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'I have kept my word；' Sabat's voice broke the silence； staccato tones that held no fear。 'Now it is up to you to keep yours； O Hirschlanden Warrior！'
'Indeed I shall； Sa 。 。 。 ba 。 。 。 t；' the lipless mouth moved slightly。
'Then give this man Kent his sanity back and let us go。'
'Be patient； for we； the old ones； have need of you yet。'
'What trickery is this！' Sabat held the sword aloft； its jewels glittering in the faint starlight as though it had a life of its own。 'I have the sword of Alda。 I can destroy many of you with this sacred weapon。'
'Perhaps。 Yet would you not rather serve the old ones？'
'I already have。 I have saved your sacred ground for without these men the sale will not go through。'
'The woman is one of them。'
'No。 She was tricked by the man； Hurst。 You have already meted out your justice to the guilty woman； his wife。'
*Sa 。 ； 。 ba 。 。 。 t 。 ； 。 ' an impatient hiss； 'we cannot spend the night bargaining。 You have done well in bringing the guilty ones to our Council of Justice in the highest temple of them all。 That is why we bestow upon you the greatest honour of all。 Tonight you shall be High Priest； to hear this case； to pass judgement。 。 。 and carry out the punishment on those found guilty！'
Sabat's brain reeled。 The Warrior's words were almost beyond mortal belief。 These Oke Priests had bestowed upon him the role of Judge and Executioner。 To refuse would incur their wrath。
The wind was soughing in the branches of an oak tree； seeming to pick up the whispers of the waiting throng； their awe； their anger at what these mortals had attempted to do。 There would be only one oute to such a trial； one finding… guilty！ And the punishment would be death！
Sabat let his gaze rove around the circle of druids。 One he recognised； the tall Alda； eyes ablaze with hatred and jealousy for the mortal who had stolen not only his rightful status but also his soul。 And the power was Sabat's； power supreme except for the Hirschlanden Warrior of L'Impernal who ruled over these ancients。
'I am honoured； O Warrior；' Sabat lifted his sword； implanted a kiss upon its blade。 'But what of my colleague； Kent？'
'He shall be restored to his former self after the trial。'
'And the woman； Lola？'
'She must face trial； Sa 。 。 。 ba 。 。 ； t； along with the others； for evil spawns evil and we cannot be sure of her innocence。 The Council will decide and you must abide by their decision。'
Sabat sighed but he knew he had no choice。 His only chance lay in agreeing to carry out the wishes of the Oke Priests。 'All right； I accept your offer； O Warrior。'
'Good。' The head might just have smiled； the mouth stretched wide。 'Then let us begin。 You have the sword of Alda； Sa 。 。 。 ba 。 。 。 t。 Take his robes and don them； and take your place upon the Seat of Judgement！'
So unreal； as though he was on the astral looking down on his physical body。 Alda meekly disrobing himself； handing over the voluminous cloak and the gold gorget； a wreath of oak leaves。 The cap； smelly fur that had dried hard。 Bowing； his features a mask of anger but pelled to obey the mand of the Warrior。
Sabat … Arch Druid！ He sensed a new power； a cruelty that transcended his own ruthlessness； the priests from the shadows bowing as they escorted him up a flight of steps to the Seat of Judgement … looking down on the throng below and knowing how they feared him。
The prisoners were pushed forward； two big men and a very frightened girl； forced to kneel； their guards having produced long…bladed knives from the folds of their garments。
〃Begin the trial！' The Hirschlanden Warrior of L'lmpernal was now upon a large central stone； presiding over the gathering。 These three are charged with the conspiracy to corrupt and desecrate druid ground。 Let them speak； the holy one who is thought to be unholy； first。'
Bishop Boyce was on his feet； a figure that swayed； his florid features suddenly deathly pale。 'I am a bishop； a man of the Church。 Would I do anything that was not in the interests of the Church？ The money from the sale would have gone into church funds。 I did not know the land was sacred。 I ask pardon and forgiveness。'
'You did not know it was druid land；' Sabat spoke with a haughtiness foreign to his character； leaning forward and resting on the hilt of his sword。 'Yet your sole motive was personal greed。 Money would have gone to your Church but a sum would have e secretly to you as a result of bribery and corruption that enabled the land to be released for sale。 Is that not so？'
'It is a lie！' An almost hysterical shout。
'It is the truth。 What say the Council？'
'Guilty'：
Whispers of anger； growing； like a gathering sandstorm in the desert as Boyce was dragged back into the shadows。
'Let the tall fair one state his case。'
Silence again as Darren Hurst was pushed forward； glancing wildly about him as though he sought some avenue of escape。 But the ranks had closed； death awaiting anyone foolish enough to try and run the gauntlet of sacrificial knives。
Sabat's eyes narrowed； he sensed his own hatred； the power bestowed upon him pounding like liquid fire in his veins。 Suddenly he was God； the giver and the taker away of life。 Almost； he was but a pawn where the Council of Justice were concerned。 The final decision was theirs so why did they need him？ The awful realisation came suddenly。 The guilty had to die； there had to be an executioner and what could be more fitting than that a mortal should take mortal life！ This was their ultimate revenge！
Darren Hurst could barely stand。 Trembling violently he looked about him and finally raised his eyes to Sabat。
'For God's sake； Sabat； I didn't know it was druid land。 I swear it。 For God's sake； I didn't know！'
Ignorance of the law is no excuse for a breach of the law； the law then as it is now。 Sabat's features were impassive。 He was one of the ancient ones now； loathing this avarice and greed。 He raised his hand； received an answering hiss from the multitudinous jury。 There could be only one verdict…guilty！
Hurst screamed； a shrill yell of terror； seemed to crumble but hands stretched out and caught him before he fell； dragged him away。
Only one left now … Lola！
The Warrior moved in as though he did not trust Sabat； suspended only a few feet from where the robed high priest sat。 Sabat felt a tingling in the hand which held the sword as though the blade was conducting a small current； forming a link between Master and servant that stretched across thousands of years。
'And what of the woman； Sabat？ Hear what she has to say in frail defence'
'I had no part in this！' Lola shrieked。 'I did not know。 I was but Hurst's mistress。'
'It is true；' Sabat's voice was powerful； seemed to bounce back off the ring of mighty stone pillars。 'I know that for a fact。 Hurst deceived her； she only found out when it was too late。 Listen to me； all of you； without this woman I could not have brought her lover here before the Council tonight。 She helped me； tricked him。'
'Treachery is her nature；' The Hirschlanden Warrior hissed。 'A harlot who has a price。 Doubtless you paid a higher price than these others； Sabat； or else she would not have aided you in this treachery。 By druid law she is guilty。 Her part in helping you is no defence。'
'I did not put a price on her help；' Sabat answered angrily。
'You put her under your power。 First； for your own ends； secondly because she would not have helped you otherwise。 What say the Council？' The skull was brighter now； a luminous shape in the night sky； eyes glowing with fury as it sought to overrule Sabat。
'Guilty the answer was spontaneous； a throaty cry like baying wolves scenting blood and eager to move in for the kill。
'No！' Sabat was on his feet； an angry cloaked figure brandishing a glittering sword。 'You brought me here as judge and you have heard my ruling。 Innocent！ She is innocent！'
'Which is overruled by the Cult of the Severed Head！' the Warrior was hissing foul…smelling vapour； fetid mist gathering in the windless atmosphere。
Then I will have no further part in this！' Sabat tore his white robe from him； cast it aside。 'I have kept my bargain。 I owe you nothing。 Your part is still to be fulfilled。 So far you have wasted my time！'
'No； your part is not yet fulfilled；' the skull swung dose so that only a foot or so separated it from Sabat。 The prisoners have been found guilty but sentence has not yet been passed。 That is your duty； according to druid law； and there is only one penalty for these offenders。 Death！
Mortals have been tried by a mortal and they must die at the hand of a mortal if our vengeance is to be plete。 You have no choice； Sabat。 Otherwise your friend will join them！'
Sabat lowered his sword。 He had almost plunged the blade at the vile thing that was the Hirschlanden Warrior of L'lmpernal； trusted in his own power to destroy it。 Had his own life and soul alone been at risk he would have done so but Kent was somewhere out there in the shadows。
'You promised our lives in return；' he snarled。 'How do I know that you will not trick me at the end？'
'No！ Sabat； please don't let them kill me！' Lola was screaming； struggling； but the old ones overpowered her； stifled her cries。 And Sabat winced at the prospect of his own treachery； had to make one last try。
'I will pronounce and carry out the sentence on the two men；' he spoke firmly； 'but I must ask that you spare the woman。 She means much to me for I have mated with her！'
A hiss from the watchers； astonishment and fury。 Sabat had been installed as High Priest for this one night and this woman； proven guilty； now turned out to be his mistress； just as Alda had once taken Alena into his bed and made her one of the higher ones by sexual union； saving her from a terrible fate。
'On your oath； do you speak the truth？ For perjury is punishable by death！'
'I speak the truth。 Turn the one called Lola over to me！'
That we cannot do； for she has bee one of us through you； and we shall keep her； but the fate of the others will not be shared by her； that I promise。 Now； pass sentence on the other two for much time has been wasted and we must be ready 'ere the first rays of the rising sun strike the sacrificial stone！'
Sabat faced the shadowy circle whose numbers appeared to have swelled even further； a dark moving mass that filled this ancient temple to capacity； a crowd that was waiting to hear him speak。
The men； Boyce and Hurst； have been found guilty and there is only one penalty；' he raised the sword high in the air； closed his eyes momentarily for its flashing brightness blinded him。 'Death！' It might be carried out in a number of ways； a Wicker Man； the turf sacrificial altar； throats cut as the sun rose。 。 。 。
Cries of jubilation came at him like a rush of autumn wind； the stench of rotting vegetation。
'The woman； Sabat； pronounce sentence on the woman'
'She is guilty and must be punished according to druid law 。 。 。 but not by death； for I have that promise from the tips of the Hirschlanden Warrior of L'lmpernal himself。' Sabat sank back on to his seat； exhausted but knowing that there was more to do before this night was done。
He heard the screams of the prisoners； knew that the Oke Priests were preparing them for death； knew also that it was by his own hand that Bishop Boyce and Darren Hurst would die！
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
OF COURSE； Sabat stared aghast； he should have realised how the two men were to be executed； for was not this Council of Justice presided over by one who from time immemorial had ruled the Cult of the Severed Head！ Boyce and Hurst were to be beheaded！
The two men knelt； side by side； unfettered but not moving； heads downward on a long flat stone。