“Will you deny me the chance to redeem myself?” The Cursed One’s tone was almost pleading. “Can you not understand that this man Carse is my only chance to undo what I did?”
His voice rushed on, urgent, eager. “For an age, I lay fixed and frozen in an imprisonment that not even the pride of Rhiannon could withstand. I realized my sin. I wished to undo it but could not.
“Then into my tomb and prison from outside came this man Carse. I fitted the immaterial electric web of my mind into his brain. I could not dominate him, for his brain was alien and different. But I could influence him a little and I thought that I could act through him.
“For his body was not bound in that place. In him my mind at least could leave it. And in him I left it, not daring to let even him know that I was within his brain.
“I thought that through him I might find a way to crush the Serpent whom I raised from the dust to my sorrow long ago.”
Rold’s shaking voice cut across the passionate pleading that came from Carse’s lips. There was a wild look on the Khond’s face. “Emer, let the Cursed One speak no longer! Lift the spell of your minds from the man!”
“Lift the spell!” echoed Ironbeard hoarsely.
“Yes,” whispered Emer. “Yes.”
Once again the jewel was raised and now the Wise Ones gathered all their strength, spurred by the terror that was on them. The electro-sensitive crystal blazed and it seemed to Carse like bale-fire searing his mind. For Rhiannon fought against it, fought with the desperation of madness.
“You must listen! You must believe!”