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workbench, where one wall held a row of simple wooden racks, of a size and
shape that suggested they might have been designed to hold a score or more of
Faces. But all the racks were empty. There might be a space marked for the
Face of War, suggesting it had been kept there and in this case the empty
space struck Jeremy as ominous.
God or not, he was feeling tired, and he sat down for a few minutes' rest, his
face in his hands. The situation reminded Jeremy of one of the logic puzzles
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with which his father in bygone years had
file:///D|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/...The%20Face%20of%20Apollo%20(v1.
1%20htm).html (193 of 221) [2/4/2004 11:11:05 PM]
Fred Saberhagen - The Book of the Gods 1 - The Face of Apollo sometimes tried
to entertain him:
If there exists an island where one god makes masks or Faces for all the gods
who do not make their own . . .
Up on his feet again, he went prowling restlessly about. Here stood a row of
statues, busts, of godlike heads, in bronze and marble, reminding Jeremy of
the display at the Academy. Why would Hephaestus have wanted to provide
himself with such a show?
Other shapes of wood suggested molds or templates for body armor in a variety
of sizes. But again there was nothing that looked useful waiting to be taken,
only a bewildering variety of tools, materials, and objects less readily
definable, about which Apollo seemed to know no more than Jeremy Redthorn.
Putting down an oddly shaped bowl or it might have been a helmet, for someone
with a truly strange head Jeremy looked around and noted without any
particular surprise that Ferrante had returned to the central bench. There the
young soldier stood, his head over the bench, leaning on his spread arms, both
hands gripping its edges. He was staring in utter fascination at the Face of
Vulcan. In a near-whisper he asked the world: "What do we do with this?"
"You put it on," said Jeremy softly. The decision had been building in him
over the last few minutes not that there had ever been much doubt about it.
Eyes startled but not totally surprised, not totally reluctant looked up at
him. "I
what?"
"Andy, I don't think we have any choice. Much better you than some others I've
run into. absolutely
I
can't do it."
Everything Apollo could remember, all that Jeremy could learn from others,
including the new memories now available to Ferrante, confirmed the idea that
no human could wear the Face of more than one god or goddess at a time.
"Sort of like the idea that an egg can be fertilized only once."
"We could destroy it?" Ferrante's tone made it a question.
Jeremy spread his hands. "I don't know how. Even Apollo doesn't know a way.
I've heard a rumor that on top of the Mountain of the Oracle there's a place
where Faces can be wiped out of existence "
The young soldier's face showed how much credence he put in rumors.
Jeremy continued: "Maybe Hephaestus knows how to destroy a Face but he won't
even exist until someone puts this on." He concluded his thought silently:
And then maybe he won't want to reveal his secrets
and then you won't want to either.
Ferrante with a sudden grab picked up the Face. But then he stood for several
seconds hesitating, juggling the thing like a hot potato, struck by whatever
sensation it produced in his fingers. "I'd be a god," he murmured.
At the last moment Jeremy felt compelled to give a warning. "It will mean, in
a way, giving up your life."
Troubled eyes looked up again. "You glad you put yours on?"
Jeremy thought for a long moment. "Yes."
"Then here I go. . . . How?"
"Just press it against your own face, as if you just wanted to look through
the eye. That's how it worked for me. And for Carlotta."
And for Kate.
He didn't want to worry Andy with that news just yet.
When the Face of Hephaestus had disappeared into his head Andy Ferrante stood
for a long moment with his eyes closed, looking as if he were in pain.
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"It'll be all right, Andy."
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