The Ship of Ishtar by A. Merritt

Author:A. Merritt [Merritt, A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Sci-Fi
Publisher: Avon Books
Published: 1966-08-22T00:00:00+00:00

17. They Seek Sorcerers' Isle

LUCK clung to them. The silver mists hung closeabout the ship, shrouding her so that she sailed within acircle not more than double her length. Ever the mistshid her. Kenton, sleeping little, drove the slaves at theoar to point of exhaustion.

"There is a great storm brewing," warned Sigurd.

"Pray Odin that it may hold back till we are well with-in Emakhtila,"

answered Kenton.

"If we but had a horse I would sacrifice it to the All-Father," said Sigurd. "Then he would hold that storm tillour needs called it." "Speak low, lest the sea horses trample us!" warnedKenton.

He had questioned the Viking about that interruptionof his when the captain of the captured galley had saidthat the captured woman was Priestess of Bel's Bower.

"She will be safe there, even from Klaneth-so longas she takes no other lover than the god," Sigurd had said.

"No other lover than the god!" Kenton had roared,hand dropping to sword and glaring at Sigurd. "She shallhave no lover but me-god or man, Sigurd! What do youmean?" "Take hand from sword. Wolf," Sigurd had replied. "Imeant not to offend you. Only-gods are gods! And therewas something in that captain's talk about your womanwalking in dream, memory withdrawn from her-wasthere not? If that be so-blood-brother-you are in thosememories she has lost!" Kenton winced.

"Nergal once tried to part a man and a woman wholoved," he said, "even as Sharane and I. He could not. Ido not think Nergal's priest can succeed where his masterfailed." "Not well reasoned, Wolf." It was Zubran who had come quietly upon them. "The gods are strong. Thereforethey have no reason for subtlety or cunning. They smite-and all is done. It is not artistic, I admit-but it is un-answerable. And man, who has not the strength of thegods, must resort to cunning and subtlety. That is whyman will do worse things than the gods. Out of his weak-ness he is forced to it. The gods should not be blamed-ex-cept for making man weaker than they. And thereforeKlaneth is more to be feared by you than Nergal, hismaster." "He cannot drive me out of Sharane's heart!" Kentoncried.

The Viking bent his head down to the compass.

"You may be right," he muttered. "Zubran may beright. All I know is that while your woman is faithfulto Bel, no man may harm her!" Vague as he might be on that one point, the Vikingwas direct and full of meat upon others. The Norsemanhad been observant while slave to the priests of Nergal.He knew the city and the Temple of the Seven Zonesintimately. Best of all he knew a way of enteringEmakhtila by another road than that of its harbor.

This was indeed all important, since it was not withinthe bounds of possibility that they could enter that har-bor without instant recognition.

"Look, comrades," Sigurd scratched with point ofsword a rude map on the planks of the deck. "Here liesthe city. It is at the end of a fjord. The mountains riseon each side of it and stretch in two long spits far outto sea.

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