stood facing Ammad's monarch.

"Greetings, noble Jaltor," he said quietly. "You sent for me?"

Anger and bewildered sorrow seemed to be fighting for dominance in the
ruler's expression. "I thought you my friend, Garlud!" he burst out
suddenly. "How could a senseless ambition so drive you that you would
turn against your king?"

The blood seemed to drain from Garlud's cheeks and his eyes went wide in
shocked wonder. "Turn against you?" he repeated, aghast. "What madness
is this?"

Jaltor's eyes narrowed and a sneer curled his upper lip. "Before you add
lies upon lies, Garlud, give greetings to a friend of yours."

With these words the king stepped aside, for the first time permitting
Garlud to see the man on the bed.

The nobleman's jaw dropped. "Why, it's old Heglar!" he exclaimed. "What
in the God's name has happened to him?"

"What usually happens to enemies of Jaltor?"

* * * * *

Garlud took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You have spoken in
riddles from the moment I came in here. For almost forty summers--since
we were boys together--we have been more like brothers than friends. For
that reason, if no other, I believe I am entitled to an explanation
instead of badgering and half-veiled threats."

Jaltor's face darkened. "I'm the one who demands an explanation! Why did
you set Heglar to attempt my life this afternoon?"

"I--set...."

"Do you deny," thundered the king, "that this very morning you held a
long and carefully guarded conversation with Heglar in an ante-room
outside my audience hall?"

"It is true that I spoke with him this morning," Garlud said slowly. "We
did not talk for long, nor were we 'guarded' about it."

"I see!" Jaltor's tone was triumphant. "And what did the two of you talk
about?"

"He sought me out as I entered the room on my way to the audience
chamber. He drew me into a corner and asked if I had had word from
Jotan, my son, recently. I told him I had not, but that I expected him
to return within half a moon, perhaps even sooner."

Understanding dawned suddenly in Garlud's face and he added: "I wondered
then why he drew me aside to ask the question, but at the time I thought
little about it."

"And now?" Jaltor urged mockingly.

"I am beginning to see he had a reason of his own."

"You deny any part in the plot to kill me?"

"I do."

"But you knew there was such an attempt made this afternoon?"

"I heard some such rumor."

"