The Emperor of Everything

For a moment she seemed to regard his remark as an insult. Her nostrils flared, and she opened her mouth as though to utter some stern reproof. But then she saw that he was smiling, and her annoyance seemed to evaporate, and she laughed. “Why not? I must have a new trade in this new world, since I’m no longer a princess. Maybe I’ll be a washerwoman.”

“You’ll be the most beautiful washerwoman on Sook,” he said.

“Do you think so? Yet you don’t join me.”

“I wish I could, but what if a barge appeared at an awkward moment? If I were forced to suddenly choose between salvation and consummation, I fear I might be indecisive.”

“Oh,” she said, but her eyes were shining. “Well, at least I’ll be sweeter tonight than I was last night.”

“You were sweet enough for me last night,” he said.

When she was done, he stripped and scrubbed off as quickly as he could. From the corner of his eye, he watched her slosh his clothes about inexpertly in the little brook. When he put them on, they were soaking wet and not much cleaner than before, but he thanked her solemnly.

The Pharaohan men scurried toward the fountain as Ruiz and Nisa left the bower. Ruiz admonished them to be ready for swift action, and left them to their ablutions.

Ruiz spent the rest of the afternoon on the bank, listening for a barge, but giving most of his attention to Nisa, who sat beside him, leaning against his shoulder. She spoke of her former life on Pharaoh, as she had done during the days they spent imprisoned in Corean’s apartments, but Ruiz detected a difference in her attitudes. Before, she had recounted the wonders of her father’s palace with great pride. Now her recollections were apparently diminished by the new knowledge she had acquired — it was as if she looked back through the wrong end of a telescope, so that everything she remembered was smaller and grubbier, compared to the things she’d seen since her capture. And yet… her wistful affection for the things she had lost was more obvious than ever, as though she no longer took for granted those familiar pleasures.

As the time passed and the sun dropped lower in the sky and no barges appeared, Ruiz became increasingly tense. Finally he decided he must prepare for the worst. If Corean had made the best possible time, she might well arrive within the hour.

He called the others over. “Listen,” he said. “There’s a chance that Corean may get here before the sun goes down. If not, we’ll be safe for the night — remember, the Shards permit no high-speed night travel on Sook. But… if she does arrive, we’ll have to be ready.

“I’m going to hide on top of the gate. I may get a clear shot. In any case, if Corean comes you’ll be on your own — run into the woods and try to get away.”

He sent Dolmaero and Flomel to the south side of the clearing. “You watch and listen — if you see or hear anything coming, shout. If Flomel gives trouble, pitch him in the canal.”

He gathered Nisa to him, held her tight, kissed her. “You and Molnekh watch from the north.”

She hugged him with all her strength, then went off without another word.

When the others were in place, he climbed the gate. He had some difficulty with the smooth granite, but the carving was sufficiently deep to provide a few handholds and footholds. He reached the lintel, then eased himself into the crevice between the reptile’s body and folded wing. He was high enough to see over most of the treetops; perhaps he would spot Corean’s airboat in time to give the others enough warning to scatter into the woods.

Ruiz Aw tried to find a comfortable perch, but was only partly successful. He was as ready as he could be. He tried not to think of anything but the satisfaction he would take in killing Corean.

Chapter 5

Ruiz Aw’s emotions ran along a steep curve. At first they plummeted into fatalistic despair, as he waited for Corean’s airboat. But as the sun dropped toward the horizon and she did not come, his hopes flared up brightly. One more night; was that too ambitious a favor to ask of his luck? He began to believe it might not be.

He was so involved in this fantasy of delayed destruction that he didn’t react for a moment when Molnekh shouted.

“What?” he yelled back.

“Something’s coming!” The tone of Molnekh’s shout wasn’t entirely joyful, however.

Ruiz took one last look up toward the pass. No sign of Corean. He crawled out of his hiding spot, to discover that his legs had gone a bit numb from his uncomfortable perch.

He reached the ground without falling and hobbled toward Molnekh and Nisa at his best speed.

Corean paced the control blister of the survey sled she’d borrowed from her starboat. “Can you push this thing no faster?” she demanded of the creature who sat at the controls.