hing like a faint groan of pain, unmistakably feminine, to
his left and a short way ahead. He moved towards it, thrust the torch
ahead of him and into a high, wide antechamber like a small cathedral,
several caskets deep. He heard the sound again, this time a cry of
terror and alarm, and strained his eyes to see. He moved closer,
wedged the torch between two caskets and looked to the front of the
chamber.

And there she was, the love of his life: above an altar, mounted
halfway up the wall behind it, spread like a crucifix, arms and legs
bound by iron shackles, garment torn, a hideous mask covering her face
and spreading out in huge lizard's fins an arm's length wide. Only her
eyes were visible, wide with terror, pleading against the act sure to
come.

"Please, no. No. . .God. Please, I beg you. Please." And she lost
all control and wept bitterly. He lowered his head, his heart torn
apart.

"Don't cry, I won't hurt you." He stumbled for words, inadequate. "I
haven't come to hurt you, I swear it..... By everything that is and
isn't sacred I make this vow: that I will be to you whatever you need
me to be, that I will never leave you, and that the day I knowingly
cause you pain I will be the instrument of my own destruction. Please,
don't cry."

He felt the tears pushing at his eyes, but would not leave her there a
moment longer. He shook off emotion, climbed onto the altar and lifted
the heavy mask from its hook above her head, set it quietly beside him.

Her deep, gentle face looked out at him with disbelieving gratitude and
love. It was cut in several places from the short spikes which lined
the inside of the mask; but as she had remained very still the damage
was not deep. He found an iron bar leaned against the ground,
remounted the altar and began to pry away the rusted bands. It was not
possible to do so without hurting her, but she bit her lip and endured
the pain.

And as the last shackle came off her wrist she slid into his arms. And
suddenly she knew him, and trusted him, and he embraced her heavily,
weeping. She returned the affection weakly, touching the back of his
neck with her fingers. He had never felt this way, nor ever thought he
could. The tears would not stop.

"I'm so glad I found you," he stammered. "Dear God, I'm glad. What
if..... What if I had never found you?" He stepped back, and an
incomprehensible horror engulfed him.

The words echoed all around him, down