Night's Master by Tanith Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

like a tall shadow thrown
upward on the air. Slowly then, Vayi’s eyes traveled up until they met those
coals that were the Prince’s.
    “Mercy, Peerless One,” whimpered Vayi, “I forgot myself in my fury. But this
son of a deaf bat and a blind owl has stolen my work. That collar is mine,
mine!”
    “And did you also intend,” said Azhrarn, smooth as honey and hemlock, “to
give the collar to me.”
    At this Vayi beat his fists on his head and his feet on the ground.
    “What else, O Wondrous One? Is it not fair? Is it not without equal? Who
else should possess it but the Lord without equal?”
    “Well, well,” said Azhrarn. “And how am I to judge who made this gift for
me? Shall I put you both to the test?”
    Bakvi and Vayi both cast themselves down on the black lawn and squealed
for pity, but presently Vayi gave over chewing the grass and stuck up his head
again.
    “There is only one way to test us, Prince. If he made the collar, ask him
where he came by such rare and lucent jewels.”
    Azhrarn smiled once more, a smile unlike the first. He looked musingly at
Bakvi, and he said:
    “That seems reasonable enough, little hammerer. The jewels are strange
and beautiful. Tell me, where did you mine them?”
    Bakvi sat up and looked about wildly:
    “In a deep cave,” he began, “I found a curious cleft,” but at this Vayi
let out a gale of laughter. Bakvi checked and began again. “Strolling by the
lake I found a lizard with a brazen skin, and, holding it up by its tail, shook
out its eyes.”
    “Did it then have seven eyes?” barked Vayi.
    “Yes, yes, it did,” gabbled Bakvi, “two on either side of its nose, one
in the top of its head—ah—one in its chin, and—um...”
    “Pah!” exclaimed Vayi exultantly. “See how the wretch lies. I will tell
you, oh Fabulous Lord, where I got my seven jewels.” And coming close, he
whispered it.
    “That is easily verified,” said Azhrarn, and he took from one of the
Vazdru princesses a magic glass, and summoned up in it the image of Ferazhin
Flower-Born, and bade her, in his low melodious voice, to weep. So irresistible
was his command that all wept who heard him; even the flowers put out dew.
Ferazhin’s tears fell like rain, and each resembled one of the seven jewels.
    “Cease weeping,” murmured Azhrarn, darkening the glass, and the Vazdru brushed
the drops from their damask cheeks though the Eshva woman wore her tears like
opals, and the two Drin continued to snivel from fear. “Now,” said Azhrarn, “I
know that Vayi made the collar and Bakvi stole it. How shall I punish him?”
    Bakvi gibbered, and Vayi cried:
    “Boil him in the venom of the snake who is his mistress, boil him for ten
human centuries. And then boil him in lava for another ten. And then give him
to me.”
    “Be still, little greedy one,” said Azhrarn, and Vayi paled. “I alone
mete out justice in Druhim Vanashta. I see that, though one is a thief, the
other is ambitious, boastful, impetuous, and loud. Bad little Drin. Bakvi must
crawl on his belly and be a worm and turn the soil of my garden until I
remember him, for thieves cannot be tempted when there is nothing to steal,”
and next minute Bakvi had shrunk and thinned and fallen down and slipped away a
little black worm into the ground. “As for Vayi; I decline his gift, since its
value has been lost in wrangling. Bad little Drin, you are too proud of your
cleverness. I will send your collar to the world of men and there great
mischief will come of it, which will please you, and who will doubt that a Drin
made it, but they will never learn your name and you shall get no credit for
your work, no kings will keep you in state, or make you velvet boxes in which
to hide by day.”
    Then Vayi bowed his head, seeing Azhrarn read all his dreams.
    “I am punished,” he said, “and rewarded too. You are just, as ever,
Master of the city. Only let me kiss the grass where the sole of your foot has
most recently rested, and I will