The Sword of Aldones by Marion Zimmer Bradley Page A

and strike fire to all this tinder! While I was on Earth, I heard someone call Darkover the weak link in the Terran Empire. We could be the link to snap the chain of conquest! Are we doing it?”
    Abruptly I stopped, out of breath, aware, first, that Callina and I were in telepathic contact—in’ spite of the dampers—and, second, that even this faint surface contact was exhausting me completely. I sent a desperate command; Break it! Get out! What was the girl doing? I couldn’t hold that kind of rapport under a damper! She clung, uncomprehending, and I lashed out with a quick telepathic surge, to knock her out of rapport. I was already so limp I could hardly stand up. I caught at the edge of the railing and let myself slide back into my seat, but I could not loose the merciless grip on my mind. Was it Callina?
    The room was very quiet. I saw Dio’s face taut and pale. Lerrys choked, “What’s wrong with the dampers?”
    Hastur stood up, leaning over the long table, and started to speak, then looked up. His mouth dropped open.
    Callina froze, motionless.
    The floor dipped under my feet and would not stay still.
    And above us there was a little shimmering, a distortion of the air.
    Dio screamed.
    “The—the death sign,” someone faltered, and voices died in deadly stillness.
    I stared at the sign that flared like letters of living fire in the air, and I felt my blood freeze and the strength running out of me like water. Twisted space writhed and flared, and the inside me was howling and gibbering, reduced to primal panic. From time out of mind, before Darkover’s sun faded to a dying ember, that sign meant doom and death, bodies and minds seared to ruin.
    “Sorceress! She-devil!” It was Dyan’s voice exploding in curses; he took three quick strides toward Callina, caught her by the shoulders, and wrenched her away from her place before the High Seat; flung her, with all the strength in his lean body, out into the room.
    And young Regis, through some uncanny sensing, leaped up and caught Callina’s reeling body as she fell. The sight broke the static horror that held me; I whirled to face Dyan. At last I had reason! The man who dared to touch a Keeper had forfeited immunity. Annihilating fury swept from me, taking Dyan unaware.
    The Alton Gift, even unfocused, can be a vicious thing. His mind lay, in seconds, stripped before mine. I rained vicious mental slaps on it. It was immensely satisfying. I had been holding this in check ever since he picked my mind on the skyliner. He writhed, crumpled and fell, gasping in loud desperate hoarse half-sobs.
    The pattern of fire flamed and died and was gone. Space in the room was quiet, normal again.
    Callina stood leaning on Regis, pallid and shaken. I still stood over Dyan; his defenses were slashed away, and it would have been easy to snap the thread of his life. But Derik threw himself forward, flinging restraining arms around me.
    “What are you about, you madman?”
    There is something in a touch which can lay the mind bare. And what I touched then, shook my world. Derik was a weakling; I had always known that; but this—this tumbling, impassible confusion? I drew away, unable to endure even a second of it, letting my savage attack on Dyan relax.
    “Hastur’s voice, harsh, and sombre, commanded, “In the name of Aldones! Let us have peace here, at least!”
    Dyan stumbled to his feet and backed away. I could not move, though I had no will left to defy Hastur. The Regent looked gravely at Callina.
    “A serious occasion, Callina comynara.”
    “Serious truly. But only for me?” She freed herself from Regis’ protecting arm.
    “Oh, I see. You blame me for the— the manifestation?”
    “Who else?” Dio cried shrilly. “So innocent, so innocent she looks, but she and Ashara—she and Ashara—”
    Callina turned terrible eyes on her.
    “Can all your life be told in open council then, Dio Ridenow comynara? You sought Ashara once.”
    Dio’s eyes sought mine.