not in all.
You shall be whipped. Do you hear me? I say, whipped. The lean flesh
shall be scourged from your scraggy bones, and you shall totter away
from this place as a red and bleeding example for those who would dare
traduce their Empress. Here, some of you, I say, take that man, and let
him be whipped where he stands."

Her cry went out clearly enough. But not a soul amongst those glittering
feasters stirred in his place. Not a soldier amongst the guards stepped
from his rank. The place was hung in a terrible silence. It seemed as
though no one within the hall dared so much as to draw a breath. All
felt that the very air was big with fate.

Phorenice, with her head crouched forward, looked from one group to
another. Her face was working. "Have I no true servants," she asked,
"amongst all you pretty lip-servers?"

Still no one moved. They stood, or sat, or crouched like people
fascinated. For myself, with the first words he had uttered, I had
recognized the old man by his voice. It was Zaemon, the weak governor
who had given the Empress her first step towards power; that earnest
searcher into the mysteries, who knew more of their powers, and more
about the hidden forces, than any other dweller on the Sacred Mountain,
even at that time when I left for my colony. And now, during his strange
hermit life, how much more might he not have learned? I was torn by
warring duties. I owed much to the Priests' Clan, by reason of my oath
and membership; it seemed I owed no less to Phorenice. And, again, was
Zaemon the truly accredited envoy of the high council of the priests of
the Sacred Mountain? And was the Empress of a truth deposed by the High
Gods above, or was she still Empress, and still the commander of my
duty? I could not tell, and so I sat in my seat awaiting what the event
would sow.

Phorenice's fury was growing. "Do I stand alone here?" she cried. "Have
I pampered you creatures out of all touch with gratitude? It seems that
at last I want a new chief to my guards. Ho! Who will be chief of the
guards of the Empress?"

There was a shifting of eyes, a hesitation. Then a great burly form
strode up from the farther end of the hall, and a perceptible shudder
went up from all the others as they watched him.

"So, Tarca, you prefer to take the risks, and remain chief of the guard
yourself?" she said with an angry scoff. "Truly there did not seem to be
many thrusting forward to strip you of the office. I shall have