The Serpent Bride. Sara Douglass

to a central chamber of the most exquisite glass. The Infinity Chamber. You must ask Isaiah to show it to you some day. He sits there, on occasion.”

      Axis shuddered. “What is it, Ba’al’uz? What is its purpose?”

      “No one knows. Isn’t that amusing? Here it sits, a great beautiful glass pyramid, positively humming with power on some days, and no one knows.” Ba’al’uz tapped his nose, and assumed a conspiratorial look. “I can tell you this, Axis, because only I and Isaiah know. The tyrants, long ago when DarkGlass Mountain regrew itself, built their palace of Aqhat here so that it would appear they used the pyramid to bolster their power. Look at me, Great Tyrant of Isembaard, who controls the mysterious power of DarkGlass Mountain. But between you and me and Isaiah, Axis, none of the tyrants have known anything about the pyramid, let alone how to use it. They use it as … oh, as a piece of stage. Every so often Isaiah embarks on a great ceremonial procession across the river, strides — alone — into the Infinity Chamber, sits there for an hour twiddling his thumbs, and then walks out again, proclaiming that he has had converse with the gods and they have shown him the way forward. Of course nothing of the sort has happened, but who is to know that? The tyrants have closely associated their throne and power with DarkGlass Mountain, and yet none of them has the faintest idea what it is!”

      Ba’al’uz burst into a peal of laughter.

      “How is it Lister also controls the power of the pyramids?” Axis said.

      Now Axis had caught Ba’al’uz off balance. “What?”

      “The glass pyramids that Lister gave Isaiah and yourself. They are powerful treasures, are they not? Perhaps Lister knows some of the secrets of the DarkGlass Mountain. Secrets that you have not yet learned.”

      Ba’al’uz frowned. “No. Surely not. Lister said he found them.”

      Axis laughed softly, disbelievingly, and Ba’al’uz flushed.

      “He said he found them!”

      “And you believed him. The Lord of the Skraelings. No wonder Isaiah needs my advice. Perhaps he and DarkGlass Mountain are in league, eh? Perhaps they spy on you with those pyramids, yes?”

      “No. Lister knows nothing about DarkGlass Mountain. Nothing. It does not speak to him.”

      Oh, there was a question there begging to be asked, but Axis did not think Ba’al’uz was aware of his slip, and he thought it best not to alert the maniac.

      “How did Isaiah and Lister come to ally?” Axis said smoothly, leading Ba’al’uz away from what he’d just revealed. “I cannot imagine they met in a tavern, or on a chance walk along the river bank.”

      “Lister approached Isaiah two years ago,” said Ba’al’uz, his eyes narrowed, trying to work out how Axis had suddenly assumed the lead in the conversation. “A whispered word from a shadowed envoy. You were a king, you must know how these things work.”

      Axis shrugged. “And then Lister sent the pyramids to you.”

      “Yes,” Ba’al’uz said slowly, then added, a trifle hastily, “We don’t trust him, you know.”

      “Good,” said Axis, “for I doubt very much he is to be trusted. Now, the sun grows hot, and I am somewhat wearied of the view of DarkGlass Mountain. Shall we go to Isaiah?”

      Ba’al’uz nodded. Reluctantly, and with a final glance at DarkGlass Mountain, he led Axis towards Isaiah’s private apartments.

      The palace of Aqhat was an amazing collection of buildings, spires, minarets, echoing audience and dining chambers, air walks, underground passages, hidden doors, soaring arches and windows, and, above all, of dazzling displays of wealth and power. Gold and jewels glittered on the walls and around the frames of doors and windows in every public chamber.

      In stark contrast, Isaiah’s private chambers were almost bare. The walls were unadorned, the furnishings simple if comfortable, and the few accoutrements present subtle. Isaiah allowed few people in here: not even his many wives, for Axis had heard he kept a special chamber for entertaining them in the evenings.

      Apart from Ba’al’uz, Axis had never seen anyone else in the quarters, not even servants. While here, Isaiah served himself.

      Isaiah beckoned them to a group of chairs set by a window to catch a cooling breeze from the Lhyl.

      “You will not be surprised to hear,” Isaiah said to Ba’al’uz as they sat down, “that Axis has agreed to advise me from time to time. I always think it best to have an independence of opinion about my decisions.”

      “I am indeed not surprised,” Ba’al’uz said smoothly. “Axis SunSoar has a wealth of experience regarding the Skraelings. We would be wise to listen to him.”

      “And thus he sits in on this conversation,” said Isaiah. “Ba’al’uz, I have talked to Lister, and he and I agree that you must go north within the week.”

      Isaiah looked at Axis. “As you have realised,” Isaiah said, “Lord Lister and I mean to ally in an invasion of the north. Ba’al’uz is to go north for the next several months in order to, how shall I say this, sow the seeds for our success.”

      “Create mayhem and confusion,” said Ba’al’uz, with a decidedly cheerful air. “A small conflict or two as well, should I be lucky.”

      “You want to divide the Northern Kingdoms before you invade,” said Axis. “Set them at each other’s throats so they are less likely to notice you sneaking up at their backs, and far less able to respond well. Divide and conquer is surely the first maxim learned by all good tyrants.”

      Isaiah looked hard at him at the last, but did not comment on it.

      “On the other hand,” said Axis, “you will find the Northern Kingdoms with their forces already mobilised and battle-hardened. The ploy may work as much against you as for you. How good are their generals?”

      “The Outlanders have some good leaders, but they are experienced only in inter-tribal warfare. I doubt they could manage a response to the kind of armies Lister and myself can command.”

      No one can manage a good response to an invasion of Skraelings, thought Axis.

      “Pelemere and Kyros have several good generals,” Isaiah continued.

      “Who I intend to take care of,” said Ba’al’uz, studying the fingernails on one hand.

      “And the kings and princes?” said Axis, regarding the other two over steepled fingers. “You need only one charismatic leader to take a hopelessly divided muddle of peoples and turn them into victors.”

      “As you would know,” said Isaiah. “But there are none who strike me as any potential threat.” He paused. “Or is there someone you think I should know about … ?”

      Axis thought about it. It wasn’t so much that he needed the time to think of a name, but to decide if he should mention it to Isaiah and Ba’al’uz.

      “There’s a wildcard,” he said finally. “Maximilian Persimius, King of Escator.”

      Ba’al’uz smiled derisively. “Escator is a tiny kingdom, and all but ruined. It can hardly raise enough policemen to keep market day traffic under control, let alone an army to repel forces such as Isaiah and Lister command between them.”

      “I am not talking of forces,” said Axis. “I am talking of charismatic leaders.”

      “You know this Maximilian?” said Isaiah.

      Axis shook his head. “I have never met him, but my son Caelum did, and Maximilian was for some time considered a match for my close friend Belial’s daughter. He is highly, highly regarded. You know his story?”

      “That he was imprisoned in Escator’s gloam mines for … what … fifteen or more years?” Isaiah said. “And that he was released on the endeavours of several