Blade grinned like a wolf. It would be sooner-Hectoris, the barbarian, was all but at the gates.,
He was bathed in a steaming perfumed pool and given a prison uniform. Much search was required before a kilt and singlet could be found to fit him. He took the largest red sandals they had.
When he was offered a sumptuous meal he would not eat. This visibly dismayed the little fat man who, for short, Blade had taken to calling 610.
The dining hall was cool and spacious, and the meal tempting, for Blade was ravenous, but he would not touch it. 610 wrung his chubby hands. «But you must eat, sire. You must! It is a rule. Every prisoner must eat such a meal when he first arrives.»
Blade laughed at him. «You are the warder, no? Then summon your guards and force feed me. Why do you hesitate? I am only a prisoner like the others.»
There was 'more hand wringing. «But I cannot do that, sire. Violence is also against the rules. Not that the matter ever arises-we do not need violence or coercion. We never have-«
Blade crossed his mammoth arms and stared the little man down. «Until now,» he said cheerfully. «Now, if you expect me to eat, you need it.»
He added, «You had best bring a dozen of your best men, little. 610, for you are going to need them.»
Blade stalked toward the door. He did not trust himself if he were forced to smell the food much longer. Penthe or not, he would be tempted to gulp it down.
610, moaning and complaining, came along to show Blade to his room. He took some audible comfort in the thought that Blade would be even hungrier by the time of the evening meal and would cease to be a problem. As they walked down a long corridor, past open windows where flowers bloomed on the sills, Blade said, «I would have a room to myself, 610. I am very tired and would sleep long. I also require shears and a razor, for when I awaken.I wish to trim my hair and beard.»
610 smiled eagerly. «I will send a barber at once. It just so happens that we have a new girl who is skilled
«No girl,» Blade said harshly. A woman, in certain circumstances, could be as deadly as the penthe. At the moment he wanted only to be alone, to sleep and then, his brain refreshed, to think. Think how to gain audience with the Pearl of Patmos-and how best to use that audience when he had gained it.
«You cannot be alone,» said 610 sulkily. «That is also against the rules. All newcomers must share a room with another newcomer. And that, sire, is a rule I cannot break even for you.»
610 indicated the stone floor of the corridor and, with a pettish smile, said, «Of course I cannot force you to share a room. If you prefer the hard floor to a luxurious bed so be it. That is your privilege as a prisoner, sire. I am only a poor Gray Person and a warder.»
Blade grunted. «I will share the room, 610.» And added with a leer, «I do not wish to become a problem for you.»
610 patted his hands in approval. «There-there. That is better. I did think for a few minutes, sire, that you were going to be a problem. I was, in fact, warned that you might be. I am glad to see that you are not going to be much of a problem. As for eating-you will come to it when you are hungry enough.»
«No doubt,» Blade admitted. He had no wish to rile the little man further. «We will see.» He would not, he thought, be around long enough to go starving. When darkness came he might just be on his way. Surely, in a city the size of Cybar, or in the countryside around, he could find something to eat. Something that was not loaded with penthe.
610 had been trotting alongside, trying to keep up with Blade's long stride. Now he dashed ahead and threw open an unlocked door. Blade could not, in fact, see a lock and guessed that the door was to afford privacy more than to contain him. 610 had mentioned women-was it possible that his roommate, for you could hardly call it 4 cell, was a-
It was not possible. In fact it was quite impossible. Blade stared at the man on one of the two large beds and did not believe it: The man was nearly as large as Blade himself and was wearing the same white uniform and red sandals. He had been clipped and shorn and shaven and now, with the dirt missing, Blade could see the myriad scars. And the eye patch. That was the same.
The man stared back at Blade. He let out a bellow. «By Juna's golden ass! It's the master Blade himself. I will choke on one of Juna's tits if it ain't- Sire! I thought you. was dead and gone in that sewer-«
Blade gave him an enormous grin. He felt better already. Nob, as coarse and rough as he was, an admitted thief and murderer-as Blade had seen-and a son of the gutter, was yet like a breath of icy air in this cloying land of Patmos.
«Nob,» cried Blade. «Nob, you ruffianl I thought you were dead. I saw you fall beneath the horses, more afraid for your treasure than for your life. Nob-you welcome scum of the earth. It is good to see you.»
As he crossed to shake the man's hand he saw 610 backing out of the room. 610 was wringing his hands and smirking a bit. Blade knew then that this was no accidental meeting, no coincidence. He and Nob had been thrown together intentionally. But why? And by whom?
Juna?
They shook hands and in that moment Blade reasserted his strength and his authority. Nob did not give up easily, but after a moment he grimaced and pulled his hand away.
— «Enough, master, enough! Crush my paw and I cannot serve you with it. Have done-I acknowledge you strongest.»
The door closed softly behind them. Nob leaned close to Blade, grinning and rubbing his hand, and nodded toward the music box high on one wall.
«Take care,» he whispered. «It looks innocent enough and I like the music, but they use it to listen as well. I know not how it is done, but air currents carry our voices to them. But 'tis safe enough if you whisper.»
Blade nodded that he understood. He gazed deep into Nob's one good eye and saw that it was clear and alert and as full of mischief as ever. They had not yet gotten to Nob with the penthe.
Nob must have guessed his thought, for he whispered, «Did you bring aught to eat, Sire Blade?» He rubbed his belly and cursed when Blade shook his head.
«I,» said Nob, «could eat-«And mentioned Juna in a most indelicate manner.
CHAPTER 7
The prison room was provided with a desk and ample writing materials and for a moment Blade thought the problem of communication was solved. Nob soon dashed that hope.
«I never learned my letters, sire. Old Nob never had time for that nonsense-he was too busy trying to keep his belly full.»
Blade glanced at the music box. They could not go on whispering forever. The very fact itself would make them suspect. Then he remembered the unlocked door and cursed himself for a fool. This was such an upside-down, topsy-turvy prison that a man could not think straight in it. He prodded Nob toward the door. It was as simple as taking a stroll.
No effort was made to stop them as they left the building and strolled about the well-kempt grounds. As soon as they were away from any possible listener Blade commanded Nob to talk. That worthy, with his brokentoothed grin, was only too ready. He adjusted his eye patch with a flair and stroked his jutting smooth-shaven jaw. His rugged features, now shorn of facial hair, re-
vealed many old scars and craters the latter attributed by Nob to a bad. case of pox in his childhood:
His right eye glinting with surly amusement, Nob said, x «I caught a hoof on the back of the sconce, master, and it ° must have made me look like a deader for sure-when I '' come to the Samostans was all gone and I had the square to myself.»
Nob screwed up his ugly visage and shrugged. «That were a odd feeling, master. You was gone into the sewer and me all alone there with the dead.»