Eldon wanted to shout a denial. But he understood why she had been so unsure of her footing descending the mountains, why she had tired so easily.
"This Earthman could be El-ve-don of the prophecy if he would. He will not. But some day—if the Gateway can be held long enough—perhaps our child will accept the burden its father has shirked. The child will inherit characteristics of a Closed World mind. It was all I could do for Varda."
Her voice broke in a sob.
Eldon read a thought in her mind, a thought intended for him alone.
"And besides, I love him."
His brain was awhirl. It was all utterly impossible. But his confusion was interrupted by a stir in the back of the hall. Bolan entered, shoved his way to the dais. He spoke to the old leader and there were cries of angry protest from those near enough to hear.
"But—" the old man began.
"A trick to regain our confidence," someone broke in loudly. "Even Luvans would be sacrificed to defeat us."
The old man spoke to Bolan again, and Bolan turned to stare at his sister with disbelief changing to undisguised loathing.
"But she is the only one who knows the arrangement of the Fortress," he said aloud. "Kill her and you doom our attack to failure."