Part 25 (2/2)
”Unless I uess,” Narus added in a low voice that would not travel far, ”Iskandrian seeks action this night, and the nobles seek to avoid hiathered Never did I think that when the final battle for Ophir occurred, I would be scaling a rowled, ”if you seek glory!” Irritably he shook his black-iness was not his usual hts scarcely seeht to cling to his purpose of es of Synelle and lust that threatened to overwhelm him
”Is that the faic to me”
”It is,” the Cimmerian replied, ”and it has” He hoped he did not lie
Unfastening the strips of cloth that held the length of wood, he clutched it in one hand and drew his sith the other ”This is the last chance to change your minds Let any man unsure of what he does step aside” The soft and deadly susuration of steel sliding frorimly ”Then hide the horses in yon copse of trees and follow me”
”Your armor,” Machaon said ” 'Tis on your saddle”
”There is no ti for the others he started up the stony slope
Cro beyond his first gift But now Conan offered a prayer to any God that would listen If he died for it, let him be in time
A silent file of purposeful men fell in behind him in his climb, on their way to beard a God in his den
The lash struck across her shoulders again, and Karela gritted her teeth against the howl she wanted to let pass Bound between posts topped with the obscene head of Al'Kiir, she knelt, all but the last layer of thin blue silk torn away from her sweat-slick body It was not the pain from the incessant bite of leather that made her want to cry out, or not alone; she would have died before giving her tor that But the burning stripes that made scarlet lattices on her body were as pin-pricks beside the fla desire the ointht unbidden Uncontrollably Karela writhed, and wept for the humiliation of it
The silvery-haired noble-wo words that defied hearing in rhyth of scabbarded swords on the stone floor of the vaulting cavern Between Synelle and Karela stood the bronze she had stolen from Conan, but its evil was overpowered by the waves of horror that radiated froe that dominated the chaht held her own She tried to tear her eyes froth to pull away, but like a bird hypnotized by a serpent she had no will left
The lashes struck, again and again Her hands quivered in her bonds with the effort of not shrieking, for that de off a hum that blended with the flutes and wrenched at the core of her that made her a wo where neither time nor space existed, where endless nihility was all Awakening, alh the impenetrable shi+eld Irritation, vaster than the ether could encompass, flared Would these torone and better forgotten? Would not Full awareness for the first tih to freeze suns and stay worlds in their le pristine strand of crystalline desire and pain stretching into the infinite Sloith a wariness born of long centuries of disappoint thread of worshi+p was followed
Conan peered around the edge of a huge, moss-covered block of marble which had once been intended for construction Crickets chirped in the dark, and a nightbird gave a haunting cry All else was still
Roofless walls of niveous stone and truncated alabaster columns, never completed and noreathed by thick vines, covered the leveled top of thethe columns were more than a score of men in black armor and horned hel shadows over the weather-beaten ruins He wanted to sigh with relief at the symbol picked out in scarlet on their chests It was clearly the head of the ie Karela had stolen, the head of Al'Kiir
Not until thatto the wrong place
The black-ar an entrance to chaht, where the horrible rite was to take place Boros had said the tomb lay buried in the heart of the uard The sinister reputation of Tor Al'Kiir made it unlikely anyone would coht, and that ainst pale flutedthemselves No eye was directed outward to watch for intruders
Conan signaled with his hands; long practiced, the nine men behind him slid soundlessly away The Ci it would take each man to reach his place
”Now!” he shouted, and burst frouards As he had known it would, his shout and the appearance of a lone h for nine bowstrings to twang, for nine feathered shafts to drink life
The guards of Al'Kiir had been chosen for their skill, though, and even as their co the survivors darted for cover behind the colu the staff like a lance he took a e snapped loudly, and blood spilled froer scream
”For Conan!” he heard behind him ”Conan!”
A blade thrust at him, and his ancient steel severed the ar cut and, wielding his broadsword like an axe, chopped through his attacker'sthe body away, he straightened to find no black-arripping bloody swords and warily watching for more of the enemy
”Are they all dead”' Conan deed to run down there” He pointed to a dark opening where steps had led down into the mountain