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ands。 Yet I don't think he is cheating me； even though he seems to take great pleasure in taking my money。 He already has two hundred bucks； two…thirds of my bankroll。 If I don't win soon I'll have to walk。
On the ninth hand he deals me a natural。 Blackjack。
He is showing only a seven。 I have finally won。
He offers me a twenty。 The amount I bet。
〃You want it？〃 he asks； and there is a gleam in his eye。
〃You were going to give me a tip；〃 I say。
〃But you won。 Fate favored you； Sita； you didn't have to do anything。 When a winning hand is ing around； it's going to e no matter what。〃 He gathers the cards together。 He is down to the bottom of the deck； he has to shuffle again。 He ments on the fact； as an aside。 〃You know if this was a casino and I had myself a shoe； I could deal as many as six decks without shuffling。 What do you think of that？〃
I go pletely numb。
But it will be dark angels that force him and his mother to flee to the mirror in the sky； where shoes move without feet and the emerald circle is seen in the morning light。
Lake Tahoe； I remember suddenly； was called 〃the mirror in the sky〃 by the original Indians who lived in the area； because they had to hike up the mountain to reach it； and then； it was such a large； clear lake； it looked to them like a perfect mirror reflecting the sky。 Also； there is a small but gorgeous cove in the lake called Emerald Bay。 Finally； there are casinos nearby that have special shoes for playing twenty…one。 As we are playing twenty…one right now； only without one of those shoes that moves without feet。
Kalika had a book on Lake Tahoe。
Mike stares at me。 〃Want to play another hand？〃
I slowly shake my head。 〃It's not necessary； thank you。〃
He nods as he reads my expression。 〃I guess you'll be on your way now。 I'm sorry to see you go。〃
I gaze into his bright eyes。 〃Are you sorry； Mike？〃
He shrugs。 〃I know you have a job to do。 I don't want to interfere with that none。 It's just that I like it when you stop by； you know。 It reminds me of when I was young。〃
〃I'm older than I look。 You must know that。〃
He gives me a wistful expression。 〃Well； I suppose I do。 But I have to say you're still a youngster to me。〃
I lean forward and hug him； and feel his bony ribs； his dirty clothes； and his love。 A powerful feeling sweeps over me； as if I have finally found a member of a family I never knew existed。 But the hug can last only so long。 He is right…I have a job to do。 Letting go； I climb to my feet。 The thought of leaving him is painful。 I have to ask the next question even though I know he will not give me a straight answer。
〃Will you be here when I return？〃
He scratches his head and takes a sip from his milk carton。 For a moment he appears slightly bewildered。 He quickly counts the money he has won and stuffs it in his coat pocket。 Then he coughs and looks up and down and street to see if anyone is listening。 Finally he looks at me again。
〃I'm sorry； Sita； I don't rightly know。 I'm always moving around； like I said； trying to keep my hand in。 But I hope I see you again。〃 He pauses。 〃I like your spirit。〃
I lean over and kiss his forehead。
〃I like your spirit； Mike。 Be here for me again。 Please？〃
He flashes a faint smile。 〃I'll see what I can do。〃
15
The inevitable happened。 Queen Delar became a student of Suzama's and a short time after the dream reading； Suzama privately initiated the queen in a small room in Suzama's own home。 Suzama refused to do it in the Great Pyramid； saying the vibrations in there would never recover from Ory and the evil Setian initiations。 Also； Suzama did not want the powerful priests to know what was happening。 She asked the queen to keep quiet about her practices for the time being。 Suzama knew King Namok did not have long to live。
Six months later the king did die； and Queen Delar moved more boldly than Suzama wished。
The queen immediately proclaimed her spiritual path via the Isis techniques and encouraged any who wished to follow Suzama to do so。 Yet the queen was wise enough not to make it a state order。 Suzama refused to teach anyone who was forced into the practice。 At the same time the queen instructed a large team of laborers to build a temple to Isis not far from the Great Pyramid； which Suzama refused to enter。 The queen wanted an elaborate temple but Suzama persuaded her to construct a modest building； and so Suzama had her own place in which to teach within a year of the king's death。 Suzama filled it with plants and flowers and different…colored crystals brought from all over the continent。
Naturally； during this period； the Setians suffered a great setback as far as their influence was concerned。 Yet the queen did not banish them from the land； because Suzama had advised her not to。 I questioned my friend about not banishing them。 But Suzama felt so strongly about freedom of thought that she even protected what was clearly an evil group。 Yet I doubt if even Suzama knew how many assassins Ory sent to dispose of Suzama and me。 Of course； none of those assassins ever returned to their leader； even when they came in groups of three and four。 I seldom rested in those days and never sat with my back to a door。
But I never drank Setian blood。 Just the smell of it filled me with bad feelings。 The group was definitely working with subtle powers of some kind； and I began to pay more heed to their rumored contacts with an ancient reptilian race； which they achieved through a mind…meld process that used identical twins as catalysts。 Even more important； I began to investigate their rumored liaisons with the direct remains of the same race； which now existed on different worlds circling other suns。 I knew the Setians were getting their power from somewhere else； and I wanted to find the root of it。 Yet I made little progress。
Even the Setians I killed had great strength in their eyes； a magnetic field they could generate to subdue weaker wills。 Naturally； their power did not work on me； but I could see the effect on the people in the city； wherever they were allowed to speak。 Suzama should have been weled as a great prophet and the masses should have embraced her teachings； yet her following； even when her temple was plete； was relatively small。 The Setians were constantly stirring up hate and lies against her。
Fortunately； Suzama did shield the queen from Ory and his cult。 Queen Delar wouldn't even meet with Ory once the king died； although I did see Ory from time to time。 Even though he was always polite to me； I never failed to hear the hiss of a snake beneath his breath。 Why shouldn't I recognize it？ In a sense we were cousins。 Yaksha； a yashini by nature； had created me。 And the yashinis were well known in India as a race of mystical serpents。
Yet Ory never reminded me of Yaksha； who loved Krishna above all things。 And my power to influence the wills of others was much different from the power of the Setians。 For their power left their victims weak and disoriented。 Many never recovered from it and this power became known by the seldom spoken name of seedling； because it sowed seeds of consciousness