Titans of Chaos

"And yet you have not yet answered what seems to be a crucial flaw in the scheme; namely, ifcontemplating the possibility that you might return to Chaos, or even that the rumor of yourliberty might eventually leak out to the Lords of Chaos, creates in me so much terror, or such highsentiment, that the prospect of losing my life holds no more fear for me. My life would end oneway or the other, if the ordered foundations of reality were overturned.

"Nor is the danger, so to speak, unreal. I have it on good authority, from my spies among theprelapsarians, that the Green Energy was infused into the Thousand-Dimensional Object, whichwas moved several inches from its base before its progress was arrested by Phlegon of Myriagon.

I know also that Morpheus, riding a steed of silver-white, crossed the moon-path of the Ocean ofUntranquil Night, with six million of his phantasms, night-fancies, and long-tailed cometsmarching and floating behind him; and even now scratches at the windows of the day-world,calling to be let in."

I said, "You will be our emissary."

That caught him by surprise. He stopped his thorough inspection of my thighs, hips, and breasts tojerk his eyes up to my face, searching for some trace to tell him if I were serious.

"What-? I mean, please explain yourself, Miss Windrose."

I said, "I hope you believe that we have no more wish than you to have the world destroyed. Wealso wish to return to our homes in Chaos, some of us, at least. The only way to accomplish that isto wait until you Olympians set-le your succession dispute, and rally behind a throne filled by aking you deem able to hold off an attack from Chaos. Until that time comes, our only hope ofcontinued liberty lies in our willingness to help you deceive the chaoticists, and the other factionsof Olympos, into thinking that we children are still under your control. And by you, I mean you,personally, Boreas.

"So this is the deal I suggest. You will be our go-between and emissary to the other Olympians.

Anyone who wants to make a deal with us has to go through you, or else we don't talk to them.

Not Mavors, not Mulciber, not the Unseen One. Nobody. We talk to nobody without yourapproval. You are the only one who knows where I am. All communication has to come throughyou."

I smiled archly. "You can tell them we are filled with affection and loyalty to the man whoeducated us, if you like."