Read Online The Quest of Kadji by Lin Carter - Free Book Online

could not have fled the city—not with the kugars , his deadly enemies, in control of all gates?”
    Kadji frowned thoughtfully and chewed his lower lip.
    “Shamad must have been warned of the impending plot and substituted his hapless look-alike for himself; I would not put it past him to have forced the young functionary who so closely resembled himself to put on the imperial regalia—and then murder the unfortunate youth with his own hand, leaving the corpse for the kugars to see when they came to slay him. In the confusion, the kugars might well suppose others of their plot had already done the deed . . . but as to whether Shamad still dwells within the walls of Khôr or not, who can say? If he gambles on the swift arrival of his ally, Bayazin the High Prince, then he might well be hidden somewhere of the warren of the Khalidôr, awaiting the Rashemba host to seize the city . . . but methinks not. Shamad cannot know how long the kugar force can hold the city against Rashemba siege: I believe he has fled the city; he and his monstrous Dragonman servant; for, should the High. Prince break the kugars , the Impostor can always return in triumph from hiding.”
    “ Aii , but how could, he get out, with his dearest enemies holding every gate and entryway?”
    Kadji smiled grimly.
    “The sword-brothers of my clan have a saying, old man—‘Gold is a key can open. any gate’—and Shamad must have amassed much of the beautiful metal during his brief regime! And not all of the gates of Khôr are huge and heavy-guarded . . . yesterday as I studied the gates, I noted a small, obscure, seldom-used postern gate in the eastern wall of the city; Shamad and his pet monster could have gained it with ease, through the labyrinth of alleyways in the eastern quarter. It gives out on the empty plain, to be sure, but Shamad could have ridden east a ways and then turned aside to take the Grand Chemedis Road, the mighty highway across the plains the merchant caravans use. I wonder if it could be thus. . . .”
    The little wizard shyly cleared his throat. “ Ahem! Perhaps this small and insignificant person can assist you,” he suggested diffidently.
    “In what manner?”
    “This lowly one has some poor learning In the Art Sorcerons . . . to be precise, young sir, this person knows an art by which the minds of one or two men can be made blinded, fascinated, enrapt, and thereupon can be made to divulge any information they may possess . . .”
    Kadji frowned, “Does it work? We don’t want to arouse any suspicions . . .”
    Akthoob smiled affably. “leave it to this person—but come, we near our hostelry . . . what is toward?”
    Kadji had seen it, too, and reined his black Feridoon pony to a standstill. For a host of kugar swordsmen invested the courtyard of their inn, and among them he glimpsed the face of Cyrib Jashpodoe.
    ii. The Mind Jewel
    IN HASTY confusion, they turned their steeds aside into a narrow, cobbled alley and rode its length, emerging into the Street of Monoliths, which led in the opposite direction from the boulevard on which was the House of the Seven Moons.
    The little wizard was moaning with fear, and Kadji himself was tense and distressed. He could not be certain, but it looked as if the young kugar bully; now doubtless in a position of some influence, since his class had seized control of the regime, had returned in strength to have his revenge on Kadji for the humiliation he had received at the hands of the young Kozanga warrior.
    At any rate, Kadji did not intend to ride into the jaws of the wolf in order to ascertain his mood. Forewarned was forearmed, as the saying had it. He would take refuge elsewhere, but there was no reason the old Easterling wizard should any longer be involved in his troubles, and it might well prove dangerous to the old man should he be. So he suggested they part company here.
    Akthoob was not happy at the thought. He pointed out that the anger of Cyril, Jashpode might well be aimed