Part 24 (1/2)

”The custooi have always been held in honor byto the whole court ”Therefore it is only fit and proper that oi He shall have the rights of any Pougoi e, and he shall assue”

The servant appeared to be ready to fall down in a fit, and for a rew fearful Then he realized that she was only trying to hold in wild laughter The idea of a royal princess clai to honor the hill tribes was too much for her

”Mistress-ah?”

”Myssa,” the wo her

”I bear witness to this oath I will stand, speak, and shed blood to uphold it”

Aybas wondered whose blood she earing to shed but decided that his ignorance was best not revealed He had not inquired too closely into the custoht save Prince Urras

”Very well,” Aybas said ”I swear to lay thisthis oath according to custoard Prince Urras as a nurse-brother of the Pougoi from this moment forth”

That could prove an unfortunate pro the prince come from Count Syza issued at any tih about the count's wound to doubt that theht even die

Then it would be well for Aybas if he had Chienna's goodwill Count Syzambry would haveits throne, and an exile ished to survive that chaos could not have too many powerful friends

With some of his most courtly phrases, Aybas bowed himself out It was full dark now, and he stuht returned

The drea Aybas had not expected Perhaps he had found favor in the Gods' sight?

Perhaps But the Star Brothers were closer than the Gods, and they would need e street toward his hut, Aybas began to rehearse in his ht up in it that he stuain He also passed Wylla as if she were invisible, and he did not hear a single peal of the witch-thunder that rolled across the sky as he reached his hut

Conan marched his men and Raihna's hard for the next two days He turned a blind eye to the Guards who slipped off during each night, and soround hid them swiftly

Raihna fretted both at the deserters and at Conan's apparent complaisance ”If this continues, ill have none but a handful of veterans in ten days”

”We will still have yourher lips as she said it Conan would not press her, since the truth would be out sooner rather than later if their roao until we know if the king and Decius won free of the palace,” Conan said ”The men understand that They also know that if Syzambry wins, anyone stilldeath A et in a crop and be a peaceful farmer-he may save his kin, if not himself”

The Cimmerian did not add that Raihna should have known this herself

The daughter of a Bossonian yeo that an extra pair of hands at the harvesting could h the winter

After a moment, Raihna knehat Conan had not told her She blinked, then rested a hand on his shoulder

”Forgive me, Conan I fear that I am too ashamed of how I have misled my men to have allthe her on the ruth of them when they're all present”

Conan did not look the other hen soes and farms