Maxian grinned, feeling the joy of the mountain flood his thought. Two more of the soldiers were attacking, pitiful weapons of iron and wood raised against him. He clenched his right fist, sending thought and will into the earth. The ground underneath the two men erupted in rushing orange-red flame and they shrieked in torment as they fell, burning fiercely at his feet.

The Prince bent, feeling the life of the first man rush through his fingers as the flames consumed him. There was a tingling feeling as the breath of life fluttered past and the Prince stood, staring at his hand. Tongues of fire danced on his finger-tips, mirroring the strength that was now his. They made beautiful patterns.

Blinking back tears, Thyatis cast about on the grass for a weapon. A wall of flame roared around the fringe of the grotto now, closing off all avenues of escape. It was as bright as day, though the air was thin and very hot. She gasped for breath. Movement was difficult, for the trembling in the ground had increased, shaking the turf like a bowl of gelatin. Her fingers touched the hilt of a fallen sword and curled around it. With an effort, for the mountain suddenly heaved like a wet dog shaking water from its back, she got up on her knees.

At least Anagathios will live, she thought with black humor. And the Duchess will get her wagons back:

She could see the Prince; he was smiling beatifically and staring at his hands, which shimmered with patterns of color. Above him, the sky was a boiling murk, filled with surging black clouds and lit by the fires roaring below. Entranced, he turned away, spinning slowly in the air. Thyatis stood warily, waiting for the next shock to shift the earth. The sword felt right in her hand as she crouched and scuttled forward.

Footsteps whispered on the grass behind her.

"No," came a tight voice and Thyatis turned in surprise, feeling a hand on her shoulder.

Krista was there, clad in dark clothing, her face grim as any fury. Her forearms were bare and a knife was in her hand. It shone with a black light of its own. "He is mine. You must flee."

Thyatis gaped as the younger woman bolted past her, murder shining in every smooth motion.

Maxian's thought whipped back and forth; the power in the mountain sang to him of ultimate release, of an orgiastic flood of power that would burst forth from the earth in a single stunning blow. His own mind was wrapped in a shell of rage and the burning vision of his brother hung before him in the air.

You brought this upon me, he howled in his mind, tears sparkling at the edges of his eyes. You, the Emperor who would place the State before your own brother! You would kill me?

With an effort, he restrained the surging billow of power in the mountain, feeling it press against his will. It had been held back for so long, balanced delicately by the lattices of the Oath, that it hungered and yearned only to be free, to rush out across the land. Maxian stood at the plug, a new balance point, allowing some tiny fragment of it to come forth to be wielded at his hand. Beyond the mountain, the Prince could feel the Oath shudder in retreat, driven back by waves of raw strength.

With this thing at my command, he exulted, I could smash those forms and specters into nothing!

He raised a hand, voice rising in words of power and command.

"Maxian!" A cry came, shouting above the roar of the flames. A familiar voice. He turned.

Krista was there, sprinting toward him, her dear face silhouetted by fire and smoke. She was smiling and there was undying love in her eyes. Maxian's heart leapt and his hands dropped, turning to embrace her outstretched arms. Giddy joy shouted in him. One, at least, of all the world still loves me!

Krista felt the heat flare from the Prince's body, but ignored it, throwing herself into his arms. He burned and the indigo corona was hotter than a forge, igniting her clothing. She screamed, her eyes blinded by the leaping fire, but she could still feel his thick hair under her hands. Krista flexed her left forearm and felt the cool bronze ring on her thumb take the tension of the spring.

Maxian cried out in dismay, seeing the flames lapping around Krista. The girl was gritting her teeth in pain. He put forth his power to enclose her in a shield of protection. There was a snapping sound close by his ear and then a shocking pain greater than he had ever experienced burst in the side of his skull. He fell back, letting the wash of flame flare up around Krista, catching in her hair. Trembling fingers touched the side of his head. Cold iron met his fingertips, jutting from his ear. Blackness rushed up around him, cutting off all sight and sound and sensation.

Thyatis crawled across the dying grass, her head low. Smoke billowed only a dozen feet above her and the heat beat at her like a fist. There was very little air left to breathe. The mountain, at least, had suddenly gone still and quiet. One arc of the grotto remained free of flames, flanked on either side by towering boulders. Something crouched there in the darkness, but it was free of the burning woods. When the turf steadied, she risked rising up and scurried across the ground toward the rocks.

There was something between the smoking trees, a great shape of iron curled up like a snake in its winter den. Thyatis skidded to a halt, staring in awe at the enormous round golden eyes that suddenly opened before her. The lids slid back, rasping metal on metal, and orbs of gold stared out. The thing was enormous and now it moved, iron scales sliding with a brittle rasp over iron scales. Thyatis fell down, stunned at this sight upon sights. Black wings unfolded, massive and articulated like those of a bat. Forearms as thick as temple columns moved and flexed, supporting its weight. The Engine rose from its slumber and moved forward into the open space of the grotto.

Thyatis scrambled aside, barely avoiding being crushed by a giant taloned paw. The thing was a hundred pedes long if it was an uncia, with a reticulated snaky tail and massive rear legs like those of a lion. As it moved, there was the ratcheting of gears and wheels and a door opened in its belly. Wings drifted by overhead, touching the walls of the grotto. Trees, nearly consumed by the wild-fire, cracked and shattered at the touch. The hot air rushing up caught under the pinions and the whole Engine shuddered, lifting a little. The Roman woman ran underneath it, seeing a hatch lever down.

With a heave, she leapt up and grabbed the edge and swung herself onto the ramp as it descended.

By all accounts, she thought, rolling up into the cargo hold, this thing can fly us away from here!

Maxian staggered, feeling poison flood into his skull like a black river. The Oath had come against him, all disguised in the face of love, and now it clawed at his mind and body. Even the power of the mountain seemed faint and weak beside the concentrated venom that hissed like acid inside his head. The Prince felt memories of joy and love and pain and hate flee, consumed by the damage to his mind.

Enough! There was power enough and more at his command. Was not his the will that could mend the shattered body, restore the dead to life, bring fruit from barren soil? He opened his thought to the full power of the mountain and let all restraint flee. I will live!