Hmyr Karphon awoke alone in his lavish tent, lying in the bed of silks and pillows that he always took with him, even on the harshest campaigns. He sat up and glanced around. Nalsyrra was gone. That wasn't unusual. She often woke before him. But in their lovemaking last night, Nalsyrra had taken him to levels of ecstasy he had never imagined could exist. And she had done everything to please him alone, not letting him worry about her in the least. This should have warned him, but he had been too caught up in the experience.

Now he knew destiny had taken his ageless lover from him at last. Deep within his soul, he could feel it. Thinking of things she had told him recently, of how long-ranged her plans had been for this campaign, he should've known. But he hadn't wanted to see it. And it wasn't as if he could have stopped her.

Weeping, Karphon lay back in the silks that still smelled like the only woman he'd ever loved. Not for an entire day did he emerge to perform his duties as commander of the Hareezan army. He wept long into the night and then emerged the next day with a hardened face, ready to bring battle to their enemies. To purge with war and brutality the sadness in his heart.

Within a few weeks, though, he would die, the victim of a sniper's arrow during a cavalry charge. His lifeblood and all his ambition would bleed out on foreign soil.

~~~

Guarded constantly by palymfar and without her qavra, Zyrella felt hopeless. All she could do was meditate and gather resolve for the battle she knew must come. She had endured a week of depression after the loss of her fingers. Not from vanity but from wounded pride, knowing that Mardha had gotten the best of her and that she could do nothing about it.

On this night, Zhura was full and high above the city. Zyrella lay in bed and recited mantras until she fell asleep. Hours later, she woke to find the room filled with the stench of strange sorceries. A foreign word hissed through the dark. Faint light from an orb hovering near the ceiling dimly illuminated her chamber. A shadow with sparkling eyes loomed over her. A shadow with a searing magic aura. She had never met this shadow before but knew her by reputation.

"Nalsyrra," Zyrella whispered.

"Greetings, High Priestess of the White Tigress."

"What does Salahn want now?"

"I have no idea. He doesn't concern me."

"What do you want then?"

"Much, but first, I have brought you a gift."

"I don't need any gifts from you."

"It is neither wise nor polite to treat me like you would Salahn. I am not evil."

"You serve evil."

"No. I serve the forces of Fate and Destiny which are neither good nor evil. Now stop worrying. I'm going to help you."

"Why would you act against Salahn?"

"Because it is my destiny for me to oppose him now, just as I have helped him in the past. I am here now to fulfill a purpose for which I have long waited. Helping you against Salahn is a secondary concern, however, and whether my efforts will truly aid you, I have no idea. What I am here for, Zyrella Anthari, is what you carry within."

Zyrella felt the hope that had been growing within her drain away. Her voice grew faint and she trembled. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do. I wouldn't be here if the child of Jaska Bavadi wasn't quickening within you."

Zyrella sat up, pulling the silver chains taut. "I won't let you harm my child!"

"I have no such desire. I have come to take him from you and raise him among my people."

"But he won't be born for eight months yet. I wasn't even sure that he existed until you confirmed it."

"You just didn't want to admit it. A priestess with your training and ability, trapped here with nothing to do but meditate, how could you not know?"

"Regardless, Salahn will kill me long before you could take the child. Or Jaska will defeat him and I will have the means to resist you."

"I'm not giving Salahn an opportunity to kill you, or Jaska a chance to arrive here. I'm taking the child tonight."

"That's not possible."

Nalsyrra smiled devilishly. "Such a ritual is known to me. I can transfer the quickening child from your womb to mine. It won't be easy, but within this night, it will be done."

"I will resist you."

"Only a fool would do that. You would risk killing yourself and the child. A child that I will raise as my own, a child who will be the savior of my people. He shall be born with your blood, Jaska's, and mine as well from growing within my womb. He will have all our talents, abilities, and resources."

"I won't allow it."

"What other hope is there? For years, you have known your fate in opposing Salahn. The wolf goddess Yaraya showed you this when she trained you did she not? This way your child will have life. So if you would rather that, don't resist me this night. Plus, I will give you something valuable in return. Something that may save the lives of the men you love."

Nalsyrra held a sliver of a gem before Zyrella.

"A qavra shard? How did you manage that?"

"It's whole, not a fragment. The process that forms a qavra didn't reach completion with this one. I have already cast onto it an open-ended spell of channeling, and I will place it into your womb. I had originally thought to use a normal-sized stone, but I fear Salahn would notice that."

"And how will this channeling spell in a qavra so small help me?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, but from what I hear you are quite resourceful." Nalsyrra lightly touched Zyrella's hand. "So, priestess, what is your decision?"

Zyrella gritted her teeth. "What else can I do? I must have some weapon to help Jaska and Ohzi. Besides, I can't stop you. According to Jaska you command power enough to worry Salahn."

"Not anymore. Not now that he's become like a god. But I have enough skill to prevent anyone from discovering us tonight, and the room is sealed well enough that none but Salahn himself could enter. It would take even him some effort."

"You work quickly."

"I prepared the room for this purpose a year ago. I had only to activate latent wards hidden deep within the stone." Nalsyrra stretched. "If it makes you feel better, I would make this same choice if our roles were reversed. I am sorry for you that it must be this way."

Nalsyrra drew various implements from a pack she carried with her.

"How did you get in here?"

"An illusion. I seemed like a palymfar to any who saw me."

"Then you could get me out of here and help me meet up with Jaska."

"The illusion is easy for me to do on myself, but I cannot place it onto others."

Zyrella knew Nalsyrra was lying, but she could do nothing about it. She would take what help the woman would give her and be thankful that she got even that much. At least her child would escape her fate. And she would tell Jaska about it, if she lived long enough to see him again. He could recover the child and see it raised properly.

Nalsyrra pulled the simple bed out from the wall and into the center of the room. She paced around it, chanting and gesturing. Glimmering light, like the dust of stars, fell from her fingertips. After twelve circuits, luminous gold runes formed in the air. Between them hung a lambent cloud like a scarlet-hued nebula. Nalsyrra moved inward, creating a spiral that stopped at Zyrella's feet. Where the final rune touched her heels, she felt a warm glow.

Nalsyrra removed Zyrella's gown. "You have an exquisite body," she purred. "The equal of Mardha's."

"And how do you know this?"

"She offered hers to me years ago."

"And you took it?"

"I'm not a fool that I would touch such poison."

With a strange, sweet-scented ink, Nalsyrra drew runes on Zyrella's skin, most of them tiny glyphs focused on Zyrella's abdomen, crossing just below the X Mardha had left. Each warm rune tingled with a mixed sensation of pain and pleasure. Nalsyrra chanted for an hour. Throughout, the runes on Zyrella's body steadily glowed brighter.

Nalsyrra stripped, and Zyrella marveled in turn. Nalsyrra's body was lean and well-muscled. Every inch had been tattooed with runes that now glowed with a scarlet cast. The patterns matched those on Zyrella. Nalsyrra paused to take a draught of date-wine from a canteen. Zyrella accepted some. She found it to be tolerable but not pleasant.

Nalsyrra licked her lips. "The only thing that remains is that we must have sex."

Zyrella sprang up as far as the chains would allow. "You can't be serious!"

"It is, I'm afraid, quite essential to the ritual that we climax together."

"That isn't easy, you know."

"It is with any partner I take."

Zyrella rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she found the prospect of sex with another woman immoral as some might, but it didn’t interest her. And with Nalsyrra…

"I hope that you will go along with this, Zyrella. I don't want to rape you, but I will do whatever is necessary. I have waited and prepared my whole life for this night."

"You certainly know how to excite a lover." Zyrella felt like she was bargaining with a demon, albeit a pleasant one. Of course, there wasn't much room for bargaining. She might as well go along because there was nothing to gain otherwise. "Only because I must."

"You will find that I am quite skilled."

"You must know that I will drain your powers."

Nalsyrra touched a second qavra hanging from her neck. "You will drain the energies I stored in this stone. I knew that you were a valrycca long before you did."

"Your skills must rival those of the Farseer."

"It only seems that way because I have seen every move I must now make a thousand times over. Any other event I couldn't read ahead half so well as this. And the Farseer's power is different than mine. I cannot move within the Shadowland as she can, viewing the past and all the possible futures. I see only the future I must work toward. I will never know whether I am merely a tool of destiny or if I'm changing the course of events."

"Does it matter to you?"

"When I was young, it mattered a great deal. But with age one sees things differently."

"You look no older than twenty-five. How old are you?"

"Ancient. Older than your White Tigress.”

“How can that be, unless you are…”

“A Qaiar? Yes.” Zyrella gazed at her, dumbstruck. One of the legendary and rare ancients was here in this room with her, a near immortal, a being to whom magic came easily. Nalsyrra knelt on the edge of the bed. "Shall we now?"

Zyrella murmured yes, nervously. She closed her eyes and held her breath. She released it as Nalsyrra's sweat-slicked skin slid against hers. Their lips met. Nalsyrra probed with her tongue. What Zyrella saw then in the strange woman's eyes surprised her. In them Zyrella saw an honest gleam of delight.

Bound as she was, Zyrella had little freedom for moving during their lovemaking. That was fine since she preferred to remain submissive to Nalsyrra's desires. She wasn't certain what to do with another woman anyway.

Nalsyrra hit every erogenous zone with patience and care. Soon, Zyrella began to feel arousal not just from Nalsyrra's touch and the seductive taste of magic in the air but also from seeing Nalsyrra's nipples harden, her sex glisten.

Bathed in Nalsyrra’s musky scent, Zyrella learned many new delights. An hour later, orgasmic shudders swept through both of them. For a few brief moments, Zyrella knew a pleasure stronger than any she had ever experienced, except for that night with Jaska. However, the enjoyable moments proved fleeting when the sorceries released. Pain erupted within Zyrella's womb. As if she birthed a child not of flesh but of ice and fire. Something like a miniature comet burst forth from her and entered Nalsyrra.

As both women screamed, the glowing runes on their bodies disappeared, then those floating in the air.

They lay tangled together in the darkness. Neither moved but simply gasped for breath and tried to calm nerves still alight with pain.

After resting for some while, Nalsyrra lifted her head and met Zyrella's eyes. "I promise to care for this child as my own."

"I believe you," Zyrella found herself saying. "Is the qavra within me?"

"It was transferred during the ritual. When you meditate, you should be able to locate it."

"It's strange that I'm losing something I barely felt, that a normal woman might only have begun to suspect."

~~~

Jaska and his companions didn't stay for the week of mourning and celebration the Yritti had planned. Neither did the twenty Yritti warriors who rode with them. It hadn't been their intention to bring the warriors, but Goat Shaman and the other tribal elders insisted, despite Jaska's warnings.

Cutting across the desert and back onto the scrublands, they made a straight line for Kabulsek and avoided roads altogether. That made the trip more difficult but not unmanageable. With Karphon leading a war in the East, many palymfar and most of his army were tied down. Besides, Salahn wouldn't oppose Jaska until he reached Kabulsek. Why bother?

How they would get into the city, Jaska didn't yet know. There were ways that few palymfar were aware of, but Salahn knew them all. And he could use his considerable powers to watch for Jaska through the Shadowland and find him. The only thing he knew to do was to ride in boldly and call upon Salahn to fight him one-on-one. The alternative would be fighting a hundred palymfar, Salahn, Mardha, and probably summoned demons all at once. No swords of white-steel would see him through that.

When they were only a week outside of Kabulsek, Nalsyrra came to them. She walked past the sentries and into their encampment without being detected. Jaska himself only sensed her presence a moment before she appeared. Since she arrived alone, Jaska wasn't alarmed. He sat calmly, staring into the smoldering remains of their campfire while the others leapt to their feet and drew their weapons.

"What do you want, Nalsyrra?"

"First, tell your companions to sheathe their arms before I'm forced to kill them."

"It's all right," he told the others. "Do as she asks."

"But we can't trust her," Ohzikar said.

"Perhaps not, but she is here to help us."

"You are astute, Bavadi, now that you're free from Salahn. I also bring word from Zyrella."

Jaska turned, but before he could reply Ohzikar asked, "H-how is she?"

"Before I visited her, low in spirit. She angered Mardha, and for this Mardha removed the smallest finger from each hand. Other than some light torture at first, they have treated her well, that one episode aside."

Ohzikar cursed. "Mardha will pay for that."

"Did you see her alone?" Jaska asked.

"Yes, and I gave her a tiny qavra that Salahn wouldn't notice, which was all I could do to help her. She is waiting on you, though she fears your arrival because she knows Salahn will use her against you."

Nalsyrra pulled a sphere of gold wire from a pouch at her waist. In the center hung a sapphire qavra. "I have a gift for you as well. Give this to one of your men and have him approach the city as you were planning. Salahn will think the man carrying it is you. Meanwhile, you can sneak into the city unobserved."

Jaska frowned. "I don't see how that will work. He will detect me in two places and be prepared for both."

"A mirroring of your essence will be channeled straight to this sphere as long as you're not more than a few miles away. Your signature will be in only one place. Your appearance will seem that way as well. Still, it's best if you remain secretive and move fast. I'm sure you will know the best route to take."

"What do you get in return for helping us?" Ohzikar asked.

"Nothing. I'm merely following the dictates of the Star Spirits and the destiny they would have me bring about."

"I don't trust her," Ohzikar said to Jaska.

"Nalsyrra looks after herself, but I trust her in this. After all, why betray us to Salahn? He doesn't need her help. She could have led him here if she wanted."

"I'm also doing this as a favor to Zyrella," Nalsyrra added with a sly grin.

"Why would you owe her anything?" Ohzikar asked.

"Because she helped me. No, don't ask me how, because I would die before telling you."

"What must we do to the make the sphere work?" Jaska asked.

"I have to attune it to all of those who will be going into Kabulsek with you. It would be best to split your numbers evenly and send thirteen with the sphere while the other thirteen penetrate the temple."

"How many are awaiting us?"

"One-hundred and twenty-seven palymfar with over three thousand soldiers stationed in the city. Ten palymfar elite stay with him at all times, including Adynarh. Salahn also has winged demons prepared for your arrival. He won't make a move until you reach the city. At that time he hopes to overwhelm you with soldiers and palymfar to avoid direct confrontation, thereby circumventing the prophecy."

"Does he know about the swords?"

"No, and they can't be seen from the Shadowland."

"Has he observed us on the road?"

"Yes, but briefly."

"Could he be watching us now?"

"He could be, but he's not. The Star Spirits told me when to speak with you. He and Mardha are both preoccupied now. As for me, I am using a sphere just like this one."

"Where is Zyrella being kept?"

"One of the chambers in the compound, but two nights from now, as you get closer to Kabulsek, he is going to move her into the temple and chain her to the altar. He rarely leaves the temple now. It is his center of power, and he conducts all his rituals there. Within a year, using those rituals, he will conquer the Shadowland. Perhaps two years remain before he opens the Gates of the Underworld."

"And that doesn't motivate you to help us?" Hyrkas asked.

"No, friend Arhrhakim,” said Nalsyrra, who could see through the illusion on them, “it does not. I do as I'm directed. If the Star Spirits wished me to risk my life more than I already have, they would have told me. So I must assume that his opening of the gates won't destroy the world."

"And if it does?" Hyrkas asked.

"Then that is our fate." Nalsyrra smiled. "Now, I have little time left. Are you ready, Jaska?"

"Do what you must."

Nalsyrra placed the sphere against Jaska's forehead and chanted. Faint lights glistened around the sphere and sparks ran down the gold wires. She touched it to his qavra and repeated the process. Jaska allowed the Yritti to pick thirteen among themselves to form the decoy group.

"Don't think that I'm slighting you," Jaska said to them. "I'm afraid this task will be just as much a death sentence as what the rest of us will face."

Nalsyrra then repeated the ritual on all the others. Finally, Nalsyrra leaned in and kissed Jaska on the lips, pulling him into a deep embrace, from which he promptly removed himself.

"It has been a pleasure to know you, Jaska Bavadi. I will keep this memory and nourish it for the rest of my days."