What I saw was an aircraft tethered near the top of the tower—an aircraft similar to the one in which Shizala and I had flown when we went to the camp of the Argzoon!

How did it come to be there?

I reached the entrance of the tower and ran inside. There I found a set of winding, stone steps leading up and up. There seemed to be no rooms in the lower part of the tower. I began to run up the steps.

Near the top of the tower I found a door. It was unbarred and I flung it open.

I felt shock as I saw the two within the room.

One of them was Shizala.

The other—? The other was Telem Fas Ogdai, Bradhinak of Mishim Tep, Shizala's betrothed.

He had one arm around Shizala and his other hand held a sword as he looked warily towards the door through which I had burst.

Chapter Fourteen

SWEET JOY AND BITTER SORROW

FOR a moment I confess that my emotion was one of dreadful disappointment rather than joy that Shizala was safe in the arms of a protector.

I dropped my guard and smiled at Telem Fas Ogdai.

"Greetings, Bradhinak. I am glad to see that you have managed to keep the Bradhinaka from danger. How did you get here? Did you hear something of where we had gone in Narlet, perhaps? Or was Darnad able to get word to you more swiftly than I had supposed?"

Telem Fas Ogdai smiled and shrugged. "Does it matter? I am here and Shizala is safe. That is the important thing."

I felt the answer rather unnecessarily oblique but accepted it.

"Michael Kane," Shizala said, "I was sure you had been killed by now."

"Providence is on my side, it seems," I said, trying to hide the expression in my eyes, which must have added—'save in the most important matter of my life'.

"I hear you've performed miracles of daring." Telem Fas Ogdai spoke somewhat ironically. My dislike for him increased in spite of my effort to take an objective attitude to bin. He was not helping me.

"Providence again," I said.

"Perhaps you will leave us for a moment," Telem Fas Ogdai said. "I would like to have some words with Shizala in private."

I would not be boorish a second time. I bowed slightly and went out of the room.

As the door closed I heard Shizala's voice suddenly scream loudly.

It was too much. In spite of my earlier encounter at the palace of Varnal, I could not control myself. I sprang back into the room.

Shizala was struggling in the grasp of a scowling Telem Fas Ogdai. He was trying to drag her towards the window to where his aircraft waited.

"Stop!" I ordered levelly.

She was sobbing. "Michael Kane—he—"