"Others?"
"Where is Kartauk?"
Ian vaguely looked around thechamber. "He was here a moment ago." He leaned back in his chair."You must forgive me, Your Highness. I've just taken my laudanum and Icannot think clearly. I think he is in his furnace room... across the veranda.Or perhaps the summerhouse. He was quite disturbed you were coming."
"He had a right to bedisturbed." Abdar turned to a handsome young man behind him. "Gosearch for him, Pachtal. Bring him here."
Pachtal quickly left the room.
Abdar turned back to Ian."I had word that your wife had accompanied you to Cinnidar. Where isshe?"
"She became frightenedand fled. I believe she's hiding somewhere on the grounds."
"Leaving you alone?"
"She had no choice. Wasshe to give up her life to save that of a helpless cripple?"
Ian could see he had struck anote of reason in Abdar with that answer. Abdar slowly nodded and turned to anofficer. "Search also for the woman."
After the officer had left,Abdar moved across the room toward Ian. "You should not have come back."Your brother has offended Kali by attempting to steal her treasure."
"Her treasure or yourtreasure?" Ian asked.
"It is all the same."
"Is it?" Ian closedhis eyes. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I cannot fight the laudanum anylonger."
Moments passed, and he couldhear Abdar restlessly prowling back and forth about the chamber. Finally Abdarexploded. "I do not think you drugged. You seek to ignore me."
"The laudanum… "
"I will triumph, youknow."
"Will you?"
"He has no army, no arms.I have fine rifles furnished from the armory of your Colonel Pickering."
"How pleasant foryou."
"You do not believeme?"
"I believe you think youwill triumph." He smiled faintly. "However, as my Margaret was wontto say, Ruel was never one to be accommodating."
"He will have no—"
"Kartauk is nothere." Pachtal hurried back into the chamber. "We have searched thepalace and the grounds. We found only one Cinnidan servant. The rest havefled."
Abdar swore as he whirled backto Ian. "Where is he?"
Ian's lids lifted. "May Isuggest you ask Kali?"
"You defy me?"Patches of color flared in Abdar's cheeks. "You miserable cripple. Youhave the temerity to express contempt forme?"
"I do appear to have thattemerity. I'm a bit surprised myself. For a while I was afraid I wouldn't beable to do this well. Ruel is much better at this sort of thing than Iam." He met Abdar's gaze. "Yes, I do have contempt for you, Abdar.Both for you and your heathen goddess of destruction."
"Kali will show you herpower. She will strike down all who—"
"Kali does notexist," Ian interrupted softly. "There is no real destruction. Whatis destroyed merely becomes something else."
