The Hidden City

Queen. Betuana laughed and gave in.
    And so they went out into the snowy courtyard, mounted, and rode on out into the streets of Sama. The sky was heavy with clouds that obscured the surrounding mountains, and it was spitting snow. They left town by way of the east gate and slogged their way up the steep slope to the top of the gorge.
    Sparhawk, Itagne, and Vanion rode in the lead, breaking trail for the Queen of Atan, who rode wrapped in her heavy cloak and with the Child Goddess nestled in her arms. There was a strange dichotomy in the personality of the little divinity that troubled Sparhawk. He knew that she was wise beyond his ability to comprehend it, and yet she was still in most ways a little girl. Then he remembered the naked reality of the true Goddess, and all hope of ever understanding her vanished.
    ‘Can’t we go any faster?’ Vanion demanded.
    Sparhawk’s friend had been in an agony of impatience ever since he had learned of the attack on Sephrenia, and Sparhawk had at times feared that he might have to physically restrain him. ‘Fast or slow doesn’t matter, Vanion,’ he said. ‘We can run or crawl, and we’ll still get there at just about the same time.’
    ‘How can you be so calm?’
    ‘You get numb after awhile,’ Sparhawk laughed wryly.
    It was perhaps a quarter of an hour later when they crested the top of that long hill and looked down at the town of Dirgis where the sun was shining brightly.
    ‘That’s incredible.’ Itagne exclaimed. Then he turned to look back down the trail they had just climbed, and his eyes suddenly went very wide.
    ‘I asked you not to do that, Itagne,’ Aphrael reminded him.
    ‘It’s still snowing there,’ he choked, ‘but—’ He stared at the sun-drenched snow-field just ahead again.
    ‘Why do people always want to stop right there?’ the little girl said irritably. ‘Just move along, Itagne. Once you’ve passed the crossover between the two places, it won’t bother you any more.’
    Itagne resolutely set his face forward and rode on into the bright sunlight. ‘Did you understand that, Sparhawk?’ he asked in a strained voice.
    ‘Sort of. Do you really want to hear about what happens to you when you step through the place where two hundred miles have just been abolished?’
    Itagne shuddered.
    They rode on down the hill and entered the city.
    ‘How much further?’ Vanion demanded.
    ‘Just a little ways,’ Sparhawk replied. ‘It’s not all that big a town.’
    They rode through the narrow streets where the snow lay thickly piled against the sides of the buildings. They reached the inn, rode into the courtyard just behind it, and dismounted.
    ‘Everything’s been fixed now, Betuana,’ Aphrael was assuring the Atan Queen. ‘I’m keeping him in a deep sleep so that everything has a chance to knit back together again.’
    ‘Who’s watching over him? Perhaps I should go there.’
    ‘No, Betuana,’ Aphrael said firmly. ‘I don’t have permission to take you there—yet.’
    ‘But he’s alone.’
    ‘Of course he’s not alone. I’m right there beside him.’
    ‘But—’ Betuana stared at the little girl.
    ‘Try not to think about it.’ The Child Goddess pursed her lips thoughtfully. ‘Engessa-Atan’s a deceptive man, you know—probably because he’s so quiet. I didn’t realize how remarkable he really is until I got into his mind.’
    ‘I have always known,’ Betuana said. ‘How long will it be necessary to keep him away from me—us?’
    Aphrael let the Queen’s slip pass without comment. ‘A few weeks. I want to be sure that everything’s healed. Let’s go on inside before Vanion has apoplexy.’
    Sparhawk led them into the inn, where the innkeeper seemed to be so engrossed in wiping off a table that he was totally obblivious to anything else. They went up the stairs, and Sparhawk was startled to see Mirtai standing guard at Sephrenia’s door. ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked her. ‘I thought you were back in Matherion.’
    ‘I’ve been lent out,’ she replied, ‘like an old cloak.’
    ‘You know that’s not true, Mirtai,’ Aphrael said. ‘Danae’s perfectly safe where she is, but I needed someone I could count on to guard Sephrenia. Let’s go inside.’
    Sephrenia was sitting up in bed when they entered, and Xanetia was hovering protectively over her. The room was filled with sunlight. Vanion went directly to the woman he loved, knelt at her bedside, and gently put his arms around her.