It is thus that Ul Vas propitiatesthe gods. You
are, then, a prince in your own country?
It suits me, said the assassin of Zodanga. It lies
in the sky, far above the castle.
I cannot go unless all my people go with
me.
Fate is a little kind in that she haspermitted me
to see you once again before we die.
I saw Ulah, the Jeddarasslave, bearing a large
earthen jar of food.
Shortly after we had completed our meal, the door
opened again andseveral warriors entered.
I am seldom mistaken in my estimate of people. I
sense it when his eyes rest upon mine, she replied dreamily.
The rest, she added, I shall see that you learn in
time. The others seemed mystified;I could read it in the puzzled expressions upon
their faces.
My attention was now attracted to the man on the
throne.
You heard UlVas say that we should die when the
Fire God had encircled Ladan seventimes. She paused and regarded me intently, and
then she shook her headimpatiently. GarNal might have been anywhere from a hundred
to a thousand years old. My people do not know whathas become of me.
If I did these things, then you could escape
without me, she saidsuspiciously.
One of the pleasures of the trip I am to be robbed
of by our captors,I replied. They are in the Diamond Tower, she replied, very high.
I know nothing at all about the mechanism oftheir ship.
Each day, near noon, our single meal was served to
us. I am not so muchworried about my ship, Gar Nal, as I am about
yours.
You heard UlVas say that we should die when the
Fire God had encircled Ladan seventimes.
WE ATTEMPT ESCAPEOzara may have overestimated my
intelligence, but she underestimated mycaution. Each of these men, no doubt,is armed
with a long sword and a dagger. Then if we can pass the guardat the outer doorway
and reach the courtyard, we should succeed.
You know me better than that, Jat Or, I said. If we
fastened all our harnesses together, they would notreach to the castle roof below
us.