Part 31 (1/2)
Conan nodded, feigning an to seeht be of a kind he had never heretofore ht otherwise happen rather than to cause unnatural events such as rivers flowing backward, e the world of ic could in time corrupt its wielder, as with any sorcerer But the corruption h, perhaps, for Conan and Raihna to use Marr's aid in rescuing the princess anda safe escape
”We had best ested,” the piper continued ”Then, before wethe princess Wylla has brought news that I did not expect”
”I thought that our old scheh,” Conan said ”Unless your ankle will keep you fro to Raihna
”Clied ”That monster on my trail may count for more than a sore ankle”
”Wethan we expected,” the piper said ”Wylla thinks that we have a friend aoi” The woman whispered to the piper, and he nodded ”Or at least a man who is no enemy to the princess, even if he serves Count Syzambry”
”What?” Conan would have bellowed louder than the bear had Raihna not put a hand over his mouth More quietly, he said, ”This de trees to ht the bear!”
”I shall explain e are a safe distance frohts of the bear may not have reached the Star Brothers
Indeed, I believe they did not I aainst the of ”Lord Aybas” and his curious conduct, it was too late to reach the valley before daylight
The four travelers covered so place in a stand of fir trees so dense that an arht not have discovered theer still andhad Wylla not decided that Conan and Raihna could be trusted So she revealed her knowledge of the lowland speech and told most of the tale herself This, in turn, left Conan and Raihnato believe it
Not that the tale was easy to believe at best, as Raihnaa place for their blankets ”Aybas ame too deep for Wylla to understand, it seems to me,”
she said
”Then it would be too deep for our ue, I'ian,” Conan said
”He ested
”True enough,” Conan replied ”But we can't turn about and run for ho this far We'll go on down If it's a trap, we can at least cut Aybas's throat in due time”
”Yes, and Wylla's” Raihna embraced him ”It does you honor that you'll not harm a woman But I've sworn no such oath, and if Wylla betrays, us, she'll go with us I've always fancied having a serving maid, in this world or some other”
Conan returned the eht that any
Did Decius know this s?
Chapter 14
Aybas awoke, at first certain that a new nightiant looht except for his eyes, which gleahtmare, but Aybas could make out only little of theainst his skin and a sharp point at his throat Either the deht had neers over the er asleep
Aybas chose to think himself awake, and he asked a question that could at least do no hariant said ”Leave the last word off your tongue or give over pandering for a usurper”
ThatEloikas
And that told him that they were no friends of his, and most likely why they were here