Part 29 (2/2)

Before he could strike again, the great pliant loops fell froushi+ng blood fro after it, knife lifted, but his vicious swipe cut empty air as the serpent writhed away froainst a paneled screen of sandal wood One of the panels gave inward and the long, bleeding barrel whipped through it and was gone

Conan instantly attacked the screen A fes rent it apart and he glared into the dim alcove beyond No horrific shape coiled there; there was blood on the marble floor, and bloody tracks led to a cryptic arched door Those tracks were of a man's bare feet

'Conan? He wheeled back into the chamber just in time to catch the Devi of Vendhya in his arms as she rushed across the roo him about the neck with a frantic clasp, half hysterical with terror and gratitude and relief

His wild blood had been stirred to its utterrasp that would have made her wince at another time, and crushed her lips with his She made no resistance; the Devi was drowned in the elemental woman She closed her eyes and drank in his fierce, hot, lawless kisses with all the abandon of passionate thirst She was panting with his violence when he ceased for breath, and glared down at her lying lihty arms

'I knew you'd come for me,' she murmured 'You would not leave me in this den of devils'

At her words recollection of their environment came to him suddenly He lifted his head and listened intently Silence reigned over the castle of Yinated with menace Peril crouched in every corner, leered invisibly froo while we can,' he h to kill any common beast - or man - but a wizard has a dozen lives Wound one, and he writhes away like a crippled snake to soak up fresh venoirl and carrying her in his ar jade corridor and down the stairs, nerves tautiy alert for any sign or sound

'I'He worked his spells oncorpse which seized me in its arms - I fainted then and lay as one dead, I do not kno long Shortly after I regained consciousness I heard sounds of strife below, and cries, and then that snake cah the curtains - ah!' She shook at the memory of that horror 'I knew somehow that it was not an illusion, but a real serpent that sought my life'

'It was not a shadow, at least,' answered Conan cryptically 'He kneas beaten, and chose to slay you rather than let you be rescued'

'What do you ainst hi her question She had seen the corpses at the foot of the stairs Those of the Seers were not good to look at; as they lay twisted and contorted, their hands and feet were exposed to view, and at the sight Yasainst Conan's powerful shoulder

10 YASMINA AND CONAN

Conan passed through the hall quickly enough, traversed the outer chaallery Then he saw the floor sprinkled with tiny, glittering shards The crystal sheet that had covered the doorway had been shi+vered to bits, and he re of the crystal globe He believed that every piece of crystal in the castle had broken at that instant, and soested the truth of the monstrous connection between the Lords of the Black Circle and the golden poranates He felt the short hair bristle chilly at the back of his neck and put the h of relief as he stepped out upon the green jade gallery There was still the gorge to cross, but at least he could see the white peaks glistening in the sun, and the long slopes falling away into the distant blue hazes

The Irakzai lay where he had fallen, an ugly blotch on the glassy s path, he was surprised to note the position of the sun It had not yet passed its zenith; and yet it seeed into the castle of the Black Seers

He felt an urge to hasten, not abehind his back He said nothing to Yasainst his arching breast and find security in the clasp of his iron ar down The haze which danced in the gorge was no longer rose-hued and sparkling It was shostly, like the life-tide that flickered thinly in a wounded icians were s than were the actions of common men to the actors

But far below, the floor shone like tarnished silver, and the gold thread sparkled undimmed Conan shi+fted Yasan the descent Hurriedly he descended the ra floor He had a conviction that they were racing with ti that gorge of horrors before the wounded Master of the castle should regain enough power to loose some other doom upon them

When he toiled up the farther rah of relief and stood Yasmina upon her feet

'You walk from here,' he told her; 'it's downhill all the way' She stole a glance at the gleaainst the snowy slope like the citadel of silence and iician, that you have conquered the Black Seers of Yimsha, Conan of Ghor?' she asked, as they went down the path, with his heavy arave me before he died,' Conan answered 'Yes, I found him on the trail It is a curious one, which I'll show you when I have tiainst others it was strong, and a good knife is always a hearty incantation'

'But if the girdle aided you in conquering the Master,' she argued, 'why did it not aid Khemsa?'

He shook his head 'Who knows? But Kheic He had no hold on me as he had on Khemsa Yet I can't say that I conquered hi that we haven't seen the last of him I want to put as many miles between us and his lair as we can'

He was further relieved to find horses tethered a the tamarisks as he had left them He loosed theirl up before him The others followed, freshened by their rest

'And what now?' she asked 'To Afghulistan?'

'Not just now!' He grinned hardly 'Soovernor - killedto do with it, and unless I am able to convince them otherwise, they'll hunt me like a wounded jackal'

'Then what of e Will you slay e thelow, and laughed at the suggestion

'Then let us ride to the border,' she said 'You'll be safe froibbet'

'I am Queen of Vendhya,' she reminded him with a touch of her old imperiousness 'You have saved my life You shall be rewarded'

She did not intend it as it sounded, but he growled in his throat, ill pleased

'Keep your bounty for your city-bred dogs, princess! If you're a queen of the plains, I'm a chief of the hills, and not one foot toward the border will I take you!'

'But you would be safe-' she began bewilderedly

'And you'd be the Devi again,' he broke in 'No, girl; I prefer you as you are now - a wo on my saddle-bow'

'But you can't keep rimly

'But I will pay you a vast ransohly, his ardo I desire half so much as I desire you I took you at the risk of my neck; if your courtiers want you back, let theht for you'

'But you have no followers now!' she protested 'You are hunted! How can you preserve your own life, much less mine?'

'I still have friends in the hills,' he answered 'There is a chief of the Khurakzai ill keep you safely while I bicker with the Afghulis If they will have none of me, by Crom! I will ride northith you to the steppes of the kozaki I was a het the Free Companions before I rode southward I'll make you a queen on the Zaporoska River!'

'But I can not!' she objected 'You must not hold me-'

'If the idea's so repulsive,' he dely?'

'Even a queen is hu 'But because I adon country Come back to Vendhya with ?' he asked sardonically

'Well, there are custoh

'Yes, civilized customs that won't let you do as you wish You'll o my ith only the memory of a few kisses snatched frodom!' she repeated helplessly