In the moonlight it was hard to make out a distinct shape, but Spence thought he saw a creature of about a meter or more in height with two locustlike wings on its back. Its lower legs were furred like a goat's, but it had the tail of a scorpion that curved up in a backward arch. Its arms were long and emaciated, its hands and fingers little more than sticks.
The thing held in its hands a shining silver ball; it was this object that had emitted the high-pitched tone that drove the dogs away.
Spence stood spellbound as the creature turned to regard him with a cold, alien stare. Its face, and this was by far the most frightening thing about it, bore an intelligent, distinctly human look. It gazed unblinking at him with pale green eyes that glowed in the moonlight and Spence, staring into those eerie, otherworldly eyes, suddenly understood that it was trying to communicate with him.
The idea filled him with such repulsion that he cringed. The urge to run out and smash the creature flooded through him. As if sensing his mood, the thing hopped back in uneasy, jerky movements and its wings rustled in the air like dry leaves on a dead tree and it flew away.
Spence followed it with his eyes until it disappeared over the rooftops. "Did you see that?" he asked, disbelief making his voice small and uncertain.
"I saw it, but I don't believe it."
"Whatever it was, it tried to communicate with me." Spence turned wide eyes to his friend, and a shudder passed through him. "Adjani, it was a demon."
"A naga-a snake spirit. Here and now. We saw it."
Without another word the two ran from the square, lightly stepping over the panting bodies of stricken dogs. Once out of the marketplace they raced through empty streets back to the governor's palace. Overhead, red and gold glittering starburts lit their passage as fireworks blossomed in the sky.
They reached the palace walls out of breath and sweating, despite the cool evening breeze coming down from the mountains. They moved along the straggling knots of merrymakers still milling in the streets around the palace, the greater number of celebrants having departed for the lake to witness the burning barges. But several of the effigies had been set on fire and were being paraded through the streets on long poles to the chants of ecstatic worshipers.
They ducked in the still-open gate and proceeded across the close-cropped lawn toward the terrace, threading among the throngs watching the fireworks.
A worried, hand-wringing Gita met them as they mounted the steps of the terrace.
"You disappeared. I could not find you. There was trouble, yes? Oh, I knew there would be."
"We're exhausted, Gita," said Adjani. "We'll go to our rooms." Spence only nodded.
But as they turned to leave they were met by Fazlul, who seemed to appear from nowhere. "You have had enough, my guests? So soon?" He smiled warmly, but his eyes were dead in his face. "In any event, I hope this evening's entertainment offered you a taste of the exotic and perhaps an unusual diversion."
"We enjoyed it immensely, Governor." Gita turned on his most unctious, ingratiating manner. "It was a night to remember always. I, of course, could go on all night, but alas!-my poor Western friends are not accustomed to such strenuous celebrations. We beg your indulgence, for a night's sleep weighs heavy after our travels." Spence and Adjani muttered suitable excuses for retiring, smiled, and nodded.
"Of course," replied Fazlul. "I am sure the exertions of your day are telling on you now. Very well, you'll find your beds waiting. Good night, gentlemen; and pleasant dreams."
"Namastey, Governor," the three said in chorus. "Good night."
The governor moved away, the smile still on his lips. They watched him go and as soon as he was out of earshot, Spence turned to the others and whispered, "The sly devil knows what happened tonight, so help me! He knows!"
19
… THE SKY WAS PINK long before the sun rose above Kanchenjunga to banish night from the city. But Spence had been up before sunrise. He had not slept much of the night, lying in bed thinking about the creature with the glowing green eyes. Finally, as the night lifted her dark veil and morning showed dull iron in the east, he rose and went to Adjani's room.
"We've got to get out of here," he said. Adjani was not asleep either.
"That's just what I was thinking. We should make some excuse and leave after breakfast."
"No, I mean right away. Now."
Adjani cocked his head to one side and looked at Spence closely. "Really? You expect some trouble?"
"I don't know. Maybe. I've been awake all night thinking about what happened-the dogs and that creature, the idol and everything. And Fazlul's knowing that we would go there." He paused. "Adjani, we weren't meant to return last night."
Adjani sat cross-legged in bed nodding gently, staring at a point just above Spence's head. Spence recognized his friend's manner of concentration and let him turn over the facts in his mind.
"Yes, perhaps you are right," Adjani said at last. "We will go. Get dressed; I'll fetch Gita. We'll leave at once."
Spence returned to his room and donned his newly cleaned and pressed jumpsuit and stuffed his feet into his boots. When he returned to Adjani's room a very sleepy Gita was rubbing his sleepswollen eyes and scratching his belly as he finished dressing.
"To miss breakfast in this house would be a crime!" Gita lamented.
"I wonder if you would feel that way if it were your last breakfast on this earth?"
"So?" Gita's eyes grew round as grapefruits. "Then there was trouble last night. I knew it, though you never tell Gita anythingI must always find out for myself."
"Stop pouting and put your turban on," said Spence. "We didn't tell you because, well, because there was no time. We didn't want you to worry, and anyway, we weren't too sure about what happened last night ourselves."
"You think I wouldn't understand," said Gita dolefully, winding the long strip of thin blue muslin around his head.
"I don't think I understand," snapped Spence.
"We weren't keeping anything from you," explained Adjani. "We will tell you everything as soon as we are away from here. We must go now."
"I'm ready," Gita sniffed. "Let us fly if fly we must."
Spence crept to the door and opened it, looked both ways, and motioned for the others to follow. They stole down a long corridor and down the wide marble staircase to the great entrance hall of the palace. Not a sound could be heard in all the palace; not a soul was seen stirring in the gray morning half-light.
Moving as quickly and stealthily as burglars they crossed the cool marble hall, darting between the great green spiral pillars. Just as they reached the big bronze outer doors a voice, bold and clear and challenging in the silent hall, said, "Leaving so soon, my guests? I had hoped you would have deigned to stay a little longer."
The three froze and out from behind a pillar stepped Fazlul. He was accompanied by palace guards with old-style combat rifles which looked in excellent condition despite their age. The governor approached, wearing that same crafty smirk they had seen at their first meeting. "How ironic that you should choose to leave just as I was about to arrange a journey for you into the hills."
"We have done nothing, Governor," said Adjani. "Let us go in peace."