The Dancer from Atlantis by Poul Anderson

Author:Poul Anderson [ANDERSON, POUL]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: Science fiction
ISBN: 978-1-4976-9426-2
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Published: 2011-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

They left a lamp burning. The glow caressed Erissa like his hand. ‘Does it make me look young?’ she whispered through tears.

Reid kissed her lips and the hollow beneath her throat. She was warm in the cold room. Her muscles moved silkily across his skin where they touched each other on the bed; the odor of her was sweet as the meadow of the nymph. ‘You’re beautiful’ was the single poor thing he could find to say.

‘Already tomorrow—’

A day had passed in preparing for the voyage. He and she had spent it together, and the hell with what anybody thought.

‘We dare not wait, this time of year.’

‘I know, I know. Though you could. You can’t be wrecked, Duncan. You’ll come safe to Atlantis. You did.’ She buried her face against his shoulder. He felt the wetness of it. Her hair spilled across his breast. ‘Am I trying to cheat that girl out of a few days? Yes. But no use, is it? Oh, how glad I am we know nothing about what happens to us after next springtime! I couldn’t bear that.’

‘I believe you could bear anything, Erissa.’

She lay breathing awhile. Finally, raising herself over him and looking down, she said: ‘Well, it need not be utter doom. Why, we may even save my people. We may be the blade the gods use to trim back a destiny that grew crooked. Will you strive where you are, Duncan, as I’ll strive here while I wait for you?’

‘Yes,’ he promised, and in this hour, at least, he was honest.

Not that he believed they could rescue her world. Or if they were able to – if human will could really turn the stars in their courses – for to change what had been would be to change the universe out to its last year and light-year – he would never condemn Bitsy to having never been born. Yet might he not imaginably find a door left open in this cage of time?

Erissa fought to achieve a smile, and won. ‘Then let’s mourn no longer,’ she said. ‘Love me till dawn.’

He had not known what loving could be, before her.

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