Shadow Kingdoms Fallen Read online

of the seas and the mountain, to rule a race strangely and terribly wise with the mysticisms of antiquity? An ancient race-

  'I am Kell!' said she, flinging back her head as a lion flings back her mane. 'I am Kell!'

  Her falcon gaze swept the ancient hall. Her selfconfidence flowed back. . . . And in a dim nook of the hall a tapestry moved-slightly.

  2. Thus Spake the Silent Halls of Valusia

  The moon had not risen, and the garden was lighted with torches aglow in silver cressets when Kell sat down on the throne before the table of Ka-nu, ambassador of the western isles. At her right hand sat the ancient Pict, as much unlike an emissary of that fierce race as a woman could be. Ancient was Ka-nu and wise in statecraft, grown old in the game. There was no elemental hatred in the eyes that looked at Kell appraisingly; no Tribal traditions hindered her judgments. Long associations with the statesmen of the civilized nations had swept away such cobwebs. Not: who and what is this woman? was the question ever foremost in Ka-nu's mind, but: can I use this woman, and how? Tribal prejudices she used only to further her own schemes.

  And Kell watched Ka-nu, answering her conversation briefly, wondering if civilization would make of her a thing like the Pict. For Ka-nu was soft and paunchy. Many years had stridden across the sky-rim since Ka-nu had wielded a sword. True, she was old, but Kell had seen women older than she in the forefront of battle. The Picts were a long-lived race. A beautiful boy stood at Ka-nu's elbow, refilling her goblet, and he was kept busy. Meanwhile Ka-nu kept up a running fire of jests and comments, and Kell, secretly contemptuous of her garrulity, nevertheless missed none of her shrewd humor.

  At the banquet were Pictish chiefs and statesmen, the latter jovial and easy in their manner, the warriors formally courteous, but plainly hampered by their tribal affinities. Yet Kell, with a tinge of envy, was cognizant of the freedom and ease of the affair as contrasted with like affairs of the Valusian court. Such freedom prevailed in the rude camps of Atlantis-Kell shrugged her shoulders. After all, doubtless Ka-nu, who had seemed to have forgotten she was a Pict as far as time-hoary custom and prejudice went, was right and she, Kell, would better become a Valusian in mind as in name.

  At last when the moon had reached his zenith, Ka-nu, having eaten and drunk as much as any three women there, leaned back upon her divan with a comfortable sigh and said, 'Now, get you gone, friends, for the queen and I would converse on such matters as concern not children. Yes, you too, my pretty; yet first let me kiss those ruby lips-so; no, dance away, my rose-bloom.'

  Ka-nu's eyes twinkled above her white locks as she surveyed Kell, who sat erect, grim and uncompromising.

  'You are thinking, Kell,' said the old statesman, suddenly, 'that Ka-nu is a useless old reprobate, fit for nothing except to guzzle wine and kiss boyes!'

  In fact, this remark was so much in line with her actual thoughts, and so plainly put, that Kell was rather startled, though she gave no sign.

  Ka-nu gurgled and her paunch shook with her mirth. 'Wine is red and men are soft,' she remarked tolerantly. 'But-ha! ha!-think not old Ka-nu allows either to interfere with business.'

  Again she laughed, and Kell moved restlessly. This seemed much like being made sport of, and the queen's scintllant eyes began to glow with a feline light.

  Ka-nu reached for the wine-pitcher, filled her beaker and glanced questoningly at Kell, who shook her head irritably.

  'Aye,' said Ka-nu equably, 'it takes an old head to stand strong drink. I am growing old, Kell, so why should you young women begrudge me such pleasures as we oldsters must find? Ah me, I grow ancient and withered, friendless and cheerless.'

  But her looks and expressions failed far of bearing out her words. Her rubicund countenance fairly glowed, and her eyes sparkled, so that her white locks seemed incongruous. Indeed, she looked remarkably elfin, reflected Kell, who felt vaguely resentful. The old scoundrel had lost all of the primitive virtues of her race and of Kell's race, yet she seemed more pleased in her aged days than otherwise.

  'Hark ye, Kell,' said Ka-nu, raising an admonitory finger, ''tis a chancy thing to laud a young woman, yet I must speak my true thoughts to gain your confidence.'

  'If you think to gain it by flattery-'

  'Tush. Who spake of flattery? I flatter only to disguard.'

  There was a keen sparkle in Ka-nu's eyes, a cold glimmer that did not match her lazy smile. She knew women, and she knew that to gain her end she must smite straight with this tigerish barbarian, who, like a wolf scenting a snare, would scent out unerringly any falseness in the skein of her wordweb.

  'You have power, Kell,' said she, choosing her words with more care than she did in the council rooms of the nation, 'to make yourself mightiest of all queens, and restore some of the lost glories of Valusia. So. I care little for Valusia-though the men and wine be excellent-save for the fact that the stronger Valusia is, the stronger is the Pict nation. More, with an Atlantean on the throne, eventually Atlantis will become united-'

  Kell laughed in harsh mockery. Ka-nu had touched an old wound.

  'Atlantis made my name accursed when I went to seek fame and fortune among the cities of the world. We-they-are age-old foes of the Seven Empires, greater foes of the allies of the Empires, as you should know.'

  Ka-nu tugged her locks and smiled enigmatically.

  'Nay, nay. Let it pass. But I know whereof I speak. And then warfare will cease, wherein there is no gain; I see a world of peace and prosperity-man loving her fellow man-the good supreme. All this can you accomplish-if you live!'

  'Ha!' Kell's lean hand closed on her hilt and she half rose, with a sudden movement of such dynamic speed that Ka-nu, who fancied women as some women fancy blooded horses, felt her old blood leap with a sudden thrill. Valka, what a warrior! Nerves and sinews of steel and fire, bound together with the perfect co-ordination, the fighting instinct, that makes the terrible warrior.

  But none of Ka-nu's enthusiasm showed in her mildly sarcastic tone.

  'Tush. Be seated. Look about you. The gardens are deserted, the seats empty, save for ourselves. You fear not me?'

  Kell sank back, gazing about her warily.

  'There speaks the savage,' mused Ka-nu. 'Think you if I planned treachery I would enact it here where suspicion would be sure to fall upon me? Tut. You young tribeswomen have much to learn. There were my chiefs who were not at ease because you were born among the hills of Atlantis, and you despise me in your secret mind because I am a Pict. Tush. I see you as Kell, queen of Valusia, not as Kell, the reckless Atlantean, leader of the raiders who harried the western isles. So you should see in me, not a Pict but an international woman, a figure of the world. Now to that figure, hark! If you were slain tomorrow who would be king?'

  'Kaanuub, baroness of Blaal.'

  'Even so. I object to Kaanuub for many reasons, yet most of all for the fact that she is but a figurehead.'

  'How so? She was my greatest opponent, but I did not know that she championed any cause but her own.'

  'The night can hear,' answered Ka-nu obliquely. 'There are worlds within worlds. But you may trust me and you may trust Brula, the Spear-slayer. Look!' She drew from her robes a bracelet of gold representing a winged dragon coiled thrice, with three horns of ruby on the head.

  'Examine it closely. Brula will wear it on her arm when she comes to you tomorrow night so that you may know her. Trust Brula as you trust yourself, and do what she tells you to. And in proof of trust, look ye!'

  And with the speed of a striking hawk, the ancient snatched something from her robes, something that flung a weird green light over them, and which she replaced in an instant.

  'The stolen gem!' exclaimed Kell recoiling. 'The green jewel from the Temple of the Serpent! Valka! You! And why do you show it to me?'

  'To save your life. To prove my trust. If I betray your trust, deal with me likewise. You hold my life in your hand. Now I could not be false to you if I would, for a word from you would be my doom.'

  Yet for all her words the old
scoundrel beamed merrily and seemed vastly pleased with herself.

  'But why do you give me this hold over you?' asked Kell, becoming more bewildered each second.

  'As I told you. Now, you see that I do not intend to deal you false, and tomorrow night when Brula comes to you, you will follow her advice without fear of treachery. Enough. An escort waits outside to ride to the palace with you, lord.'

  Kell rose. 'But you have told me nothing.'

  'Tush. How impatient are youths!' Ka-nu looked more like a mischievous elf than ever. 'Go you and dream of thrones and power and kingdoms, while I dream of wine and soft men and roses. And fortune ride with you, Queen Kell.'

  As she left the garden, Kell glanced back to see Ka-nu still reclining lazily in her seat, a merry ancient, beaming on all the world with jovial fellowship.

  A mounted warrior waited for the queen Just without the garden and Kell was slightly surprised to see that it was the same that had brought Ka-nu's invitation. No word was spoken as Kell swung into the saddle nor as they clattered along the empty streets.

  The color and the gayety of the day had given way to the eerie stillness of night. The city's antiquity was more than ever apparent beneath the bent, silver moon. The huge pillars of the mansions and palaces towered up into the stars. The broad stairways, silent and deserted, seemed to climb endlessly until they vanished in the shadowy darkness of the upper