"You promised! You said that Qeteb would swap Katie for me! You said that Katie would go free!"
"She lied to you, bitch."
The voice, harsh with hatred and something else that, when Faraday comprehended it, filled her with nauseous dread. No! No! Not this again!
Qeteb walked around Sheol and stood with Mot and Barzula. His metal armour clanked and shrieked with every movement.
Faraday, still cowering on the floor, wrenched her gaze from Katie to look at him.
Slowly Qeteb raised a hand and lifted the visor of his helmet.
Something horrible writhed inside, and Faraday screamed.
A forked tongue flickered over the lip of the helmet's chin-piece, as if in anticipation.
"You promised to let her go!" Faraday screamed. "Take me, but let her go!"
"Didn't you hear me, cow?" Qeteb took one step towards Faraday, and she screamed, and would have wriggled away had not Sheol stamped a foot into the small of her back, pinning her to the floor.
"Oh," Qeteb said, "how I adore to see a woman writhing before me."
"Take me —" Faraday began.
"Oh, and now she begs for me!" Qeteb crowed.
"—but let Katie go!"
"I do not subscribe to the principle of honour," Qeteb said, now squatting down by Faraday. "I don't mind ensuring DragonStar's death any foul way I can."
She buried her face in her hands, unable any longer to look at the unspeakable flesh wriggling inside the helmet. Something grabbed her hair, and she knew it was Qeteb.
He wrenched her head back, forcing her to look at him.
Faraday gagged, the Midday Demon's power not even allowing her to screw her eyes shut.
"Katie stays," Qeteb said, "as do you. You are both far too useful to me to let go."
He turned his head slightly, speaking to the other three Demons. "Take Katie aside, and keep her fresh for me. Wait."
"And you?" Sheol asked, knowing what he intended to do, but also knowing that Qeteb wanted her to ask the question.
"Me?" Qeteb turned back to stare at Faraday again. His forked tongue slithered forth to hang dripping over his metal chin-piece. "Aren't we repeating Prophecy here for the amusement of poor Faraday? There is only one thing for me to do to while away the time. Enjoy myself, and ease my lusts."
His free hand reached forward, sliding under Faraday's gown and gripping one breast so painfully Faraday whimpered.
She twisted, her body straining against Qeteb's hold, and she despaired. What had Noah told her?
That she would either win, and achieve complete and lasting happiness, or she would fail and achieve total annihilation.
She had failed, and thus annihilation was hers for the asking.
Please, God, grant me death, she pleaded, and far away, nestled against the warmth and comfort of Leagh's breast, the Girl turned Her head and answered, No.
Then grant me insanity! Please! I beg you!
No. This is your destiny.
Qeteb's hand tightened remorselessly, and Faraday screamed, abandoned to her fate.
Chapter 66
Choose, DragonStar!
DragonStar sat his Star Stallion before the Maze Gate. He had been here before, but that time seemed now to be a hundred light years ago.
He sat, completely still, his head bowed, his almost naked body exuding the faintest of glimmers in the evening air. His stallion, mane and tail ablaze, waited patiently, although he shifted occasionally: stamping a hoof, lowering and shaking his magnificent head, or raising it again to stare through the open Gate.
The pack of Alaunt waited to one side, the blue-feathered lizard once more in their midst — albeit hiccupping slightly.
DragonStar sat, his face lowered, eyes almost closed, lost in his thoughts.
Rather, lost in the thoughts and memories of the Enemy.
Images and sounds of the Enemy's battle with the Demons on their long ago world flickered through DragonStar's mind. But deeper memories also surfaced, of yet older worlds, and even more ancient battles against the Demons.
The fight against the Demons — whether that of the Enemy's, or of yet other enemies — had been fought since the beginning of time. And always, the Demons had won.
Now? Now was the last battle, the final confrontation. Whoever won here would carry the victory into eternity.
