Gemmell, David - Drenai - 07 by Gemmell David

Author:Gemmell, David [Gemmell, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-06-12T12:21:08+00:00

Zhusai had endured a troubled night, with strange dreams filling her mind. Men were dragging her through a twisted landscape, chaining her in a dark, gloomy chamber. Names were screamed at her: ‘Witch! Whore!’ Blows struck her face and body.

She had opened her eyes, her heart hammering in panic. Jumping from her bed she had run to the window, throwing it open and breathing deeply of the cool night air. Too frightened to return to sleep, she had walked out into the open yard before the Shrine. Talisman and Gorkai were sitting there as she approached and Talisman rose. ‘Are you well, Zhusai?’ he asked, taking her arm. ‘You are very pale.’

‘I had a terrible dream but it is fading now.’ She smiled. ‘May I sit with you?’

‘Of course.’

The three of them had discussed the search for the Eyes of Alchazzar. Talisman had checked the Shrine Room thoroughly, scanning walls and floor for hidden compartments, but there were none. Together with Gorkai he had even lifted the stone coffin lid and examined the dried bones within. There was nothing to be found, save a lon-tsia of heavy silver bearing the heads of Oshikai and Shul-sen. ‘He had left it with the bones and carefully replaced the lid.

‘Oshikai’s spirit told me the Eyes were hidden here, but I cannot think where else to look,’ said Talisman.

Zhusai stretched herself out beside the men, and drifted to sleep …

A slim man with burning eyes pushed his face into her own, biting her lip until it bled. ‘Now you die, witch, and not before time.’ She spat in his face.

‘Then I shall be with my love,’ she said, ‘and will never have to look upon your worthless face again!’ He struck her then, savagely, repeatedly. Then he grabbed her hair. ‘You’ll never see him this side of eternity.’ Holding up his hand he showed her five small golden spikes. ‘With these I shall put out your eyes, and pierce your ear-drums. The last I will drive through your tongue. Your spirit will be mine, throughout time. Chained to me, as you should have been in life. Do you want to beg? If I cut you loose will you fall down on your knees and swear loyalty to me?’

Zhusai wanted to say yes, but the voice that came from her mouth was not hers. ‘Swear loyalty to a worm? You are nothing, Chakata. I warned my Lord of you, but he would not listen. Now I curse you, and my curse will follow you until the stars die!’

Her head was dragged back. His hand came up, and she felt the glittering spike push into her eyeball…

With a cry of pain, Zhusai woke to find Talisman sitting beside her bed. ‘How did I get here?’ she asked. ‘I carried you. You began speaking in Chiatze. It is not a tongue with which I am familiar; it changed your voice incredibly.’

‘I had the dream again, Talisman. It was so real. A man … many men … took me to a dark chamber, and there they put out my eyes.

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