第56章

"If a man, and he survived ten games his liberty would be his,"replied Lan-O.

"But none ever survives?" queried Tara."And if a woman?""No stranger within the gates of Manator ever has survived ten games," replied the slave girl."They are permitted to offer themselves into perpetual slavery if they prefer that to fighting at jetan.Of course they may be called upon, as any warrior, to take part in a game, but their chances then of surviving are increased, since they may never again have the chance of winning to liberty.""But a woman," insisted Tara; "how may a woman win her freedom?"Lan-O laughed."Very simply," she cried.derisively."She has but to find a warrior who will fight through ten consecutive games for her and survive.""'Just are the laws of Manator,'" quoted Tara, scornfully.

Then it was that they heard footsteps outside their cell and a moment later a key turned in the lock and the door opened.Awarrior faced them.

"Hast seen E-Med the dwar?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Tara, "he was here some time ago."The man glanced quickly about the bare chamber and then searchingly first at Tara of Helium and then at the slave girl, Lan-O.The puzzled expression upon his face increased.He scratched his head."It is strange," he said."A score of men saw him ascend into this tower; and though there is but a single exit, and that well guarded, no man has seen him pass out."Tara of Helium hid a yawn with the back of a shapely hand."The Princess of Helium is hungry, fellow," she drawled; "tell your master that she would eat."It was an hour later that food was brought, an officer and several warriors accompanying the bearer.The former examined the room carefully, but there was no sign that aught amiss had occurred there.The wound that had sent E-Med the dwar to his ancestors had not bled, fortunately for Tara of Helium.

"Woman," cried the officer, turning upon Tara, "you were the last to see E-Med the dwar.Answer me now and answer me truthfully.

Did you see him leave this room?"

"I did," answered Tara of Helium.

"Where did he go from here?"

"How should I know? Think you that I can pass through a locked door of skeel?" the girl's tone was scornful.

"Of that we do not know," said the officer."Strange things have happened in the cell of your companion in the pits of Manator.

Perhaps you could pass through a locked door of skeel as easily as he performs seemingly more impossible feats.""Whom do you mean," she cried; "Turan the panthan? He lives, then? Tell me, is he here in Manator unharmed?""I speak of that thing which calls itself Ghek the kaldane,"replied the officer.

"But Turan! Tell me, padwar, have you heard aught of him?" Tara's tone was insistent and she leaned a little forward toward the officer, her lips slightly parted in expectancy.

Into the eyes of the slave girl, Lan-O, who was watching her, there crept a soft light of understanding; but the officer ignored Tara's question--what was the fate of another slave to him? "Men do not disappear into thin air," he growled, "and if E-Med be not found soon O-Tar himself may take a hand in this.Iwarn you, woman, if you be one of those horrid Corphals that by commanding the spirits of the wicked dead gains evil mastery over the living, as many now believe the thing called Ghek to be, that lest you return E-Med, O-Tar will have no mercy on you.""What foolishness is this?" cried the girl."I am a princessof Helium, as I have told you all a score of times.Even if the fabled Corphals existed, as none but the most ignorant now believes, the lore of the ancients tells us that they entered only into the bodies of wicked criminals of the lowest class.Man of Manator, thou art a fool, and thy jeddak and all his people,"and she turned her royal back upon the padwar, and gazed through the window across the Field of Jetan and the roofs of Manator through the low hills and the rolling country and freedom.