Ergon’s mind swirled in baffled confusion, unable to discern from my gleeful and reckless grin and lighthearted words whatever plan or scheme it was I was hatching. But the loyal fellow did not pause to question my odd directions for a moment. Ugly, strong, and as utterly faithful as a huge mastiff, the burly-shouldered Perushtarian who had been my fellow slave in the pens of Narouk, my comrade among the gladiators of Zanadar, and who would remain my dogged and stouthearted friend to the last throb of his indomitable heart, turned and crept off down the winding passage, half-dragging our little guttersnipe of a guide in the grip of his powerful hands.
In a few moments Glypto, eyes goggling with terror, half strangled in the unthinking grip of those massive hands, timidly flapped his hands until he had attracted the attention of the surly, bandy-legged bald giant who bore him along as effortlessly as if he were a flimsy doll.
“What is it?” Ergon growled.
“The p-panel, noble lord! The p-panel that leads out to the p-parapet!” Glypto whined.
“Open it, then, rogue!”
“M-might it n-not be b-better to peer out first, and view the I-lay of the I-land?” the thief whimpered. Gruffly, Ergon nodded; loosening the bruising grip of his great paws, he permitted the scrawny thief to dig loose a morsel of clay, exposing a chink in the outer wall. Peering out, Ergon stifled a gasp of delight. Suddenly he contemplated the beauty of my scheme … for there before him, tethered to the low parapet, swung the capacious basket which had borne us thither on the winds, and above it, the huge gasbag of the balloon swelled against the glimmer of the many moons.
He understood that it was my intent to escape from Tharkol by means of the very instrument that had brought us here―the balloon!
True, three guards were stationed there to protect the flying vehicle of their Empress against any mischief which might befall. But, wrapped in warm cloaks, they huddled in the shelter of the parapet against the cold blast of the night wind, stealing forty winks against the next approach of their captain, walking his nightly rounds. Unsuspectingly, they dozed if but lightly; and Ergon’s hands itched to pounce upon them and batter them senseless, as he would have done regardless, even had they been twice their number.
He glanced speculatively about the broad terrace, which was clearly lit by the several moons and the mighty bulk of Jupiter itself. While I was about my mysterious business at the other terminus of the secret passageway, Ergon perceived no reason why he should not ready things at this end, so that all would be prepared for our departure as soon as I rejoined their company.
“Open it, cur,” he growled.
The terrified little thief did not dare disobey: he winced in the crushing grip of this grim colossus and did not care to dispute with him, having already felt the iron weight of those calloused paws. With trembling fingers, sniveling a little in the extremity of his fear, Glypto disengaged the several flat pegs that held the hollow shell of stone in place beside its more solid fellows. The hidden door fell open.
Ergon thrust the shrinking thief into the ready grasp of Darloona, curtly bidding her watch he utter no single squeal or slip away. Then in three great bounds, the burly Perushtarian was upon the dozing guards.
The poor fellows never knew what hit them; in the weeks that followed, while nursing their hurts in the barracks infirmary, the three no doubt oft discussed whether it had been some night-wandering demon had swooped upon them from the windy skies, or mayhap some winged and dreadful predator of the heavens―a Ghastozar perchance―had torn them from their rest, hurling them to the terrace far below. They probably decided on the Ghastozar; but it was really only a surly-tempered Perushtarian who felt like a bit of exercise.
Having tossed the stupefied guards one by one over the parapet, after first ripping from their harnesses the swords and daggers they wore, Ergon dusted his hands with a grunt of satisfaction, and beckoned to Darloona to join him.
Accompanied by Glypto, the Princess swiftly crossed the terrace and climbed into the basket while Ergon held it steady. Then he handed in to her the several weapons he had so rudely harvested, and, naked sword clenched in one burly fist, held himself ready to sever the ropes which anchored the balloon to the balustrade and launch us forth on the winds the moment I had come.
He hesitated only a moment over the cowering Glypto. Then, as I had said nothing about turning the little rogue loose, he scooped up the squealing little man and tossed him into the basket beside my Princess.
Scarce was this done but I appeared in the entrance, a writhing bundle, wrapped in a silken coverlet, squirming in my arms. I climbed quickly into the basket, tossed my feebly-wriggling burden into one corner, beckoned at Ergon to join us, and curtly bade him cut the anchor cable. Moonlight flashed on the steely mirror of his blade as he swung it hissing down, chopping through the cable.
The basket gave A sickening lurch, and we were away!
The fourth tier swept down upon us, but we cleared it. Then the ziggurat-like citadel swam away beneath us, and the city itself, in a blur of streets, squares, and rooftops. Towers whistled by us as we soared above the world, mounting higher and higher in the grip of powerful winds.
And in another breath the walls of Tharkol receded from us in the moonlit dark, and we were free at last!
Laughing in mingled delight and relief, Darloona flung her arms about my neck. I crushed her to me and kissed her so thoroughly that she gasped.
She asked me something then, but the rushing winds snatched her words away as soon as they were uttered. Shouting louder, she asked me what I had gone back to do.
“Remember I said I thought it would be nice to carry along a little `life insurance’ with us on our journey?” I yelled back. The single universal language spoken across the breadth of Thanator by the several races which share the jungle Moon between them, unfortunately lacks a term for the concept, so I was forced to paraphrase it so broadly that its meaning eluded her comprehension. She shrugged, not understanding. I opened my mouth to attempt a further explanation, then grinned and gave it up.
Far easier, thought I, to illustrate the notion by action. Gesturing to catch her eye, I stooped and pulled back the flap of the silk-enveloped bundle I had so unceremoniously tossed into a corner of the swaying basket.
Now uncovered, a face looked up at us, flushed and furious, ripe lips biting frenziedly against my hasty gag.
Darloona’s eyes widened with shock and amazement, then glowed with mischievous humor. She plucked at Ergon’s sleeve, calling to his attention the captive which writhed and wriggled on the floor of the basket, glaring up at us with incandescent rage and hatred.
He looked, and laughed. Beyond him, little Glypto, cowering in panic in the far corner peeped at our captive through his fingers, then howled dismally, and covered his face in a very ecstasy of dread.
For, bound and gagged on the floor of the basket, Zamara of Tharkol glared up at us with murder in her blazing eyes!
Dawn was too near for any of us to think of trying to catch a bit of sleep―even if such had been possible, given the violence wherewith the raging winds tossed our basket about in sickening swoops.
It would have been completely impossible to have striven to maneuver or pilot the balloon, such was the force of the gale, so we did not even bother trying to do so. Let the winds carry us where they might; every moment took us further and further from the city of our enemies. And, rage how they would, the winds would die at last, and we could then take the balloon under control and guide it home to Shondakor.
Or so we thought, anyway.
Looking back on that dizzy voyage through the skies, I think we were all a little drunk with triumph. Our miraculous good luck in escaping from the Tharkolians raised our spirits giddily. We had been sunken in gloom and depression; now, having succeeded in escaping from the very stronghold of our enemies, we were all a little intoxicated, and thought ourselves the darlings of the gods.