t
quite so large as the first. He came from within the palace to join his
friend and the two of them ran----"

"Wait!" the nobleman said sharply. "Are you sure this second man came
from _inside_ the palace?"

"Yes, Most-High." He pointed an unsteady hand at the door leading to the
palace kitchen. "He came from there. With my own eye I----"

"Enough!" Vokal wheeled toward the captain of his guard. "Ekbar, send a
detail to comb every room of the palace. There may be more of these
strange intruders in there."

"At once, Most-High."

Dylara, listening from her place of concealment within the kitchen, knew
she dared stay there no longer. A moment from now the room would be
swarming with armed men and she was sure to be found. It was unfortunate
she could not have accompanied Trakor when he raced out to Tharn's
assistance, but she had known then, as now, that she would only have
slowed their dash for freedom. With Tharn and Trakor both at liberty
within Ammad's walls, they would eventually find a way to rescue her.

There was no point, however, in waiting around to be rescued. If she
could make her way beyond Ammad's walls without help, so much the
better.

Rising from her hiding place, the stone knife Trakor had given her ready
in one sun-tanned fist, she crossed the kitchen with stealthy swiftness
and hurried along the short hall leading to the palace dining hall.

It proved to be empty of life, although she could hear the sounds of
sandaled feet entering the room she had only just quitted. Quickly she
crossed the huge chamber, carefully drew open the same door she and
Trakor had passed through a short time earlier, and raced lightly back
up the stairs there to the building's second floor.

* * * * *

At the landing, she stopped and pressed an ear against the planks of the
corridor door. She could hear no sound from beyond them to indicate
someone was there. Carefully, inch by inch, she drew it inward until
there was space enough for her to peer through.

Not ten feet away from her were the broad backs of two guards!

Despite the pounding of her heart and the almost uncontrollable efforts
of her feet to break into instant flight, Dylara very slowly allowed the
heavy door to return to its closed position. Then she was away, racing
upward on the balls of her feet, silent as the shadow of a shadow.

She did not even pause at the third landing, for her quick ears caught
the tread o