Maia полностью

"I thought Sencho would have turned you into a real, depraved little beast. From what you said to me, I believe you yourself even thought he had. So let me tell you, dear, that whatever you may have thought, he hasn't. I am depraved and I know. You're not even cruel, are you? Cran only knows how or why, but you've remained naturally decent." (She uttered the word contemptuously.) "One day it'll catch up with you, I expect-if you live that long. You'll end up dull as a cow in a field."

Maia spoke at last. "I done my best, Folda."

"Oh, I know: but I'm talking about natural inclination- and you haven't got it."

"Well, not for-' Maia hesitated. "No."

There was a pause. "As a rule," said Fornis at length, "when anyone's been with me like this, and I find they don't suit me, I get rid of them for good."

Maia turned cold: she felt her bowels loosen. "You've- you've done that?"

"Oh, yes!" replied Fornis lightly. "It would never do, you see, to have people around who could repeat scandal about the Sacred Queen. So one way or another they have to disappear. That's part of the fun, actually. Now and then it might be Zeray, but sometimes even Zeray isn't far enough."

Maia clutched at her, sobbing. "Oh, esta-saiyett, please! I didn't mean-"

"Quiet!" said Fornis quickly. "You'll wake the boys. But I've decided not to put you out of the way, Maia, because of this plan that Kembri's got for you: and if you and he think I don't know what it's all about, you must be even bigger fools than I took you for. I agree with him that if only you can bring it off, it could be very valuable. In my opinion Bayub-Otal's a most dangerous man; and since he's taken this fancy to you-which is perfectly understandable-you're probably the only person who can bring it off. I hope you do."

"Oh, Folda-thank you-thank you! I'm. sorry-I'm ever so sorry I couldn't-"

"You think it's blasphemy, don't you?" flashed the queen suddenly, gripping her upper arms and digging her nails in so hard that Maia cried out.

"I never said so!"

"No, but you were thinking it. 'What am I doing, polluting the Sacred Queen?' That's what you were thinking."

Since the truth was that Maia had begun thinking exactly this from the moment when she realized that she and the queen were not sensually at one, she could find no reply. As she hesitated, the child Tikki stirred in his sleep, and this distracted Fornis, who turned her head to look at him.

It was at this instant that Maia was seized with a sudden, desperate inspiration. There was no time to consider it, the idea that had leapt into her mind. She knew only that it offered a chance to save Occula from torture.

"Folda, please don't be angry. You see, I can still do you a very good turn-better 'n what you can imagine. Now that I've been with you and realized what you like,

I know someone who'd suit you right down to the ground- someone as might 'a been made for you."

Fomis laughed. "Maia, you're simple, aren't you? I know you mean well, but even I can't reach out and help myself to other people's property just as I've a mind to. Some other girl you know in someone's house, is it? I can't go taking any slave-girl in the city. Apart from anything else, I have to be very discreet about my pleasures. That's why I have the little boys."

"I know all that, Folda: but as it happens, this girl's your own property. She's down in the temple of Cran at this minute. It's my friend, Occula. She never killed Sencho, I can promise you that. She didn't know anything about it. Did, she'd 'a told me."

"You mean the black girl who was with Sencho that night?"

"Yes, esta-saiyett. Occula-she's exactly what you want, believe me."

"How very interesting!" said Fornis. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because we was months together at Sencho's and I know what she likes: her tastes an' that."

"I see." Fornis paused. "Well-and yet you say she didn't kill him?"

"I know it, esta-saiyett."

"What a pity!" said Fornis unexpectedly. "Sencho'd lived too long. He wasn't useful to us anymore. Perhaps I killed him, did I?" She laughed again. "No, I didn't, as it happens; but I rather wish I had. Well, we'd better start thinking what we're going to do, hadn't we? I'll write to the chief priest under my personal seal, saying that I've decided after all that you're available to be used as Kembri wishes, but he's to send me Occula instead. Then Shakti can take you down to the temple this morning and bring Occula back with her." She paused. "But mind this, Maia, and make very sure you don't forget it! One word about last night to anyone at all, and that gorgeous body of yours will be hanging upside-down by the road for the flies to blow. Have you got that? Now let's go and bathe, and if that Deelguy girl hasn't got the water hot I'll have her whipped as well as the dog-boy."