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lounging robe of sensil whose touch is softer than the ordinary silk, a massive golden bracelet upon my
left wrist, a trophy flung down by an admirer the day before. Around me the high-ceilinged marble
chamber with its tall windows letting in the glorious rays of Far and Havil was crammed with trophies,
feathers, weapons, gold and silver, flowers and laurels, the whole gorgeous and barbaric loot of a
successful kaidur. A chest of jewels open at the foot of the couch spilled pearl necklaces, diamond rings,
brooches and torques of a hundred varieties of gems.
Much of this lavish wealth, of course, had been won by wagers. A table whose legs were formed into
zorca hooves supported a lavish display of wines. Needless to detail them all. Each was a superlative
vintage. There was even a flagon of Jholaix. What that had cost I did not know, for commerce on
Kregen follows common sense routes and parameters, and an importer will fetch his wine from only so
far off, and an exporter will scarce wish to venture farther than he need to sell his wares.
 Enough of grapes, Tilly, I said.  Palines!
She giggled. Tilly was a Fristle girl. I detested Fristles as a general rule, and yet  remembering
Sheemiff  I had to admit I cared for their women. A cat-people, the Fristles, yet quite un-catlike in
their social habits. Tilly had a golden body fur covering a shape that would drive most men s mouths dry.
Remembering my Delia  a shallow and silly remark, that, for I would never be able to forget her, my
Delia, my Delia of Delphond  I could still admit that Tilly was a most beautiful female. Her face with its
wide slanted eyes, its full moist mouth, and  even  her delightful little whiskers, so unlike the Latin
woman s heavy moustache, all delighted me.
She began to toss palines into my mouth and I to suck them down. I had respected her. I was a
successful and, so far, exciting new kaidur. I was not yet a great kaidur. Everyone said that would come.
I did not agree.
Escape for the slaves, the workers, the coys, apprentices, and kaidurs was impossible. All the working
exits to the warren of workrooms, rings, and barracks adjoining the massive amphitheater were closely
guarded. And there was no way of climbing up into the lowest ring of seats and escaping through the
many exits used by the public of Huringa. Only the greatest of great kaidurs were allowed freely to stroll
in the city. They had the scales weighed in their advantage and they had everything to gain by staying, and
nothing to win by escaping. I did not think I would stay around long enough to become a great kaidur.
So I could loll in my grand sensil robe and eat squishes and palines and grapes and chatter pleasantly
with Tilly; for on this night I would escape from Huringa, and from the land of Hyrklana, and return to
Migla. If Delia had left I would then fly to Valka. I own for a concern. It had begun to ram through the
diabolical interference of the Star Lords on that field of the Valley of the Crimson Missals. A force of
Canops had remained unbeaten. If the rain prevented my longbowmen from shooting . . . But, I felt, Seg
would master that problem.
Nath the Arm strutted in then, his gorgeous robes worn when off duty lighting up that already dazzling
chamber. He looked cheerful.
 I have had three more offers, Drak the Sword. And one from that pimply idiot, the Kov of
Manchifwell.
 You will accept, of course.
 I had to let Nath the Arm believe everything went as usual. These special wagers were a profitable
source of his income. Other famous kaidurs were already beginning to measure their prowess against the
strides made by Drak the Sword. Nath had promised, with tears in his eyes, that he would make me the
greatest kaidur in all of Hyrklana, aye, in all of Hamal, too!
The reds prospered, to the greater glory of the ruby drang. Naghan the Gnat still lived, and was now, at
my request, not used as a kaidur in the arena but served as our armorer. His sinewy strength was more
adapted to the cunning blows required in the fashioning of armor than in the different skills of parting
warriors from essential portions of their anatomy. Cleitar Adria, too, still lived, and was winning a renown
for himself. There were a number of kaidurs in the barracks controlled by Nath who were still regarded
as greater than I; this had no power to disturb me. I merely fought that I might stay alive. Well, in that, as
you who have listened to my story may guess, I am less than honest. A fight is a fight. I have given you
something of my philosophy of swordsmanship already, and I admit to a fascinated interest in the chance
that each fresh day, each new challenge, would bring me at last face to face with a greater swordsman
than I am.[3]
 There are also fifty coys all green and dripping.
I sighed. We needed recruits, for the reds were fighting many unequal combats on the silver sand of the
arena. But I disliked the way we obtained our coys. Anyone who displeased the queen or any of her
nobles was liable to be swept up to serve as fodder for the Jikhorkdun. Those people with whom I had
been captured had been leaving a meeting called to discuss ways and means of bringing the queen down.
She was, everyone agreed, a bitch. Her husband, the king, was a weakling, a mere cipher. She was,
also, this haughty Queen Fahia, the twin sister of that Princess Lilah I had rescued from the Manhounds
of Faol.
Many a time had I seen the queen sitting enthroned in her ornate box, covered by the regal awnings,
decorated with flowers and vines and many banners, sitting there, chin on fist, gazing down as men and
beasts, and beast-men and men-beasts, hacked at each other and gouted blood and died  for her
pleasure.
Not once had I seen Princess Lilah. During every spare moment in the arena I had looked along the
boxes and tiers of seats reserved for the aristocracy, searching for her beautiful face and golden hair
among all the other faces there. I had made discreet inquiries, but no one seemed to know. More and
more I was coming to the dismal conclusion that she had not made her escape astride the fluttrell, or had
been taken by another slave gang of Havilfar, or, perhaps, had not even survived that mad escape
attempt.
 As to the coys, Nath, I said.  Cannot you shield them from the demands of the arena? With a little
more training 
He shook his head.  Alas, Drak the Sword. I would like to, Kaidun knows! But it is impossible. We
reds must put on our part of the show. Already, and despite the work you among our great kaidurs are
doing, the yellows claim they honor the diamond zhantil the highest among the four quarters.
 The yellows have been doing well. I flicked Tilly s long golden tail away from where she had been slyly
tickling my side.  That riot last sennight  have the terraces been repaired? And what is the latest count
of broken heads? I was always asking for news from the outside world. To Nath the Arm, the world
was here in the Jikhorkdun, and, possibly, he would allow some interest to what went on in Huringa.
Apart from that, the whole wide world of Kregen might not exist as far as he was concerned. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]