and uses had gone to his head.
He demanded my hand in return for his work; demanded that he be
permitted to mount the throne of Llotta-nar as my consort. Therefore I
destroyed him." The hard eyes softened anew. "And--and for his
abominable treatment of you I destroyed him," she concluded.

* * * * *

Blaine fought off the spell of those gold-flecked eyes; he looked away
in sudden panic. This creature was not telling the truth. She was
hiding something; a sinister motive lay beneath her smooth speech.

"My friend," he said abruptly: "what of him?"

"For your sake, my Carson," she purred, "he too shall have the freedom
of the realm for as long a time as is desired."

The cool fingers crept along his arm, firm and compelling. "Look at
me," she whispered.

He thought of the pink gas as his eyes were drawn irresistibly to hers.
What he saw in those gold-flecked depths sent a shiver of apprehension
chasing down his spine. Savage, devastating desire mingled with
ill-concealed rage at his coldness. This beautiful animal could turn
like a flash and rend him limb from limb--and would on the slightest
provocation.

A commotion in the corridor caused her to release him and sit bolt
upright. Temporarily relieved, Blaine wheeled to face the portal. Tommy
had broken loose! He heard his strident voice, berating an unseen
antagonist in the tongue of the Llotta.

Then they were in the room, Tommy struggling and arguing vociferously
with one of the green-bronze guards. The handmaidens had deserted their
cushions and were milling about in affrighted confusion. The Zara's
sibilant exclamation startled him into looking at her once more. The
same cold fury that had greeted Antazzo glinted icy-hard in that grimly
beautiful face. It was all over for poor Tommy.

* * * * *

But the Zara reached upward and stroked a transparent rod that dangled
above the throne, something he had not noticed before. A screaming
vibrant note smote the heavy air, a pulsation that beat at the ear
drums with painful intensity. Silence fell as the awesome sound died
away and echoed faintly from the huge columns that supported the arched
ceiling. Tommy cooled off when he saw that Blaine was unharmed.

"Drekan!" The Zara's voice was a whiplash as she addressed the guard.
"You will leave my presence and report to your overman for punishment.
Never again molest the Earth men. Be