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her shawl around her throat as though she was experiencing a slight chill. In the darkness I could read little else into the gesture. |
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It was time to let her off the hook momentarily. The one thing I didn't want to do was to put her back on the defensive. A defensive attitude could result in a squeeze, and I couldn't think of anything I wanted less than a twitch in that gnarled old finger of hers which was still tightly coiled around the trigger. I decided to do a little more talking and give her a breather. |
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"We were intrigued with the replica of the sarcophagus of Sate, intrigued enough to start asking some questions." |
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"Then you already learned that it's the time of the equinoctial awakening?" |
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I gave her my best E.G. Wages quizzical expression and hoped she'd catch it. |
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The old woman somehow managed to contort her twisted features still further. She began what was essentially an affirmation of what Kelto had already told me. "The eleven year cycle of Sate has begun again. The Prince of the other-world domain will rise again." It was all too obvious she was merely parroting the words she had so carefully memorized. |
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It was time for quizzical look number two. |
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"You know nothing of this?" she rasped. |
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There was a momentary lull in the conver- |
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