Part 33 (1/2)
”Tharn!” he exclaimed joyfully ”I knew you would return Did you find Alurna?”
”I found her,” Tharn admitted ruefully ”But it would have been wiser to leave her at Sephar's gates”
Katon's s seeainst us You and I both have been hurt by this change Had not Pryak gone co for home by now, and Urim would have set otten, now Soon the Gain; our chief worry will be to save our skins”
Tharn looked about at the e faces
”It appears we shall have plenty of company,” he observed
”There are many others besides these,” was the reply ”Pryak fearsthe Games to eliminate them A room across the hall is filled with at least as many as you see here; and many of those men loved Urim and hate the one who caused his death
”Pryak hopes to accoain favor by offering the bloodiest Games ever held; also, he expects to wipe out all who oppose hi the opposition itself into the arena
”I ae beasts are held ready to be sent against us More than ever, Pryak is determined the final victor shall not be human Were a ht turn to hirinned ”At least we shall have our fill of fighting”
”More thanabout the crowded room, uttered a startled ejaculation and pointed toward a figure huddled near one of the walls
”Who is that?” he asked ”Even with his face hidden in his hands, he seerunted ”And well he should! That, uards!”
At Tharn's expression of shocked incredulity, he continued:
”He was brought here, yesterday, with nearly a score of warriors In all the hours since, he has not spoken--only sits with bowed head He, once so proud, is now humbled and beaten--crushed by the death of the ure Courage ht dull under such a blow as Vulcar had taken; yet it would still be courage Experience told him a brave man is brave until death takes hi above his weakness, remains a coward And certainly Vulcar was known to be a e
Fro fornedly what fate appeared to offer If these other prisoners were ready to die in the arena, that was their affair; certainly he did not intend giving up so easily Men like themselves had put them in this hole; and what one man could do, another could undo The worst enemy of his felloas their patient acceptance of what Pryak had decreed for the Katon by the arm, he started across the rooan, then subsided as the cave-
When within a few paces of the former captain, Tharn stopped and turned his back, and Katon's, to the unheeding Vulcar
”I tell you, it seean, his voice raised somewhat above its usual pitch, ”that none of Urie his death Why, had I served under hie Uri, they found Vulcar, head lifted and shoulders squared, regarding thenard si--” He stopped there, waiting
”What chance have we to avenge him?” Vulcar demanded, his hawk-like face drawn into lines of helpless fury ”Here we are--thrown into a hole, sentenced to die for the satisfaction of a false God--and to save Pryak frohts!”
Tharn appeared syht, would you take it?”
”Take it?” echoed Vulcar ”Of course! But there is no--”
”Are there others who feel as you?”