Gor 13 - Explorers of Gor by John Norman

Author:John Norman [Norman, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction; American, Gor (Imaginary Place), Fantasy, Cabot; Tarl (Fictitious Character), General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Outer Space, Erotica, Fiction
ISBN: 9780759211674
Google: B_0Ojr2Oug8C
Amazon: 0759211671
Publisher: e-reads.com
Published: 2007-06-30T04:00:00+00:00

19

A Basket Of Osts; A Chain Of Gold; The Eyes Of The Ubar

“Why is there no guard?” I asked.

“He has been disposed of,” said Msaliti. “Have no fear.” He gestured to the portal. “Enter,” he said.

“Surely Shaba will have others of his caste with him, geographers of the scribes,” I said.

“Enter,” said Msaliti.

“Lend me your lamp,” I said. He carried a small lamp, with a shallow bowl, which burned tharlarion oil.

“Askaris might see the flame through the walls of the room,” he said. “There are many about. Hurry.”

I slipped into the room. It was totally dark within. I stood with my back to the grass wall, to the left of the door, as I had entered.

The sleeping platform, I was told, was near the center of the room. Shaba, I suspected, would have the ring about his neck. Very slowly, inch by inch, every sense alert, I began to move toward the center of the room. Msaliti had brought me himself to the room. He had not been accompanied by askaris. I found this strange.

“As few as possible must know of our deed,” he had said.

“Yes,” I had said.

But surely he would not trust me to return the ring to him. I had expected that he would be accompanied by askaris, whom he would set upon me, to slay me, once I had either killed Shaba or obtained the ring. But I saw none. It had been my hope, of course, and a risk which Msaliti, for his part, would have had to accept, that I might, with the ring, elude his askaris, even if the room were surrounded. The odds, had I the ring, would, I think, have been in my favor. They were odds, of course, which Msaliti had been given no chance but to accept. I could always leave the room, of course, by kicking and tearing through the grass wall at any point of my choosing.

Looking behind me I saw, outside the room, the lamp of Msaliti lift and lower twice.

I smiled to myself. That, I took it, was his sign to his askaris that I was within the room, his sign to them that they were then to surround it.

But then I was troubled. I saw no askaris appearing from the darkness outside.

Suddenly I heard a rush of feet. Instantly I crouched, dagger drawn, blade up, my left hand, too, ready, in the on-guard position for knife combat. But the feet had not approached me. I was startled. I thought I heard climbing. Then, suddenly, from in front of me, in the darkness, I heard a hideous cry of pain. Then I heard a wild, piteous shriek which terminated in spasmodic coughing and gasping. I heard fingernails scratching at a wooden surface and the turning and thrashing of a body.

I turned to leave the room, but, at the door, I was met with the leveled stabbing spears of several askaris. I saw no sign of Msaliti. I lifted my hands, dropping the knife. Men entered with lamps.

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