Part 42 (2/2)
Their bearers stopped ithin the platforently lowered their burdens The leader of those around the second litter drew aside its covering, spoke
Out stepped Ruth and after her--Ventnor!
”Martin!” I could not keep back the cry; heard led with it Drake's own cry to Ruth Ventnor raised his hand in greeting; I thought he smiled
The cubes on which we stood shot forward; stopped within fifty feet of theuard of swordsh waiting the signal to strike
And now I saw that Ruth was not clad as she had been e had left her She stood in scanty kirtle that came scarcely to her knees, her shoulders were bare, her curly brown hair unbound and tangled Her face was set rath hardly less than that which beat from Norhala On Ventnor's forehead was a blood red scar, a line that ran from temple to temple like a brand
The curtains of the first litter quivered; behind them someone spoke
That in which Ruth and Ventnor had ridden was draiftly away The knot of swords and knelt a dozen archers They ringed in the two, bows drawn taut, arrows in place and pointing straight to their hearts
Out of the litter rolled a giant of a e shoulders, the barreled chest and the bloated abdoh the thick and grizzled hair passed a flashi+ng circlet of jewels
The scarlet ar theap in the wall He peered down it, glancing imperturbably at the upraised, haain the breach Then still with Kulun he strode over to the very edge of the broken battle us in silence
”Cherkis!” whispered Norhala--the whisper was a hymn to Nemesis I felt her body quiver from head to foot
A wave of hatred, a hot desire to kill, passed through ross , icily lared at us between pouches that held the down the corners of the thick lipped, brutal azed at Norhala a flicker of lust shot like a licking tongue through his eyes
Yet from him pulsed power; sinister, instinct with evil, concentrate with cruelty--but power indomitable Such was Cherkis, descendant perhaps of that Xerxes the Conqueror who three one ruled most of the knoorld
It was Norhala who broke the silence
”Tcherak! Greeting--Cherkis!” There was s of her voice ”Lo, I did but knock so gently at your gates and you hastened to welco beneath my sandals”
He passed the insults by, uno up froain, Norhala,” he answered calth
”Bargain?” she laughed ”What have you hich to bargain, Cherkis?
Does the rat bargain with the tigress? And you, toad, have nothing”
He shook his head
”I have these,” he waved a hand toward Ruth and her brother ”Me you may slay--and mayhap many of mine But before you can move my archers will feather their hearts”
She considered hi