, the high priestess, they broke into an uproar. They had known she was at the Isle of Karneth because, on reaching the eastern lake, Awineth had sent the rest of the party on. Now, learning about the events of last night, the villagers were troubled. Several boats set off at once after Awineth ordered them to get their women off the island. They were to bring back the priestesses also, if they still lived and if they did not refuse to desert their posts.

  Hadon and Awineth transferred to a seine boat, which took them to an island village, about a hundred feet wide and a half-mile long, dotted here and there with huts on the shore. The stockaded village was on the northern shore. Drums on their boat had notified the people of their coming, and so a crowd awaited them on the docks. This was mainly composed of children, men and some women too old to attend the rites.

  In their front, smiling, were Hinokly, Kebiwabes, Paga and the child Abeth. Their smiles faded, though, when they could not find Lalila.

  Hadon jumped to the platform of the dock and embraced each one. Abeth, beautiful, golden-haired, violet-eyed, threw herself into his arms and cried for her mother.

  Hadon shouted to make himself heard above the gabble.

  "Lalila is safe! I had to leave her in the southern pass! We'll go get her as soon as I've had some rest!"

  Awineth climbed out, assisted by the chief, and she spoke rapidly to him. He turned and yelled until he had everybody's attention. He spoke quickly and fiercely, pointing to the east. A man ran into the largest building, a lo
nghouse built of pine and oak, covered with the carved heads of beasts, birds, fish and spirits of the lake and forest. A minute later the man appeared on top of the hall and began beating on a large drum. Those boats still on the lake began to make their way toward the island.

  Awineth summoned Hadon to her.

  "The rest of the soldiers should be on their way here. They won't have boats, but they have axes, and they can build rafts. These people are peaceful; they know little of organized warfare. I think it best that we keep on going. The valley beyond the next valley is large and well populated with devout worshipers of Kho. In fact, there is a college of priestesses there, where we can be safe. The pass into the valley is trapped; it can be closed at any time. We would be safe for a long time, and I can conduct my campaign from there."

  "Are you asking me or telling me?" Hadon said.

  "I want your advice. After all, you are a soldier. And you , would have been my husband… if Kho had not dictated otherwise."

  "Are you up to continuing?" he said. "You've been awake all night and must be terribly tired after the flight and the… strenuous rites. As for me, I am too exhausted to walk, let alone run."

  "If I can do it, you can," she said scornfully. "Besides, I was thinking of getting just far enough away so we can hole up some place and sleep. We don't want to be on this island when they come."

  "We can't try for the main pass," he said. "For all we know, soldiers may have been sent there to hold it. Do the fishermen know of any other passes, ones which strangers would not be aware of?"

  "The headman has told me there is one. It is difficult but it can be traversed. Some of his men will guide us."

  "Then I think the other tribesmen should follow us, trampling our tracks to confuse the soldiers. When we get to a place where we won't be leaving tracks, a rocky place, for instance, they will go in a different direction, leading our pursuers astray."

  "That is the kind of advice I want," she said. She looked into his eyes for a moment, then said, "I need you, Hadon. I want you to lead us, to guard your Queen and the chief agent of great Kho. So if you are thinking of going back to get that yellow-haired savage, that bitch Lalila, forget it."

  "She can't walk!" Hadon said. "You know that! She will starve!"

  "It's too good a death for her," Awineth said. Hearing this, seeing her smile of triumph and hate, Hadon felt himself sway. A shock ran through him and for a moment everything became dimly red.

  "Would you dare?" Awineth shrilled. He became aware that he had raised his fist, that Awineth had stepped back.

  He breathed in deeply and lowered his hand. His voice shook as he said, "This is not the order of a great ruler. To condemn a woman who has done you no harm…"

  "No harm!" she shouted. "No harm! She stole your love from me; she bewitched you! She is indeed the Witch-from-the-Sea, Hadon! She took your senses away, she turned you into a traitor! And you know what happens to traitors, Hadon! And you are not just a traitor to the Queen, Hadon! You are a blasphemer, an infidel! To turn against the one who speaks for Kho is to turn against Kho Herself!"

  "I have not betrayed you," he said. "I have fought for you, helped you escape from Minruth! Would you be free today if it were not for me? If I had not stayed to fight at that pass, would you be free?"

  "You stayed because of Lalila, not because of me!" she yelled.

  "I stayed for both of you," he said. "Even if she had been able to walk, I would have stayed!"

  "Yes, so you could delay them long enough for her to escape!"

  The chief said something to her. She turned and spoke rapidly. Then she said to Hadon, "He wants to know if you are friend or enemy. He said that you can be killed now if I so order."

  Hadon forced back the words choking his throat. He said, "What are your orders?"

  "That we leave at once."

  She began speaking to the chief again. Hadon walked away and sat down on the stoop of the longhouse. Abeth, frightened at the angry talk, ran to him. He put her on his knee and held her. She wept again. His three friends surrounded him.

  Paga, the manling, spoke first.

  "Do you really intend to leave Lalila there? To die?"

  Hadon looked up. In a low voice, he said, "You are all my friends. I know you won't betray me. No, I do not intend to desert her. But now I must pretend to obey Awineth. If I do not, she will have me killed. When we get to the forest, I will leave at the first chance. But it is a hard thing to do, friends. It brings problems. How can I rejoin you if I have disobeyed Awineth and if I bring Lalila back with me? Awineth is capable of having both of us killed."

  "So what do I do then? If Lalila and I do not rejoin you, she will never see Abeth again. She could not endure that; she has had sorrow enough."

  Paga said, "First get Lalila. Then think of how to get Abeth away from Awineth. But do not forget that I want to be with Lalila and her daughter. I, too, would grieve if anything were to happen to either of them. But I would make sure that Awineth did not live. She would have little time to enjoy her revenge."

  Kebiwabes and Hinokly were shocked. Though they did not love Awineth, they held her in great reverence. It was blasphemy to even think about harming the highest priestess.

  Kebiwabes said, "There must be a way. You are too tired to think clearly now, Hadon. Once you have rested, you will find a way. It need not involve the killing of Awineth."

  "Paga said that, not I," Hadon said. "Though, come to think of it…"

  He fell silent. No use upsetting his friends even more.

  Paga said, "When you leave, take Abeth and me along. Then you will not have to come back."

  "Your legs are too short, Paga. And the child would also hinder me. I must get to Lalila as quickly as possible. She doesn't have much water or food, and there are leopards and hyenas against which she would be helpless."

  "Take us with you for some distance then. Leave us where we will be hidden from Minruth's and Awineth's people alike. Then come back with Lalila."

  "And where would you go then?" Hinokly asked.

  "Far away."

  "And spend the rest of your life running and hiding?"

  "What else have Lalila, the child and I been doing for years?" Paga said angrily. "What is the great and glorious Queen of the mighty Empire of Khokarsa doing now? She is running and hiding. But I do not plan to live the rest of my days like a hare. No, I know of a place where we could go and be far from Minruth and Awineth and all the other plagues that make this civilized nation a pesthole."

  Paga glared and looked around him. Hadon studied him. Though the manling stood no higher than Hadon's solar plexus, though he was a savage from the icy lands beyond the Ringing Sea, he was highly intelligent and resourceful. He was perhaps the shrewdest and most perceptive of the group.

  He had a large head topped by a tangled mass of brown, gray-threaded hair. His shoulders were as broad as Hadon's; his arms were thickly muscled and long. His torso was thick, long and potbellied. If only his legs were not so short, he would have made an impressive figure of a man. A frightening one, perhaps. One eye was filmed, milky and ringed with thick scar tissue. His wild bushy beard fell almost to his scarred belly button. When he opened his mouth, he exposed extraordinarily thick teeth, beast-like.

  His mother had cast him into the wild shortly after he was born. Something about him repelled her, though it may have been that she was sick, or that she had an ominous dream about him. In any event, he was hurled against a stone and he lost one eye when he struck it. His mother walked away and his father, though he searched for him, could not find him.

  Paga claimed that he would have died, but a wolf-bitch had found him and brought him to her den. Instead of eating him, she had raised him with her cubs.

  Hadon did not know if this was true, though he could see no reason for Paga to lie. There were stories throughout Khokarsa of babies who had been taken in by female beasts: bears, hyenas, wild dogs, lions. He had never met any of these—they were always in the far di
stant past or in a far-off land.

  Whatever the truth of the story, Paga had been accepted back into his native tribe. There he had met Wi, who became his only friend. Paga had made an ax for Wi from a fallen star, a massive lump of nickel-iron. Wi had used the ax to kill a giant who had tyrannized over the tribe.

  Paga had another friend too, Lalila. She had been found in a cave by Wi, who had taken her into his home, though he had a mate and a child. The women did not like her; they claimed that she was a witch from the sea and so should be put to death. She brought misfortune and evil with her.

  Paga had hated all women because of what his mother had done to him. Lalila, however, treated him kindly and so won his love. He was ready to die for her, to die if she went out of his life.

  Later, the glacier near the village of Wi had moved in and forced the people to flee. Lalila had been separated from Wi, but she swam through the icy cold waters to the iceberg on which Wi and Paga were stranded. Though this melted as it floated south, the three managed to get to land. From the shore they walked far inland to Lalila's native village. It was deserted; the inhabitants had died of plague or fled enemies.

  There Lalila's child by Wi was born. Near there Wi was slain defending his woman and child, swinging his great ax until he had corpses piled up before him. All seemed lost then, but a stranger appeared, armed with a bow and arrow. He killed the savages and took the three under his protection. Lalila had then become with child by him, but she had a miscarriage.

  The stranger took them south and, after much wandering, they were south of the Ringing Sea. They met the expedition of which Hinokly was a member. The Khokarsans thought the stranger was Sahhindar, the exiled god of bronze, plants and time, Resu's younger brother. Sahhindar, using his authority as the supposed god, ordered this expedition to take the three back to Khokarsa. He ordered that they be treated well since he would some day come to Khokarsa to make sure of their well-being.