_including my
walking into that tree. But there won't be one word in sympathy with
Lyla._

Sonig's story ended and Hunter saw Val leave the cabin. He came straight
up the path toward Hunter, looming tall in the darkness as he stopped
before him. There was the pale gleam of metal in Val's belt--a blaster.
His voice came cold and flat:

"I want to talk to you, Lieutenant."

Hunter sighed, thinking, _I suppose he wants to kill me, too_.

He got up and said, "We'll go inside. Shut the door behind you--I don't
want your friend straining his ears to hear us."

Val sat tall even in the chair, his face like a carving in a dark
granite and his eyes as bright and hard.

"I understand that you took Princess Lyla into the tiger forest today."
Val's hand was very near the blaster. "I understand you then played the
role of affectionate rescuer."

"Do you believe that story?" Hunter asked.

"Do you have a different one?"

"You might ask Lyla. Or Alonzo. Alonzo is the one who came to me for
help when he saw she was going out to die."

"To die?" A startled expression came into the black eyes. "She _wanted_
to die?"

"I'll tell you what happened," Hunter said, and told him the story,
omitting only the embarrassing kissing incident and knowing that Sonig
had not.

Val was silent for a while after Hunter finished speaking, then he said,
"It isn't for me to comment upon Lord Narf's character or actions. She
is his wife by her own choice. But the thought of someone else taking
her out and--"

"I know. It wasn't so." Then Hunter added, "You think a great deal of
her, don't you?"

Val's face hardened and Hunter thought he would not answer. Then he
smiled a little, even though without humor, and said:

"Since I came here to kill you if I thought you deserved it, I suppose I
am obligated to answer your question. My regard for Princess Lyla is the
respectful one that any civilized man would have for another man's
wife."

There was an unintended implication in the statement and Hunter made a
conjecture:

"You and Princess Lyla were engaged--how long ago?"

There was surprise on Val's face, and something like pain quickly
masked. "So she's already making it public information?"

"No. I learned of it from ... other sources. I don't know, of course,
why you persuaded her to break the engagement--that's none of my
business, anyway."

"No," Val said. "It's none of your business. I'll tell you this: _I_
didn't ask her to br