They entered a small room that resembled the treasure trove of a giant pack rat. Jeweled swords. Golden armor. A great pile of fine kascat furs, Norten candles, racks filled with bottles of superb wine, pots of the fragrant soap of Tashol; a great block of ivory, tall as a man and wide as a barrel; a set of glasses carved in jade and wide variety of objects that would have been junk had they not been wrought of silver or gold. In the far corner lay an ironbound chest.
Beside it, chained and gagged, was a dirty-haired blonde.
Tiana had seen the Princess Jiltha before; she’d been blond, beautiful, haughty, and elegantly dressed. Now Tiana saw a frightened small child, dirty, clad in torn rags. It would have been quicker to cut off the gag, but the sight of a knife in her hand would further terrify the girl. She knelt and began to untie the gag.
“My Princess, your father sent me to bring you home. You may remember me — I’m Captain Tiana. You need no longer fear Storgavar. I’ve made a bargain with him.” When the gag was removed, Jiltha did not scream, but burst into tears. Tiana held the child in her arms and comforted her.
“You told me nothing about taking her back to her father,” Storgavar roared. “I imagined we should sell her to the highest bidder. After all — Storgavar and Tianna! We belong together.”
“What you imagine is your problem,” Tiana snapped. “A bargain is a bargain.”
“True.” The big pirate bent, picked up the chest. “I now have the Jewels of Ullatara. If you want to take this baggage home to her father, well and good, but you must undo her chains.”
“I don’t need your key.” And Tiana reached to her ear for a picklock.
She saw that neither key nor pick would be of any use. The manacles that bound Jiltha were smooth metal cylinders without locks. Neither was there any trick to open them. The manacles could be opened only by great physical strength.
“What I close, none but me can open. In this castle there are no locks, but there are many doors that only I have the strength to open. That is why I am lord of these isles, Captain Tie-annie. My door is always open to any with the strength to challenge me.” Storgavar delivered this boast in a roaring voice. He might have said more, but a black shadow fell across him.
The pirate dropped the chest and whirled to face an even huger creature — a bear.
In most respects it resembled a natural bear; black greasy fur, large yellow fangs, long sharp claws. In addition to two normal eyes, however, a larger red orb glowed in the center of its forehead. While the natural eyes were dull, there was no mistaking the malign intelligence behind the third eye.
For a moment man and beast maneuvered for position, the monster towering over the man. Then they were upon each other. Storgavar met his enemy with open arms. His calves braced, bulging, below thighs thick as Tiana’s torso. His hands clasped behind the beast’s back and his powerful arms contracted in a death hug. His head was buried in the bear’s chest. Although it twisted and bent, it couldn’t bite him. After clawing red lines across his back, the bear locked its paws and began to hug. Tiana stared at a simple contest of brute force. Gorilla and bear strained, and the weaker would die of a broken spine.
Tiana had little time to watch the fight. Her obligation was to free the princess. The manacles were designed to preclude use of a lever or pry bar. Although she was considerably stronger than one might expect a very womanly-looking woman to be, the iron bonds would not yield to her straining fingers. The manacles were welded to chains attached to a ring in the wall. She found no weak links, and the ring was strong and firmly set in the stone. How to free the princess? King and country depended on her solving the problem.
“Jiltha: I want you to do something.”
“Yes, sir — I mean — ”
“You may call me captain, just as everyone else does. What I want you to do is this: take a deep breath, shut your eyes, and slowly say out loud ‘I trust you, Captain!’”
“It’s magic?”
“In a way. Do it, Jiltha.”
“I trust you, Captain. I trust you, Captain. I trust you, Captain.” By the time Jiltha had finished speaking, Tiana had smashed open a bottle of rare wine, used the wine to moisten the tashol soap, and soaped Jiltha’s wrists and hands.
“Now Jiltha, just let your hands go limp.”
The small slippery hands easily pulled out of the manacles. Tiana looked up to see Storgavar rising from the dead body of the bear.
“By the Great Cow’s Cud that was a fight.” The mighty pirate seemed little injured by his ordeal, though he poured sweat and leaked blood. “Look at this. The thing’s wearing a huge diamond in its forehead.”
Tiana looked at the broken body of the bear. It was true. What had seemed a sighted eye now appeared to be a large diamond, the same stone she had seen on Kathis’s throat. The sight triggered an avalanche of realization in Tiana’s mind. There had been too many mysterious happenings; at last she understood them.
“Storgavar: you remember what I told you about Pyre’s message?”
Tiana had said nothing about Pyre, but the pirate lord said, “Sure; what of it?”
“I think I now understand the attack he plans. I couldn’t before because I didn’t know who our enemy is. I’ve fought a faceless unknown. Now I know the enemy.” As Tiana spoke, she rose and assisted Jiltha to her feet.
“I’m interested. Let’s hear it.” Storgavar’s voice had lost its harsh tone. It had gone all smooth and soft. Nor did he remark on her freeing the captive.
“There were numerous clues. The strange events started when the second pit was opened, back in Reme. At that time the Right Eye of Sarsis disappeared. The steel egg that held it was found smashed. Also at that time Kathis became the white cat. Before he could gain his full powers, King Hower sent away the Jewels of Ullatara — including the Left Eye of Sarsis. Kathis strengthened. He sought the treasure, and killed rival seekers. When I fought Kathis, he used his power of illusion to produce several false images of himself. I had no trouble striking the real one because the diamond on his throat had turned red while the false images wore white diamonds.”
As she spoke, Tiana straightened the rags that had been Jiltha’s dress. In doing so she maneuvered them both closer to the door.
“Yes, yes,” Storgavar said, “but what has this to do with Pyre?”
“I’m coming to that. Voomundo warned me that the Right Eye of Sarsis was free. Although it has the outward appearance of a diamond, it’s alive. It possesses whoever wears it. It gives the wearer the power to change shapes and cast illusions. These powers come at great cost. I’m sure from the way the diamond turned red while Kathis and I fought that the thing was drinking his blood.”
“An … eye. An Eye.”
“Yes. In turn, of course, the wearer is a vampire.” Tiana and Jiltha were now as close to the door as Storgavar.
“And this attack Pyre plans?”
“It’s based on a weakness he and the Eye share. When he does a sending, he can get every detail of his appearance correct except his eye color. The Right Eye has a similar problem, for it also cannot see itself.” Tiana and Jiltha were closer to the door than Storgavar. The girl was still badly frightened and would run like a rabbit if Tiana let go of her.
“I don’t see how that’s the basis for an attack.”
“It’s very simple. Jiltha, run!”
Tiana shoved the girl through the door. After her she kicked the beam from under the stone block, which fell with a resounding crash. The treasure room was in total darkness. As the block fell, Tiana had a brief glimpse of the chamber. What had seemed to be Storgavar was the trinocular bear. The pirate lord’s dead body lay on the floor, throat open and blood gone. His arms were clasped in a bear hug about the ivory block. He had spent his power trying to break it while the bear feasted.
From the darkness came the soft sweet voice of the Right Eye of Sarsis.
“That, Tiana, was only half clever. It was clever of you to realize that I no longer look like a d
iamond, hence the image on the floor must be false. But what you did was foolish. You’re as much trapped as I. More so. I have the strength to open Storgavar’s door. What would you do, chisel your way out?”
If I have to, yes, Tiana thought. That volcanic rock should be fairly easy to cut. If I’ve trapped myself, I’ve trapped you too. You must fight me on nearly even terms. She said nothing, nor did she make any sound.
The soft voice said, “Let us make a bargain. I want only the Left Eye. We have been parted for ages. You can see how cruel that was; long hungry ages, buried underground with no red milk to drink, separated from one’s other half. You can have the rest of the treasure. You can save Jiltha and go home fabulously wealthy.” You mean go home with my veins empty, Tiana mused, and moved silently through the darkness. The floor beneath her feet changed. First it became mud, then quicksand. Her every motion seemed to sink her deeper. Despite the sucking pull on her legs, she took another step. Yes, now she was in the right position. This was a blind fight. She could trust nothing she saw, heard or felt, but her enemy could not see in the dark. It had tried to trick her into speaking. While the buttery voice seemed some distance away, she was sure it was close, waiting for a sound to guide its paw in a death blow.
Suddenly the room was brightly lighted. A jar of oil had overturned and fire was spreading rapidly over the spill. The oil was about her feet and the fire was racing toward her. Tiana stood motionless and let the flames envelop her. She knew one moment of searing heat before the illusion ended.
Slowly, without the slightest sound, Tiana drew her sword. The critical moment was approaching fast. The Eye now knew it could neither trick nor frighten her into making noise. Now she was sure the were-bear lacked a natural animal’s keen sense of smell. It could find her in the dark only by feeling its way. Tiana was sure it feared her rapier and would not risk blundering into her. She must gamble her life that she could guess the Eye’s next move.
It could project an illusion of silence and darkness, and open the door. Tiana would stand silent and unseeing while the monster killed her. She had no defense against that move, but she knew the Right Eye had eagerly sought the Left Eye. Before going to the door it would open the chest and take the steel egg that held the Left Eye. From memory, Tiana had moved so that she was behind the chest.
She stood poised, slim sword ready to strike. In her imagination she could see the bear opening the chest. She knew where its head must be when it lifted the lid and her rapier was perfectly aimed to stab through the brain. She stopped breathing.
The problem was when to strike. A false thrust would make a betraying sound. Only her enemy knew the right time for her to strike and she was counting on it to tell her. Sweat slid down the center of her back. Her enemy, if not a coward, was clearly overly cautious. Back in Reme it could easily have slain her had it been willing to risk a direct frontal assault. Instead it chose the safety of indirect attacks, letting others do its work, even though such attacks failed repeatedly. Now this fault of over-caution would betray it. It was in darkness with an armed enemy. When it bent and put its paws on the chest, it would be especially vulnerable. Therefore at that moment it would send a major illusion to distract her. The illusion the monster sent to prevent attack would signal Tiana to attack!
At least that was her plan. Now as she stood in darkness, her racing brain began to find a host of faults in it. She had devised it in haste in the fever of battle. Too late now to revise or make another. Her hands were sweating and her last meal was uneasy in her stomach. Her heart was pounding hard and she needed to breathe. Hours seemed to have passed since she’d shut the door. Why didn’t the Eye do something? Anything to end this waiting! Had she underestimated her opponent? Could it summon help?
From outside the room came voices.
With a loud grating, the stone block was lifted. In the doorway stood the three men who had lifted the door — and four archers, long bows drawn and aimed at Tiana.
“Drop your sword!” the bear shouted. “You refuse to surrender? Archers, shoot her!”
Four strings twanged. Four arrows sped at Tiana and her sword lunged forward into empty air to pierce something that was not there.
Two arrows drove into her right shoulder and two into her stomach. She couldn’t help crying out. Although she saw the shafts projecting from her flesh, there was no pain, no blood. Her rapier stood in empty air, quivering as something writhed on it. The bowmen were blurring, along with the chamber itself. Tiana knew that her vision was sharp and clear, but everything in sight was becoming fuzzy and distorted. A sudden convulsion twisted her hilt from her grasp and there was total darkness.
Tiana knew she had won another limited victory. The Right Eye of Sarsis was still free and dangerous. All she had slain were the two who had worn it: first the man and now the three-eyed bear. She was trapped in darkness with a demon that would possess her if she touched it. Slowly and with utmost care she stepped back and moved to the far wall. Feeling her way along it, she found the door. Tiana drew her dagger and began trying to chisel at the stone block. Though she detested using a good weapon thus, she had no choice. The softness of the stone made her task possible, but it would be a long job.
After some minutes she missed a stroke; the wall was moving, upward. Suddenly she was facing the Princess Jiltha and a great blond giant of a man in boots, tawny leather leggings, and a bronze-bossed mailcoat of shining leather the color of mahogany. His eyes were sky and his hair corn.
“Captain! I found this man and he agreed to help us.”
“Well,” Tiana said, appraising the muscular warrior, “that was a stroke of luck.”
“Indeed,” a voice said from behind her. “It is my great fortune to find you three all at once. A virgin princess, a mighty warrior, and a beautiful woman. I shall need each of you in the coming ceremony.”
Tiana whirled to see the three-eyed bear. Two of the eyes were blank in death — and the third central eye blazed with preternatural life. The dead bear , Tiana saw, had opened the chest ; in its paw was a jeweled talisman, caged in terrible claws. It flashed and glowed and became a great white void into which Tiana felt herself falling.
But this just isn’t fair — I killed it ! Is there no justice at —
No, nor consciousness, either.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Tiana had left Bardon with the difficult task of hiding a ship in the midst of an enemy stronghold. She had ordered him to wait in the only possible place of concealment: A graveyard. The pillaging of the Kroll Isle pirates had brought home to their lair many more ships than they had use for. These were stripped of everything useful, then towed to a deadwater inlet and left. Into this graveyard of rotting ships Bardon sailed the proud Vixen. Dawn was his enemy. For now, the pirates were busy celebrating a victory. Vixen must be hidden by sunrise.
Reaching the graveyard was easy, but not enough. The swift, beautiful ship must be made to appear one more abandoned hulk. Sails must be lowered and replaced by frayed old canvas taken from the hulks. Slime and seaweed must be pulled up and plastered over the ship. A successful disguise required a seeming endless array of tasks, and Bardon drove the men without mercy. When the sun rose, he looked proudly at the mess he had made of the ship.
“Without Tiana,” he muttered. “Without Caranga.”
The day was spent in rest and quiet. The meals were cold, for Bardon dared not let Virakoka light a fire. At midmorning the lookout spotted three large ships leaving the pirate harbor. None approached Vixen. After that there was no activity to be seen. The silence that surrounded them cloyed and only made the waiting harder. So did the mosquitoes.
Bardon had had no sleep the previous night, and now his nerves would not let him catch up. Men had vanished yesterday. An unknown enemy lurked aboard Vixen and Bardon could imagine no way to find it. The second mate had daydreamed of his own command. Now he had it: command of a crew hiding in a graveyard in growing fear of an enemy they could neither fight nor give a name to!
With Kathis gone, Sergeant Berrock was in command of the Ilani soldiery. At dusk the red-faced, big-nosed man approached Bardon.
“We must talk. Kathis left me without no orders. Do you plan on obeying that Tiana’s instructions?”
“Of course. She is Captain.”
“Even if men keep on disappearing, you’ll wait on her three full days?”
“Yes.”
“And if she don’t come back — you plan on sailing back to Reme and reporting everything to King Rower?”
“Forget it, Berrock. She is Tiana. She will return, bringing the princess with her.”
Berrock spat. “Most likely her and Kathis are already dead. When she don’t come back, will you sail home and report to old Hower? Tell him we didn’t save his daughter or even find her? That we lost our ship’s cap’n and the best soldier in his army — we don’t know how — and that in doing all this not once did we draw blade and face an enemy? You’re going to walk into the palace and tell him that? He’s a kind old guy, but for that kinda report he’ll have your head and mine too!”
“That’s right!” Bardon snapped. “What would you suggest?”
“Attack.” Berrock said it flatly, without passion.
“I see. You want to waste the lives of half our men in a futile attack, so that you can tell the king what a hero you were.” Berrock’s face clouded with rage and Bardon went on before the soldier could vent his anger. “Say what you will to me, but say it quietly, Sergeant. The others must not hear us arguing.”
Berrock saw the wisdom of that. Despite sharp disagreement, both men kept their voices down. At last the soldier wearied of the debate and gave his head a jerk.
“What it comes to is this: neither of us have the wit to deal with this situation. That old black pirate, now. I hear he’s a crafty ole dog … why don’t we ask him?” Bardon controlled his own temper. “He’s still weak and I hate to wake him. But … all right. We are allies, you and I.”
The Eyes of Sarsis Page 12
