It was pretty, but Hederick could see no reason for it to fascinate Tarscenian so-none but witchcraft. That Ancilla had the priest in her power was painfully clear.

Hederick remained standing before the fire, while Ancilla arranged herself in a comfortable sitting position on the floor. "Hederick is here," Ancilla said soothingly to Tarscenian.

The priest lifted his head slowly, as if the Diamond Dragon released him from its spell grudgingly. Recogni shy;tion dawned in the gray eyes. "You have come at last," he said, his voice hoarse. "I have done great wrong, son. I am grateful that you are here. We must atone, you and I."

Ancilla spoke gently. "I've been instructing Tarscenian in the ways of the Old Gods."

"The betrayers," Hederick spat out.

Tarscenian quickly shook his head. "No, Hederick," he said. "I was wrong. The Seekers are wrong. The Old Gods did not betray us with the Cataclysm. We humans brought it on ourselves. We sought to become gods, nearly three centuries ago." His voice grew more excited, and he reached out to clasp the boy's small hands in his. "There are no Seeker gods, Hederick," he said. "Omalthea, Sauvay, and the rest-they are illusions, no more real than Venessi's god, Tiolanthe. Believe me, lad!"

He tugged, and Hederick knelt down next to him. Ancilla wordlessly watched the two. The fire crackled in the background.

"No!" the boy denied vehemently, pulling back. "The Seeker gods are the true gods. I have proof."

"What kind of proof can you have that the nonexistent exists?" Tarscenian asked.

Triumph rose within Hederick. "Sauvay showed him shy;self to me tonight," he declared. Excitement choked his voice. "He spoke to me, Tarscenian! Sauvay, god of power and vengeance! To me! He has been waiting for me to fol shy;low the Seekers. It is my lot to punish the sinners! I have been especially chosen."

Tarscenian stared dumbly at Hederick, and the boy redoubled his efforts to convince the priest. "To bring me to the Seekers-this was your mission in life, Tarscenian. That's why you were drawn to Garlund. Perhaps Sauvay even sent the giant lynx to bring us together. You've ful shy;filled your purpose."

Hederick felt the power of oratory fill him. "Don't com shy;pound your sin by denying your faith and betraying the pantheons. Pray with me! If you prostrate yourself, you may die forgiven!"

Ancilla watched silently, her face devoid of emotion. Her unblinking gaze flicked between her brother and Tarscenian.

The false priest came to himself with a start. "You . .. saw… Sauvay," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "A god … showed himself to you?"

Hederick clasped Tarscenian's hands tighter. "Yes," he replied eagerly. "Outside the copse. I…"

"Did his voice rumble? Venessi always said the voice of her god rumbled like thunder."

"No, it was more like the wind speaking-like a loud whisper. I…"

"Were there explosions? Did he wear a robe? Or did he come to you like Tiolanthe did to Venessi-half naked and built like a Caergothi blacksmith?"

"I could see only half of him, Tarscenian. He flowed up out of the ground. His torso was covered with a loose shirt. It could have been a robe, I suppose …"

Hederick's voice trailed off, and he felt the strength drain from him. The fallen priest was laughing! Mirth so filled Tarscenian that tears streamed from his eyes. He fell backward against the rug, chortling.

"By the True Gods!" Tarscenian roared. "He's as crazy as his mother!"

Ancilla reached across and placed her hand comfort shy;ingly on Hederick's arm. "You could not have seen a god that doesn't exist, little brother," she murmured. "You are hysterical. Forgive Tarscenian; he's had no sleep in a week. Calm yourself. Perhaps when you have rested, you will come to see, as Tarscenian has…"

Hederick snatched up the dragon figurine and leaped 1 to his feet. Ancilla grabbed for the charm, but Hederick held it away from her, eyes flashing.

"I saw Sauvay, I tell you!" he roared. "He warned me about you, witch. It was Sauvay, and he spoke only to me. He praised me, Ancilla. He praised me! Whether you accept it or not, the Old Gods are gone. I will lead the fol shy;lowers of the New Gods, and together we will annihilate magic and cleanse the world. It is ordained!"

Alarmed by the boy's words, Tarscenian stopped laughing and sat up.

Hederick, clutching the dragon in his left hand, launched himself at his former mentor. Hederick heard Ancilla chanting, and out of the corner of his eye, saw her fling dried herbs in the fire and move her hands in a spell. Sauvay guided his blow; Hederick's punch knocked the priest back on his elbows.

Blood dripped from one corner of Tarscenian's mouth, but he seemed not to notice. "The magic?" Tarscenian asked Ancilla apprehensively as he stood and pulled her to her feet.

Hederick's sister was noticeably upset. "I tried, my love," she replied disconsolately. "Nothing …"

"Magic will not work against a true believer, you fools!" Hederick thundered. They fell back a step, sur shy;prised at his vehemence.

"What shall we do, Ancilla?" Tarscenian pressed.

"Hederick has the dragon," she whispered back. "We must get it!"

"Sauvay!" Hederick bellowed to the skies. "Kill them both!" He yanked the cloth from a table and whisked it toward the fireplace. The fringe touched the flames, and soon Hederick was whirling the blazing cloth like a flag. The curtains caught fire, and likewise the sleeve of Tarscenian's robe, but Ancilla's silk robe seemed impervi shy;ous. "Fire purifies!" Hederick shouted.

The roof thatch seeped smoke. "We must leave, Tarscen shy;ian!" Ancilla cried. "I'm bound by my vow to him. I can't hurt my brother. I am powerless!"

"Of course you are, witch," Hederick snarled. Now it was his turn to laugh. "I am the righteous one. You have seduced Tarscenian away from virtue. You have doomed both of you. You are…"

Ancilla hurled more of the herbs into the fire. "Ranay nansensharn," she chanted desperately. Again her fingers danced wicked figures. "Ranay nansensharn."

Hederick threw himself at Tarscenian and Ancilla.

One moment the two traitors stood together, arms entwined, surrounded by flame. The next moment they were gone. Hederick found himself sprawled on the smol shy;dering rug before the mantel. He escaped from the evil dwelling just as the roof began to collapse.

* * * * *

It seemed as if no time at all had passed when Hederick returned to the sleeping village of Garlund. The glow from the flames that were eagerly devouring Ancilla's cot shy;tage and the copse around it lit up the sky. The moons had set. Hederick lit a lantern and set it on the back of a wagon in the courtyard.

"People of Garlund, arise!" he shouted. Sauvay was watching over him; his voice had never been so deep and confident. The boy crawled up onto the back of the wagon so that he was gazing down upon the sleepy Garlunders when they spilled out of their houses and into the village courtyard.

"A great moment has arrived!" Hederick called. "The New Gods are about to present us with a precious gift!"

In every face, from the youngest to the eldest, Hederick detected godlessness. How could he have been so blind, creeping into houses one by one to find evidence of indi shy;vidual crimes? It would have been better to search for those who hadn't sinned.

"A gift!" Hederick shouted again.

Voices churned around him. "What's the boy doing, waking us at such an hour?" "What's wrong?" "Is some shy;one hurt?" "It's Venessi's boy, causing trouble again." "Where's the priest? The lad answers to him now." "Tarscenian is gone. The prayer house is empty. His things are missing."

Hederick raised his hands. "The false priest has aban shy;doned us. He's betrayed us and joined the witch, Ancilla."