ung his dreamy-eyed gaze to the uncomfortable and
self-conscious captain of the guards.

"Well, Ekbar?" he said softly.

"He is dead, Most-High."

"Indeed? You took care of the matter yourself?"

"No, Most-High. He was killed many suns before my men and I came upon
his men. Sadu, the lion, slew him."

Vokal stiffened slightly. "How do you know this?"

Ekbar retold, in detail, the story given him by Tykol. For several
minutes after he finished Vokal sat there and thought it over while he
sipped from his goblet of wine. "... You are sure he was not lying?"

"Yes, Most-High. There were but thirty-seven of them, where once there
was fifty, and many wore strips of cloth over wounds left by Sadu's
claws. Scouts who knew Jotan by sight reported he was not with the
column." He hesitated. "One part of their report I did not understand,
however, although it probably is not important."

"Tell it to me."

Ekbar shrugged. "There was a woman with them--a young and very beautiful
girl. The scouts say she was very lovely--dark-haired, a pleasing figure
and clearly the daughter of some nobleman."

"Why did you not ask this Tykol who she was?"

"I learned about her the following day. By that time Tykol was dead."

Vokal nodded. "The balance of Jotan's men were not aware of being
watched?"

"No, Most-High. I took pains to keep that from them. Since Jotan's
earlier death was something we had not foreseen, I acted as I thought
you would order. Since Jotan is not with them it would be better that
they reached Ammad and told of his death under the fangs and claws of
Sadu."

"You have acted wisely, Ekbar, and I shall not forget it."

The captain flushed with pleasure. He said, "We did not return
empty-handed, noble Vokal. Two cave people fell into our hands--one of
them a beautiful young woman who told us some wild story about being
Jotan's intended mate."

At Vokal's look of languid interest, Ekbar repeated the story Dylara had
told him.

"And you say," Vokal said when the captain finished, "that this cave
girl is very beautiful?"

"There is none in all Ammad who is more lovely," Ekbar said, his
deep-set eyes glittering.

"How interesting!" Vokal leaned back in his chair, his long, well-kept
fingers toying with the stem of his wine goblet. "Where is she now?"

"Both she and the cave man we captured a little later are under guard in
the outer corridor, Most-High. I thought you might wish to look them
over before they