Maia

"With-" Milvushina, who never referred directly to the High Counselor unless it was quite unavoidable, made a movement with her head. "Is that door quite shut?"

"Yes, yes! Come on, what about Occula, then?"

"She's-well, she seems frightened and upset-not like herself. She's in her room-"

"Occula frightened? I don't believe it! What on earth of?"

"I don't know, Maia. But either that or else she's ill. She came back from-" again the movement-"about an hour ago and she seemed-well, as I say-upset. I've never seen her like that before. I asked her whether I could help,

but I'm not sure whether she even took in what I was saying."

Maia, entirely forgetting that her first duty was to send Ogma to tell the saiyett that she herself had returned, hurried through the pool room and down the short corridor beyond.

Occula, dressed only in her shift, was lying face down on the bed, her arms stretched in front of her. Between her hands was the black image of Kantza-Merada. She was breathing heavily and slowly, as though struggling to endure some inward pain. Each time her shoulders rose, the muscles contracted as she clutched the goddess more tightly.

Maia, who had never once seen her friend unnerved since the night at Khasik when she herself had stolen the Ortelgan merchant's golden bear, stood perplexed, anxious to help but at a loss to know how. After some moments she sat down on the bed and laid a hand on Occula's arm. At once the black girl looked up quickly, revealing tear-stained eyes and a face covered with sweat.

"What day is it? Have I been asleep?"

Maia stared in fear, for Occula seemed scarcely to recognize her. She had heard tell of people being driven out of their minds by sorcery and curses. The dreadful thought occurred to her that her friend might perhaps have been bewitched or poisoned.

"Asleep?" she faltered. "I-I don't know. I only just got back, Occula. Are you sick? What's the matter?"

"Ah, nothin', my pretty banzi," said Occula. "Nothin', nothin' in the world! Oh, if only I could get out of here somehow! Out of Bekla! Out of this whole bastin' empire! Get me out, banzi-if you love me, only get me out! I can' go on with it! I've lost my nerve!"

Drawing Maia to her, she kissed her passionately. Maia felt her tears against her cheek.

"I don't understand! What is it? You're frightening me, Occula!"

"I'm not frightenin' you, banzi," whispered Occula, releasing her and stroking her shoulder. "I'm more frightened myself than ever I've been since the Govig."

"But what of?"

"But how can I stop now? It's what I came here for-"

Quickly, roughly, she wiped her face with a corner of

the coverlet. "Pray for me, banzi! Pray for me as you never prayed for anyone in your life."

" 'Course I will, dear." Maia, bewildered, spoke as to a child. "But-well, it's not like you-can't you tell me the trouble?"

"No, you keep out of it!" retorted Occula immediately. She looked quickly round. "Where is she?"

"Terebinthia? With Sencho, Milvushina said. Shall I shut the door?"

"No; that'd be worse. She might come and listen outside and we'd never know she was there at all."

Sitting up on the edge of the bed, she buried her face in her hands. Maia sat beside her in silence. After what seemed a long time, Occula whispered, "Where have you been?"

"With Kembri. He was asking me-"

"With Kembril Not with the governor of Lapan?"

"That's right. He-"

"Did he say when the spring festival would be held?"

"No; he was on about Bayub-Otal. He-"

"But he must know, banzi! He must know! Melekril's as good as over. They must have fixed a day by now!"

She gazed at Maia with a look of entreaty.

"Well, but he didn't say anything about the festival," answered Maia. "What's so important about the festival, anyway? Will it be soon?"

"Yes, of course it'll be soon, banzi! It's always held within a few days of the end of the rains. They must be goin' to announce the day-"

"Hush, dear! Try and take it easy, do! She may come along any minute. Why's it so important?"

"Because-oh, banzi, I can' keep it up any longer! It's like tryin' to keep holdin' somethin' heavy above your head. I'm exhausted! I'm finished!"

"No, that you're not!" cried Maia with all the confidence at her command; for though she had no notion what could so much have dismayed her friend, her whole spirit rejected the idea of her Occula being unequal to any turn of fate whatever. "You're not to talk like that! If it's someone that's trying to hurt you, tell me who it is. I'll go to Kembri-I'll do anything-"

"He was better today," whispered Occula. "He ate- like he used to; and then he had Milvushina in by herself."

"Sencho?"