“What dost thou mean by the full import?”
“The law dost require thee to marry. Thou mayst not demand the oath of allegiance without a consort. Atlantis no longer exists and thou must be responsible for the succession.”
Setos opened his eyes wide in astonishment when the real nature of the situation dawned upon him and he realized that fear had nothing to do with Yermah’s abdication. As soon as he could recover himself, he answered:
“I am willing to fulfill thy conditions.”
“Not my conditions, but the law of the ages,” corrected the Dorado, with a frown. “Rahula has long been thy willing handmaid. Wilt thou espouse her?”
“Yes.”
“And to-night?”
“Yes; but canst thou say as much for her?”
“She shall answer for herself, as she is already under this roof. And while the tamanes conduct her here, wilt thou tell me, Imos, why thou, too, art in bloody array against me?”
Encouraged by Setos’s success, Imos answered boldly: