Part 23 (1/2)

The other end of the corridor was not far distant and was closed by another heavy door Archaic hanging bronze lalow

Before one of the cell doors stood a resplendent Hyrkanian in glittering corselet and pluhtened on Conan's arm

”Nanaia is in that cell,” she whispered ”Can you slay the Hyrkanian?

He is a riiven hih unbreakable Conan did not stop to explain that he was ht blades of the West and the curved blades of the East, of the double-curved Ilbarsi knife and the leaf-shaped broadsword of Shem He opened the secret door

As he stepped into the corridor, Conan glih the bars behind the Hyrkanian The hinges creaked, and the guard whirled catlike, lips drawn back in a snarl, and then instantly came to the attack

Conan met him halfway, and the tomen witnessed a play of swords that would have burned the blood of kings The only sounds were the quick soft shuffle and thud of feet, the slither and rasp of steel, and the breathing of the fighters The long, light blades flickered lethally in the illusive light, like living things, parts of the men ielded them

The hairline balance shi+fted The Hyrkanian's lip curled in ferocious recognition of defeat and desperate resolve to take his ene of Blades, a flash of steel-and Conan's flickering blade see Then the Hyrkanian was stretched on the floor, his neck half severed He had died without a cry

Conan stood over him for an instant, the sword in his hand stained with a thread of crimson His tunic had been torn open, and his listening there and on his brow betrayed the strain of his exertions He tore a bunch of keys frorate of steel in the lock seeiven up hope, but you caht! Would that I could have struck a blow in it!” The tall girl stepped forth lightly and picked up the Hyrkanian's sword ”What now?”

”We shan't have a chance if we make a break before dark,” said Conan

”Nanaia, how soon will another guard couard every four hours His watch had just begun”

Conan turned to Parusati ”What time of day is it? I have not seen the sun since early this irl said: ”It is well into the afternoon Sundown should be within four hours”

Conan perceived he had been in Yanaidar longer than he had realized

”As soon as it's dark, we'll try to get away We'll go back to my chamber now Nanaia shall hide on the secret stair, while Parusati goes out the door and back to the girls' apartuard comes to relieve this one,” said Nanaia, ”he'll see I have escaped You should leave o, Conan”

”I dare not risk it; I one, maybe the confusion will help us We'll hide this body”

He turned toward the curiously decorated door, but Parusati gasped: ”Not that way, my lord! Would you open the door to hell?”

”What mean you? What lies beyond that door?”

”I know not The bodies of executed men and women, and wretches who have been tortured but still live, are carried through this door What becomes of them I do not know, but I have heard theirls say ademon has his lair beyond that door”

”That h here to hurl through that door soh what it was I could not see”

”It was doubtless an infant,” said Parusati with a shudder

I'll tell you,” said Conan ”We'll dress this body in your clothes and lay it in the cell, with the face turned away froirl, and they will fit hiuard comes,for the guard instead of you The longer before they find you've escaped, the more time we shall have”

Without hesitation, Nanaia slipped out of her jacket, whipped her shi+rt off over her head, and dropped her trousers while Conan pulled the clothes off the Hyrkanian Parusati gave a gasp of shock