Part 40 (1/2)
”If you'll show us the nearest way out of this city,” he grunted, ”we'll take ourselves off” But his gaze lingered on the Stygian's sleek limbs and ivory breasts
She did not reat lazy cat
”Follow me,” she directed and led the way, conscious of Conan's eyes fixed on her supple figure and perfectly poised carriage She did not go the way they had come, but before Conan's suspicions could be roused, she halted in a wide ivory-chased chaled in the center of the ivory floor
”Don't you want to wash your face, child?” she asked Natala ”It is stained with dust, and there is dust in your hair”
Natala colored resentfully at the suggestion oftone, but she co miserably just how ht on her complexion a feature for which women of her race were justly noted She knelt beside the fountain, shook back her hair, slipped her tunic down to her waist, and began to lave not only her face, but her white arrumbled Conan, ”a woman will stop to consider her beauty, if the devil hiain before we've got out of sight of this city
And Thalis, I'd take it kindly if you'd furnish us with a bit of food and drink”
For answer Thalis leaned herself against hi one white arm about his bronzed shoulders Her sleek naked flank pressed against his thigh and the perfume of her foamy hair was in his nostrils
”Why dare the desert?” she whispered urgently ”Stay here! I will teach you the ways of Xuthal I will protect you I will love you! You are a real h and dreary for the hard, clean passion of a man from the earth The blaze of your dynamic eyes makes my heart pound in my bosom, and the touch of your iron-thewed armof Xuthal! I will show you all the ancient mysteries, and the exotic ways of pleasure! I ” She had thrown both ar on tiptoe, her vibrant body shi+vering against his Over her ivory shoulder he saw Natala, throwing back her da, her red lips parting in a shocked O With an e arms and put her aside with one irl and s to nod her splendid head in itation
Natala rose and jerked up her tunic, her eyes blazing, her lips pouting sulkily Conan swore under his breath He was no e soldier of fortune, but there was an innate decency about him that was Natala's best protection
Thalis did not press her suit Beckoning them with her slender hand to follow, she turned and walked across the chamber There, close to the tapestried wall, she halted suddenly Conan, watching her, wondered if she had heard the sounds that h the ht
”What do you hear?” he de
He wheeled, sword ready Only the eaze Then behind hiasp He whirled Thalis and Natala had vanished The tapestry was settling back in place, as if it had been lifted away froaped bewilderedly, fro a irl
When Conan turned, in colare at the doorway opposite, Natala had been standing just behind hiian The instant the Cimmerian's back was turned, Thalis, with a pantherish quickness almost incredible, clapped her hand over Natala's ive Siian's other arirl's supple waist, and she was jerked back against the wall, which seeainst it A section of the wall swung inward, and through a slit that opened in the tapestry Thalis slid with her captive, just as Conan wheeled back
Inside was utter blackness as the secret door swung to again Thalis paused to fu home a bolt, and as she took her hand froan to screah was
224like poisoned honey in the darkness
”Scream if you will, little fool It will only shorten your life”
At that Natala ceased suddenly, and cowered shaking in every lioing to do?”
”I a to take you down this corridor for a short distance,” answered Thalis, ”and leave you for one ill sooner or later come for you”
”Ohhhhhh!” Natala's voice broke in a sob of terror ”Why should you harm me? I have never injured you!”
”I want your warrior You stand in my way He desires me I could read the look in his eyes
But for you, he would be willing to stay here and beWhen you are out of the way, he will follow me”
”He will cut your throat,” answered Natala with conviction, knowing Conan better than Thalis did