dragged the carcass outside the city to attract the demons away and burned thebodies of the dead and their possessions in a great pyre. What I remember wasmen and women lying with each other in the streets, with drops of blood from thesacrifice still red on their brows."

Kadakithis shuddered, but Shupansea said that she had heard of similar customsin the villages of her own land.

"That may be so," said the High Priest repressively, "but the theologicalimplications are unfortunate, particularly now. My Prince, I am afraid that yourformal betrothal will have to be delayed until this dies down."

"It is the dying I am afraid of," said the Beysa. "They will be sacrificing mypeople, not stallions or bulls, if you do not do something soon!"

Molin Torchholder's face worked as if he saw the careful edifice of cooperationhe had constructed collapsing before him. Without answering, he strode off, andShupansea and Kadakithis followed him, leaving Lalo staring after them.

Presently he turned back to the mural he had been working on. On the wall of thePresence Chamber, Mother Bey stretched out Her hand to the Storm God against abackground of the blue sea. It was no accident that the god looked somethinglike Kadakithis, and the goddess had the bearing and wore the robes ofShupansea, but Lalo had worked from imagination and memory this time, knowingbetter than to paint the souls of these particular models for all to see.

Technically the work was competent, but the figures seemed lifeless. For amoment Lalo wondered what a little of his breath would do. Then he rememberedthe wars of Va-shanka and Us, shuddered, and pulled the mask over his nose andmouth again. With Dyareela stalking the streets of Sanctuary, the last thingthey needed was two new deities with all the prejudices and failings of the