anner.bloodandgold-第31章
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ondering what could take you to such a distant spot。 I believe now that you go to visit the Mother and the Father。 I believe you took them out of Egypt。 You can trust me with your secret。 You can also trust me with your silence if you wish。〃
〃No；〃 said Mael； ing forward immediately。 〃Speak； or I'll destroy you； Marius； and Avicus and I will go to the very spot and see the Mother and Father for ourselves。〃
〃Never；〃 said Avicus； being for the first time angry。 He shook his head。 〃Not without Marius。 You're being foolish；〃 he said to Mael。
〃They can defend themselves；〃 I said coldly。 〃I've warned you。 I've witnessed it。 They may allow you to drink the Divine Blood。 They may refuse you。 If they refuse； you will be destroyed。〃 I paused for emphasis then went on。
〃Once a strong god from the East came into my house in Antioch；〃 I said。 〃He forced his way into the presence of the Mother and the Father。 He sought to drink from the Mother。 And when he made to sink his fangs into her neck； she crushed his head； and sent the lamps of the room to burn his flailing body till there was nothing left。 I don't lie to you about these things。〃 I gave a great sigh。 I was tired of my own anger。 〃Having told you that； I'll take you there if you wish。〃
〃But you have drunk her blood；〃 said Mael。
〃You are so very rash；〃 I answered。 〃Don't you see what I'm saying？ She may destroy you。 I cannot say what she will do。 And then there is the question of the King。 What is his will？ I don't know。 I'll take you there； as I've said。〃
I could see that Mael wanted to go。 Nothing would stop him from this； and as for Avicus； he was very fearful and very ashamed of his own fear。
〃I must go；〃 said Mael。 〃I was her priest once。 I served her god in the oak。 I have no choice but to go。〃 His eyes were brilliant with his excitement。 〃I must see her；〃 he said。 〃I cannot take your warnings。 I must be taken to this place。〃
I nodded。 I gestured for them to wait。 I went to the doors of the banquet room and opened them。 My guests were happy。 So be it。 A couple of them cheered my sudden presence； but quickly forgot me。 The drowsy slave poured the fragrant wine。
I turned and went back to Avicus and Mael。
We went out into the night； the three of us； and as we made for the shrine； I learnt immediately that neither Mael nor Avicus moved at the speed which their strength allowed。 I told them both to walk faster； especially when there were no mortals to watch； and very soon I had them silently exhilarated that they were more in possession of their true gifts。
When we came to the granite door of the shrine； I showed them how it was quite impossible for a team of mortals to open it and then I lighted the torch and took them down the stone steps。
〃Now； this is Holy Ground；〃 I remarked before opening the bronze doors。 〃You do not speak irreverently or idly and you don't speak of them as if they cannot hear。〃
The two were enthralled。
I opened the door； lighted the torch within； and then let them enter and stand before the dais。 I held the torch high。
All was perfect as I had assumed it would be。 The Queen sat with her hands on her thighs as she always did。 Enkil took the same posture。 Their faces； framed so beautifully in their black plaited hair； were beautifully empty of thought or woe。
Who could have known from the sight of them that life pumped inside them？
〃Mother and Father；〃 I said distinctly； 〃I have brought two visitors who have begged to see you。 They are Mael and Avicus。 They've e in reverence and respect。〃
Mael went down on his knees。 He did it as naturally as a Christian。 He held out his arms。 He began to pray in the language of the Druid priesthood。 He told the Queen she was most beautiful。 He told tales of the old gods of the oak。 And then he begged her for her blood。
Avicus winced； and I suppose； so did I。
But I was sure something quickened in Akasha。 Then again perhaps not。
All of us waited in uneasy stillness。
Mael rose and walked towards the dais。
〃My Queen；〃 I said calmly； 〃Mael asks with all respect and all humility； if he may drink from the primal fount。〃
He stepped up； bent over the Queen lovingly and daringly and bent to drink from her throat。
It seemed nothing would happen。 She would allow it。 Her glassy eyes stared forward as if it were of no import。 Her hands remained on her thighs。
But all of sudden； with monstrous speed； the heavy boned Enkil turned sideways； as if he were a wooden machine worked by wheels and cogs； and he reached out with his right hand。
I sprang forward； threw my arms around Mael and drew him
backwards just under the descending arm arid all the way to the wall。 I flung him into the corner。
〃Stay there！〃 I whispered。
I stood up。 Enkil remained turned； his eyes empty； as if he could not find the object of his rage； his hand still poised in the air。 How many times； when I'd dressed them or cleaned them； had I seen them in the same attitude of sluggish inattention？
Swallowing my terror； I mounted the dais。 I spoke to Enkil coaxingly。
〃My King； please； it's finished；〃 I said。 I put my trembling hands on his arm； and I gently returned him to his proper place。 His face was hideously blank。 Then I put my hands on his shoulders and I turned him until he was staring forward as before。 Gently I attended to his heavy golden necklace。 I arranged his fingers carefully。 I smoothed his heavy kilt。
As for the Queen she remained undisturbed。 It was as if none of it had ever taken place； or so I thought； until I saw the droplets of blood on the shoulder of her linen gown。 I should have to change it when I could。
But this was evidence that she had allowed the kiss； and he had forbidden it。 Well； this was most interesting； for I knew now that when I had last drunk from her； it was Enkil who had thrown me back on the chapel floor。
There was no time to ponder it。 I had to get Avicus and Mael away from the shrine。
Only when we were back within the confines of my brightly lighted study did I turn my fury on Mael。
〃Two times I've saved your miserable life；〃 I said。 〃And I will suffer for it； I'm sure of that。 For by all rights； I should have let you die the night Avicus sought rny help for you； and I should have let the King crush you as he would have done tonight。 I despise you； understand it。 No end of time will change it。 You are rash； willful arid crazed with your own desires。〃
Avicus sat with his head down nodding as if to say he agreed。
As for Mael he stood in the corner； his hand on his dagger； regarding
me with begrudging silence。
〃Get out of my house；〃 I said finally。 〃And if you want to end your life； then break the peace of the Mother and the Father。 For ancient as they are and silent as they are； they will crush you as you have seen for yourself。 You know the location of the shrine。〃
〃You don't even know the measure of your crime；〃 Mael answered。 〃To keep such a secret。 How could you dare！〃
〃Silence； please；〃 said Ayicus。
〃No； I won't keep silent；〃 said Mael。 〃You； Marius； you steal the Queen of Heaven and you keep her as if she were your own？ You lock her up in a painted chapel as if she were a Roman goddess made of wood？ How dare you do such a thing？〃
〃Fool；〃 I said； 〃what would you have me do with her！ You spit lies at me。 What you wanted is what they all want。 You wanted her blood。 And what would you do now that you know where she is？ Do you mean to set her free and for whom and how and when？〃
〃Quiet； please；〃 said Avicus again。 〃Mael； I beg you； let us leave Marius。〃
〃And the snake worshipers who have heard whispers of me and my secret； what would they do？〃 I demanded； now quite lost in my fury。 〃What if they were to gain possession of her and take the blood from her； and make themselves an army stronger than us？ How then would the human race rise up against our kind with laws and hunts to abolish us？ Oh； you cannot begin to conceive of all the ills that would be loosed upon this world were she known to all our kind； you foolish； mad； self…important dreamer！〃
Avicus stood before me； imploring me with his upr
