“He knows the secret! By the gods he knows!”
“Would you face the Dhuvian weapons if you had the greater powers of Rhiannon?” Carse asked.
There was such a crazy clamor of excitement that it took moments for Rold’s voice to be heard. The tall Khond’s face was half doubtful.
“Could we use Rhiannon’s weapons of power if we had them? We can’t even understand the Dhuvian weapons you captured in the galley.”
“Give me time to study and test them and I’ll solve the way of using Rhiannon’s instruments of power,” Carse replied confidently.
He was sure that he could. It would take time but he was sure that his own knowledge of science was sufficient to decipher the operation of at least some of those weapons of an alien science.
He swung the great sword high, glittering in the red light of the torches, and his voice rang out, “And if I arm you thus will you make good your word? Will you follow me to Sark?”
All doubts were swept away by the challenge, by the heaven-sent opportunity to strike“ at last at Sark on at least even terms.
The answer of the Sea Kings roared out. “We’ll follow!”
It was then that Carse saw Emer. She had come onto the dais by some inner passage, standing now between two brooding giant figureheads crusted with the memory of the sea, and her eyes were fixed on Carse, wide and full of horror.