Blade #32 - Pirates of Gohar by Jeffrey Lord

Author:Jeffrey Lord [Lord, Jeffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Pulp Adventure
ISBN: 9780523406794
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 1978-12-31T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Blade was approaching the shelter when Khraishamo raised his head, looked past Rhodina, and saw Blade approaching. He pushed the woman aside so violently she fell to the sand, leaped forward, and embraced Blade. For a moment Blade wasn't sure whether the pirate was greeting him or attacking him. He was quite sure that either way his ribs and shoulders were going to be smashed by the pirate's massive arms.

Then Khraishamo held Blade at arm's length, kissed him on both cheeks, lifted him into the air, and dropped him.

"Blade, I told you the Goharans would say you weren't of them and send you here! And I was right!" He laughed wildly, and the eerie sound floated away on the sea wind. More quietly he said, "Welcome to Shell Island."

"I suppose I should say thank you," said Blade. "But I don't plan to stay here any longer than I have to. How are you? Rhodina told me her lover and protector was something out of the ordinary, but she didn't tell me that---"

The pirate turned to Rhodina and glared at her. "Didn't tell him? Still ashamed of having a Bloodskin lover?" He sounded genuinely angry. Blade noted that Khraishamo now spoke adequate Goharan, although he'd picked up a Mythoran accent from Rhodina.

Rhodina glared at her lover. "Leave off, Khraishamo. You know what you are to me. You know too what most Goharans would say learning it. You wanted him to beat or even kill me for going with a Bloodskin?"

"He's not Goharan, my lusty love. He's-"

"Not Goharan? He told me he was exiled for-"

"I'll tell you, if you'll stop interrupting me." He put one hand gently but firmly over her mouth. "Blade's a man from the future, a thousand years from now. He's sent back here by his people, to see how we lived. Then he'll go back."

Rhodina swore a few lurid Mythoran street oaths. "You never told me that he was a man from the future, you-" Then she turned to Blade, still glaring. "And you never told me-"

"I never told you any lies, either," said Blade. "I said I was exiled from Gohar because of a quarrel with Kloret, the Prime Minister. That's perfectly true. I just left out some of the details."

Rhodina threw her hands up in mock despair, then burst out laughing. "Enough, enough. Don't know whether I should kick or kiss the both of you. But tell me everything now, please."

"We'll do it," said Khraishamo. "But we'll do it better with some food in our bellies. Go and do up some of those fish, woman!" He slapped her on the rump. She aimed a kick at his groin but he sprang aside with a laugh. "What? Spoil your own fun would you? Or has Blade got other weapons besides his sword? O-ha-you're blushing! Don't worry, I won't kill him. He's got blood-brother rights to all that's mine."

Laughing, Rhodina picked up the fish and went off to one side of the shelter. Khraishamo looked soberly at Blade.

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