Part 11 (1/2)
Caravan routes lay across the length and breadth of She the ceaseless trade that was the urats of the lush western coast to the sprawling tent-cities of the arid east, Shem, in all her contrasts, was united by the continuous flow of coed froue trails but rarely traversed
Two days' travel east out of Akkharia, the Caravan Road forked, sending a branch questing north toward prosperous Eruk and ancient Shuinal route continued east toward the ill-regarded city of Sabatea Countless sub-routes broke south out of the es built along the fertile coast of the world-girdling River Styx
Along the central route to Sabatea ca tell-laden pack horses The party moved at a steady pace upon a dusty road that cleft luxurianthills The sun shone down from a cloudless, brassy sky Off to the north, where the hills rose in slow undulations, a scattered herd of cattle grazed in a sea of waving grass
Conan of Cied at the throat of his new shi+rt of white silk, popping stitches in the collar to loosen it around his bull neck Also neere the blue cotton breeches tucked into the tops of his battered old boots Heng shi+h had reluctantly furnished the barbarian with clothes froht of the two men were similar, but the shape of their fra where they should have been loose and baggy where they should have been tight The collar of the shi+rt eedly down across his breast, revealing Conan's weathered and rust-spottedsound and let loose a sigh audible even above the cloave the Khitan a wide grin of infuriating friendliness Then the Cied his mount up toward Neesa
The scribe had never ceased looking about herself in wide-eyed wonder since they had passed through Akkharia's gates As Conan moved up beside her, she took her eyes fro her face from the sun and favored him with a shy smile The barbarian nodded expressionlessly For the last two days Neesa had taken pains to address him only when necessary, and then to speak only in the most bland and business-like fashi+on Now her smile arain how long he would have to live before he found the ways of woside the Lady Zelandra, who led the small caravan on her roan The sorceress took little note of him, her eyes focused on the hazy, far-off point where the road met the horizon
Conan noticed a bulky leather pouch attached to her belt It thuainst her rounded hip with each step her horse took
”Milady,” said Conan roughly, ”that looks to be uncos If you wish, you can stow it there”
Zelandra shook her head ”No, Conan, this is my cask of Emerald Lotus
I rows too great” As she spoke, her voice softened with sha beneath the horses' hooves
”Crom,” murmured the Ciain How is it that you are enslaved to a ical powder?”
The barbarian's natural bluntness did not seeht in her saddle The warm breeze drew her silver-threaded hair out for apennant
”I have lived on an inheritance for all of e inarts The inheritance is nowshi+h, Neesa, and a pair of drunken guards witnessed the incouardsone, you sought e Sumuabi as his Court Wizard”
”Yes, it seemed a worthy way to continue ranted the position immediately if Shakar the Keshanian had not also offered his services to the king To think that Sumuabi cannot choose between that jester and me!”
The Ci Sumuabi may soon lead Akkharia to war If this be so, he would likely seek a wizard ar-like skills Perhaps he meant to set you and the Keshanian at each other's throats and select the stronger as his sorcerer”
Zelandra looked at the barbarian, her brows raised in surprise ”I hadn't thought of that How barbaric!” She flushed ”I', though that sort of guile sounds damned civilized to me”
”Well, ere at a stand-off in any case When Ethrauise of Eldred the Trader, I was pleased to see that he offered a nuical components for sale I should have been more hen he claimed to have acquired a quantity of the Emerald Lotus”
”You knew of this lotus?”
”It is legend, supposedly created by Cetriss, a ained with the Dark Gods for it It is said that the sorcerous power of the lotus helped the seers of Old Stygia keep the world-hungering eends disagree as to its uses and effect, but all agree that Cetriss saw little value in his lotus or in any of the works of man and that he devoted his life to the pursuit of i his fa the secret of the Emerald Lotus with him You see? The Emerald Lotus is like the perfect love philter or the fountain whose waters bestow youth: a fable born of ”
Conan squinted skeptically in the sun ”Yet you accepted it froer?”
”It was easy to ascertain that it was not a natural lotus and easier still to determine that it was not a poison When Eldred-I mean Ethram-Fal-told me that he had just sold a casket of it to Shakar the Keshanian, I felt bound to at least experiment with the stuff How could I know?” She paused,into a wry smile ”He sold it to me at a very reasonable price,” she added with h froer he did at that And the next thing you know the powder has you by the throat?”