He went to the cabin where she was being guarded with that purpose in mind. Ywain sat there and she wore now the shackles he had worn.
He came in upon her suddenly, catching her as she sat with her head bowed and her shoulders bent in utter weariness. But at the sound of the door she straightened and watched him, level-eyed. He saw how white her face was and how the shadow lay in the hollows of the bones.
He did not speak for a long time. He had no pity for her. He looked at her, liking the taste of victory, liking the thought that he could do what he wanted with her.
When he asked her about the Dhuvian scientific weapons they had found Ywain laughed mirthlessly.
“You must be an ignorant barbarian indeed if you think the Dhuvians would instruct even me in their science. One of them came with me to overawe with those things the Jekkaran ruler, who was waxing rebellious. But S’San would not let me even touch those things.”
Carse believed her. It accorded with what Jaxart had said, that the Dhuvians jealously guarded their scientific weapons from even their allies, the Sarks.
“Besides,” Ywain said mockingly, “why should Dhuvian science interest you if you hold the key to the far greater science locked in Rhiannon’s tomb?”
“I do hold that key and that secret,” Carse told her and his answer took the mockery out of her face.
“What are you going to do with it?” she asked.
“On that,” Carse said grimly, “my mind is clear. Whatever power that tomb gives me I’ll use against Sark and Caer Dhu—and I hope it’s enough to destroy you down to the last stone in your city!”