The Sapphire Rose. David Eddings

probably even more important to Him now, though, because I’ve got Bhelliom, and I know how to use it.’

      ‘You’re stating the obvious, Sparhawk.’

      ‘I know. Logic’s like that sometimes. It doesn’t always happen, but these attempts to kill me usually come sometime not long after I’ve taken out the Bhelliom and caught a glimpse of that shadow.’

      ‘Some kind of connection, you think?’

      ‘Isn’t it possible?’

      ‘Almost anything’s possible, Sparhawk.’

      ‘All right then. If the shadow’s something like the Damork or the Seeker, it’s probably coming from Azash. That “probably” makes the logic a little shaky, but it’s something to sort of consider, wouldn’t you say?’

      ‘Under the circumstances I’d almost have to agree.’

      ‘What do we do about it then? It’s an interim hypothesis, and it ignores the possibility of pure coincidence, but shouldn’t we take some steps just in case there is some connection?’

      ‘I don’t think we can afford not to, Sparhawk. I think the first thing you should do is to keep Bhelliom inside that pouch. Don’t take it out unless you absolutely have to.’

      ‘That makes sense.’

      ‘And if you do have to take it out, be on your guard for an attempt on your life.’

      ‘I sort of do that automatically anyway – all the time. I’m in a nervous kind of profession.’

      ‘And, I think we’d better keep this to ourselves. If that shadow comes from Azash, it can turn our friends against us. Any one of them could turn on you at any time at all. If we tell them what we suspect, the shadow – or whatever it is – will probably know what’s in their thoughts. Let’s not warn Azash that we know what He’s doing.’

      Sparhawk steeled himself to say it, and when he did, it was with a vast reluctance. ‘Wouldn’t it solve everything if we were just to destroy Bhelliom right here and now?’ he asked her.

      She shook her head. ‘No, dear one,’ she said. ‘We may still need it.’

      ‘It’s a simple answer, though.’

      ‘Not really, Sparhawk.’ Her smile was bleak. ‘We don’t know for sure what kind of force the destruction of Bhelliom might release. We might lose something fairly important.’

      ‘Such as?’

      ‘The city of Cimmura – or the entire Eosian continent, for all I know.’

       Chapter 6

      It was nearly dusk when Sparhawk quietly opened the door to his queen’s bedroom and looked in on her. Her face was framed by that wealth of pale blonde hair fanning out on the pillow and catching the golden light of the single candle on the stand at the side of her bed. Her eyes were closed, and her face softly composed. He had discovered in the past day or so that an adolescence spent in the corrupt court dominated by the Primate Annias had marked her face with a kind of defensive wariness and a flinty determination. When she slept, however, her expression had the same soft, luminous gentleness that had caught at his heart when she was a child. Privately, and now without reservation, he admitted that he loved this pale girl-child, although he was still adjusting his conception of her in that regard. Ehlana was much a woman now and no longer a child. With an obscure kind of twinge, Sparhawk admitted to himself that he really was wrong for her. There was a temptation to take advantage of her girlish infatuation, but he knew that to do so would not only be morally wrong, but could also cause her much suffering later in her life. He determined that under no circumstances would he inflict the infirmities of his old age upon the woman he loved.

      ‘I know you’re there, Sparhawk.’ Her eyes did not open, and a soft smile touched her lips. ‘I always used to love that when I was a child, you know. Sometimes, particularly when you started lecturing me on theology, I’d doze off – or pretend to. You’d talk on for a while, and then you’d just sit there, watching me. It always made me feel so warm and secure and totally safe. Those moments were probably the happiest in my life. And just think, after we’re married, you’ll watch me go to sleep in your arms every night, and I’ll know that nothing in the world can ever hurt me, because you’ll always be there watching over me.’ She opened her calm grey eyes. ‘Come here and kiss me, Sparhawk,’ she told him, extending her arms.

      ‘It’s not proper, Ehlana. You’re not fully dressed, and you’re in bed.’

      ‘We’re betrothed, Sparhawk. We have a certain leeway in such matters. Besides, I’m the queen. I’ll decide what’s proper and what’s not.’

      Sparhawk gave up and kissed her. As he had noted before, Ehlana was most definitely no longer a child. ‘I’m too old for you, Ehlana,’ he reminded her gently once again. He wanted to keep that firmly in front of both of them. ‘You do know that I’m right, don’t you?’

      ‘Nonsense.’ She had not yet removed her arms from about his neck. ‘I forbid you to get old. There, does that take care of it?’

      ‘You’re being absurd. You might as well order the tide to stop.’

      ‘I haven’t tried that yet, Sparhawk, and until I do, we won’t really know that it wouldn’t work, will we?’

      ‘I give up,’ he laughed.

      ‘Oh good. I just adore winning. Was there something important you wanted to tell me, or did you just stop by to ogle me?’

      ‘Do you mind?’

      ‘Being ogled? Of course not. Ogle to your heart’s content, beloved. Would you like to see more?’

      ‘Ehlana!’

      Her laughter was a silvery cascade.

      ‘All right, let’s get down to more serious matters.’

      ‘I was being serious, Sparhawk – very serious.’

      ‘The Pandion Knights, myself included, are going to have to leave Cimmura before long, I’m afraid. The revered Cluvonus is failing fast, and as soon as he dies, Annias is going to make a try for the Archprelate’s throne. He’s flooded the streets of Chyrellos with troops loyal to him, and unless the militant orders are there to stop him, he’ll gain that throne.’

      Her face took on that flinty expression again. ‘Why don’t you take that gigantic Thalesian, Sir Ulath, run on down to Chyrellos and chop Annias’s head off? Then come right back. Don’t give me time to get lonely.’

      ‘Interesting notion, Ehlana. I’m glad you didn’t suggest it in front of Ulath, though. He’d be on his way to the stables to saddle the horses by now. The point I was trying to make is that when we leave, you’re going to be left defenceless here. Would you consider coming along with us?’

      She thought about it. ‘I’d love to, Sparhawk,’ she said, ‘but I don’t really see how I can just now. I’ve been incapacitated for quite some time, and I’ve got to stay here in Cimmura to repair the damage Annias caused while I was asleep. I have responsibilities, love.’

      ‘We were fairly sure you’d feel that way about it, so we’ve come up with an alternative plan to ensure your safety.’

      ‘You’re going to use magic and seal me up in the palace?’ Her eyes were impish as she teased him.

      ‘We hadn’t considered that,’ he conceded. ‘It probably wouldn’t work, though. As soon as Annias found out what we’d done, he’d probably send soldiers here to try to retake the city. His underlings would be able to run the kingdom from outside