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A scream issued behind her and she saw that Amshazar and Sibias rolled toward the fires that flared from the effigy of the God Hurda. Amshazar was dangerously close to the flames and her heart leapt with fear for his life. As her focus shifted, Mehmet seemed to break free of the spell. Elishiba channeled her energy once again, pushing her enemy back to the chair. The Jinneyah was already vaporizing into the amulet, her hands reaching out for Mehmet as she did so. She was nearly there, and with all her being she pushed again, repeating the words.
In the background, she heard Sibias bellowing fiercely. In the corner of her vision she saw that Sibias stood in the flames of the fire, his arms outstretched toward Amshazar. In his death throes, he sent out black jets from his fingers to his old adversary. “I die, you die,” he screamed, with his final breath.
"No,” she said, as Amshazar dropped to the ground, a pile of serpents covering his face. He writhed, but his power was wholly with her now, and he did not break that loop. On one side of her, her goal, now so near to fruition. On the other, Amshazar struggled for life. Could she risk shifting the power to Amshazar, to help him? Uncertainty gripped her, and as it did, the jinneyah seemed to resist grabbing hold of Mehmet, and grew strong.
Amshazar, her heart cried out.
An apparition appeared in her vision. It was the spirit guide Santor, and he ran to her. “Empress, the jinneyah."
"But Amshazar,” she cried, tears spilling from her eyes as she saw his body twitch one last time, and then fall still.
"There may still be a chance for Amshazar, you must not allow the jinneyah to defy you, it senses the conflict in Mehmet, it thrives."
She wiped away her tears, nodded and focused again on her goal, not breaking with it until both the jinneyah and Mehmet had turned to vapor and disappeared into the amulet. Santor bent to stopper the amulet, fixing it in place on the pendant, before fading away into the atmosphere.
Shaking, Elishiba ran to her lover's side.
The snakes had vanished. The place where he had fallen was on her abandoned marriage veil, his dark hair splayed out against the star-dusted fabric. She bent to kiss his mouth, where no breath stirred. She kissed his brow tenderly, her hands holding his, whimpering softly, her tears falling onto him. Her heart was breaking.
"Do not leave me, Amshazar, my love,” she whispered over and again, kissing his face, but it was hopeless. Within her, emotions battled. Her sense of loss was greatest of all.
It was not for some time she realized there was an unearthly silence around her, and she lifted her head. Through the veil of her tears she saw the onlookers were silently watching her and Hanrah, who stood close by staring down at her and Amshazar.
With the back of her hand, she wiped away her tears, uncertainty creeping up on her. Her glance went to the palace guards, who restlessly kept watch on the prisoners, murmuring amongst themselves. If someone did not instruct them soon, they would take action borne of the insecurity they felt. Their ruler in Mehmet was gone. Her acolyte, Sibias, too. The courtiers were watching Hanrah. It was to him they had to answer now, and if he did not instruct them, his brothers would step in.
Elishiba looked at him. There was a hollow, lost look in his eyes as he stared down at Amshazar's body. His world had been rent asunder. And yet now he was its true leader.
"Hanrah,” she said.
She had to repeat his name three times before he focused vaguely on her.
"Emperor Hanrah of Karseedia, your guards await your instructions. Please be merciful to my people."
The small man looked around him vaguely, glanced back at Amshazar's body, and then surveyed the entire crowd in a slow circuit, as if realizing it was his duty to lead them now.
Elishiba's heart beat hard, concern flowing in her veins. Now that Amshazar was gone, she did not care for her own safety, for it felt as if part of her dying inside, a slow and painful death, the death borne of loss and grief. She cared only for her people.
"Guards,” Hanrah called out in a hoarse voice. “Let the prisoners go."
There was resistance in the guards, but he repeated his command and the guards sheathed their weapons.
Elishiba felt a great weight lift from her.
After he gave the order, Hanrah walked away from the scene. The courtiers cleared a passage for him as he left the temple behind.
Voices lifted; there was movement in the gallery. Elishiba saw that Elra and Yoshi were making their way toward her, others beyond them.
Yoshi practically ran at her. “My girl, my precious girl.” She put her hands on Elishiba's shoulders and looked into her eyes.
Elishiba could see that Yoshi's eyes were filled with tears, tears of relief. She looked beyond her, to where Xerxes stood. His eyes were still watchful, blood on his face and shoulder. The Karseedians milling around also looked uneasy, cautious, too, for their familiar world had been rattled to the foundations, and they did not know where they stood now. They could so easily turn, Elishiba thought, spying the forgotten amulet lying on the floor.
"I will anoint and bind his body,” Yoshi promised, as she encouraged Elishiba to leave Amshazar's side. “We will take him home with us."
Elishiba nodded. Moving from Amshazar's body unwillingly, she reached out to where the amulet lay on the floor.
"This has been hard,” Yoshi said, as she looked sadly at Amshazar's body. “But you can go home now."
Elishiba shook her head, her hand closing on the pendant, taking it into her safe custody. “No. I cannot leave here, not yet. Not until a peace treaty is negotiated and signed."
