Part 4 (2/2)

_Kepta's Second Prisoner_

The green s hot ed with a scent of sickly sweetness, as froave forth little light and see before him, the American started down a steep raular intervals along the wall, niches held sreen e ears outspread as if to catch the faintest murmur of sound Fro The Ana shi+vered, creeping closer to Garin

Down led the ra narrower and steeper And louder sounded the insane, coughing howls of the dog Then the passage was abruptly barred by a grill of black stone Garin peered through its bars at a flight of stairs leading down into a pit Fro back and forth were things which ht have been conceived by dee as ponies Red saliva dripped from the corners of their sharp jaws But in the eyes, which they raised now and then toward the grill, there was intelligence These were the s and slaves of the Black Ones

From a second pair of stairs directly across the pit arose acall A door opened and two ed forward, but fell back hips were cracked over their heads

The els were human in appearance Black loin cloths were twisted about the fro their hair, were cloth caps which bore ragged crests not unlike cocksob As far as Garin could see they were unar down the steps Between two of the Black Ones struggled a prisoner He ed hiels, intent upon their promised prey, crouched before theuards looked for instructions One was a man of their race, of slender, handsome body and evil, beautiful face His hand lay possessively upon the arm of his companion

It was Thrala who stood beside hione fronation to be read there now But her spirit burned like a white flame in her eyes

”Look!” her warder ordered ”Does not Kepta keep his proive Dandtan into the jaws of our slaves, or will you unsay certain words of yours, Lady Thrala?”

The prisoner answered for her ”Kepta, son of vileness, Thrala is not for you Rehter, ”the day of deliverance is at hand--”

Garin felt a sudden emptiness The prisoner had called Thrala ”beloved”

with the ease of one who had the right

”I await Thrala's answer,” Kepta returned evenly And her answer he got

”Beast a beasts, you may send Dandtan to his death, you may heap all hter is not for your touch Rather will I cut the line of life withupon me the punishment of the Elder Ones To Dandtan,” she smiled down upon the prisoner, ”I say farewell We shall ain beyond the Curtain of Time” She held out her hands to hiuards slapped a hand over the prisoner'san end to his words

But now Thrala was looking beyond hirill which sheltered Garin Kepta pulled at her arain her attention ”Watch!

Thus do uards twisted their prisoner around and the , writhing body Garin knew that hehi to a balcony running around the side of the pit

Those beloere too entranced by the colanced up and Garin thought that she sighted hi in her attitude attracted Kepta, he too looked up For a mohter through the door behind him

”Ho, outlander! Welco, Kepta” Garin hardly knehence caue ”I have come as was promised, to remain until the Black Throne is no els boast before their prey lies limp in their jaws,”

flashed Kepta ”What manner of beast are you?”

”A clean beast, Kepta, which you are not Bid your two-legged row ireen rod into view