ey stood were immense, with
winding paths of crushed stone, winding between bushes heavy with jungle
blooms. Here and there concealed jets flung graceful and shimmering
curtains of water skyward, the falling drops pattering musically into
stone-lined pools. In the distance loomed the gleaming white walls of a
palace that, Tharn realized, was easily three times the size of any he
had seen in Sephar.

Lightly the two men dropped to the closely clipped grass. Tharn would
have liked to remain aloft for a minute or two, to drink in the beauty
of the scene and to get some idea of just where within Ammad they were.
But should some sleepless Ammadian be standing at a window in that
palace, he could hardly keep from seeing those two figures atop the
wall.

Side by side the two cave men strode lightly toward a cluster of eight
trees arranged in a small circle.

While from the depths of a thicket of bushes bordering one of the garden
pools a pair of eyes watched them in startled wonder.

* * * * *

Dylara crouched beneath a table in Vokal's kitchen and listened to that
nobleman's strident voice as it lashed at a group of palace guards
outside the half open door.

"Do you expect me to believe," he said hotly, "that a single warrior
could slay seven of you? Were their muscles turned to water at sight of
him? And the rest of you--are you soldiers or children to be so easily
outwitted?"

No one attempted a reply. Ekbar, captain of the guards, stood stiffly
by, beads of nervous perspiration dotting his forehead. His turn would
come once Vokal was through with the guards themselves. He would be
fortunate indeed to escape with no more than a tongue-lashing; he might
well end up being demoted in rank.

"Who was this man?" Vokal demanded. "Did any of you recognize him? Speak
up, before I order your tongues cut out with your own knives! You!" He
pointed a finger at one of the men. "I understand you were one of those
who first saw him. Who was he?"

The designated man, his trembling voice matching the shaking of his
knees, said hurriedly, "He was like no warrior I have seen in all Ammad,
Most-High. He was very tall, with great rippling muscles that----"

"Enough!" Vokal shouted. "I might have known you would claim no ordinary
man could best the lot of you. And, I suppose, at least fifty more of
these huge strangers fell upon you?"

"No, Most-High," the warrior admitted. "But there was one more, no