It was a most amazing situation; there must have been at least a dozen men on the roof and possibly still others down in the courtyard where I knew Rojas to be, yet both the roof and the courtyard were apparently deserted-neither the eye nor the ear could perceive any living thing; only when someone spoke was the illusion dispelled, and presently I heard a voice a short distance away. 'He has probably gone this way- the city wall lies nearest in this direction. Spread out and comb the roof right to the city wall.'
'It's a waste of time,' said another voice. 'If someone has given him the secret of invisibility, we can never find him.'
'I do not think it was he, anyway,' said a third voice; 'there is no way in which he could have become invisible-it was unquestionably the ghost of Motus that spoke.'
By this time the voices were dwindling in the distance, and I felt that it was safe to assume that all the warriors had gone in search of me; so I walked to the edge of the roof and jumped down into the courtyard. I stood there a moment concentrating all my mental powers in an endeavor to sense the presence of others near me, as Kandus had said that he was able to do, but I got no reaction. This might mean either that I failed to sense the presence of others or that there was no one there-at least near me; so I took the chance and whistled again. An answer came from the other side of the courtyard; I waited.
Presently I heard a low whistle much nearer, and I replied-a moment later Rojas's hand touched mine.
I did not speak again for fear of attracting other pursuers, but I led her to the tree and helped her to clamber to the roof.
'Where is my flier?' I whispered.
She took me by the arm and led me in a direction at right angles to that which my pursuers had taken. The outlook appeared brighter immediately.
Rojas and I walked hand in hand so as not to lose one another. Presently I saw my flier standing there in the light of the farther moon, and it certainly looked good to me.
'The quarters of the slave women are near by, are they not?' I asked in a whisper.
'Right there,' she said, and I suppose she pointed; then she led me to the edge of the roof overlooking a courtyard.
Chapter 12
Rojas and I stood hand in hand at the edge of the roof looking down into a seemingly deserted courtyard. 'You gave Llana of Gathol the invisibility sphere?' I asked.
'Yes,' replied Rojas, 'and she must be invisible by this time.' She pressed my hand. 'You fought magnificently,' she whispered. 'Everyone knew that you could have killed Motus whenever you wished; but only I guessed why you did not kill him sooner. Ptantus is furious; he has ordered that you be destroyed immediately.'
'Rojas,' I said, 'don't you think that you should reconsider your decision to come with me? All of your friends and relatives are here in Invak, and you might be lonesome and unhappy among my people.'
'Wherever you are, I shall be happy,' she said. 'If you do not take me with you I shall kill myself.'
So that was that. I had involved myself in a triangle which bid fair to prove exceedingly embarrassing and perhaps tragic. I felt sorry for Rojas, and I was annoyed and humiliated by the part that I was forced to play. However, there had been no other way; it had been a question of Rojas's happiness or of Llana's life, and the lives of Ptor Fak and myself. I knew that I had chosen wisely, but I was still most unhappy.
Motivated by the habits of a lifetime, I strained my eyes in search of Llana of Gathol, who perhaps was down there somewhere in the courtyard; and then, realizing the futility of looking for her, I whistled. There was an immediate response from below and I sprang down from the roof. It did not take us long to locate one another; and as we were not challenged, I assumed that we were fortunate enough to be alone.
Llana touched my hand. 'I thought that you would never come,' she said. 'Rojas told me about the duel that you were to fight; and while I had no doubts about your swordsmanship, I realized that there is always the danger of an accident or trickery. But at last you are here; how strange it is not to be able to see you. I was really quite frightened when I stepped out here into the courtyard and discovered that I could not even see myself.'
'It is the miracle of invisibility that will save us,' I said, 'And only a miracle could have saved us. Now I must get you to the roof.'
There was no overhanging tree in this courtyard, and the roof was fifteen feet above the ground. 'You are about to have an experience, Llana,' I said.
'What do you mean?' she asked.
'I am going to toss you up onto the roof,' I told her, 'and I hope you land on your feet.'
'I am ready,' she said.
I could see the roof all right, but I couldn't see Llana; all I could do was pray that my aim would be true. 'Keep your whole body perfectly rigid,' I said, 'until I release you; then draw your feet up beneath you and relax. You may get a bad fall, but I don't think that it can hurt you much; the roof is heavily padded with vines.'
'Let's get it over,' said Llana.
I grasped one of her legs at the knee with my right hand and cradled her body on my left forearm; then I swung her back and forth a couple of times, and tossed her high into the air.
Llana of Gathol may have been invisible, but she was also definitely corporeal.
I heard her land on the roof with anything but an invisible thud, and I breathed a sigh of relief. To spring lightly after her was nothing for my Earthly muscles, and soon a low whistle brought the three of us together. I cautioned the girls to silence, and we walked hand in hand in the direction of the flier.
This was the moment that aroused my greatest apprehension, as I realized that the flier might be surrounded by invisible warriors; and, as far as I knew, the only sword among us was the one I had taken from the warrior I had killed in the courtyard; but perhaps Rojas had one.
'Have you a sword, Rojas?' I whispered.
'Yes,' she said; 'I brought one.'
'Can you use it?' I asked.
'I never have used one,' she replied.
'Then give it to Llana of Gathol; she can use if it necessary, and very effectively too.'
We approached to within about a hundred feet of the flier and stopped. This was the crucial moment; I was almost afraid to whistle, but I did. There was an immediate answer from the vicinity of the flier. I listened a moment for voices that might betray the presence of the enemy, but there were none.
We advanced quickly then, and I helped the girls over the rail. 'Where are you, Ptor Fak?' I asked. 'Are you alone?'
'On deck,' he said, 'and I don't think there is anyone around.'
'All the warriors of Invak could be here now,' I said, as I reached the controls and started the motor.
A moment later the little ship rose gracefully into the air, and almost immediately from below us, we heard shouts and imprecations. The Invaks had seen the ship, but too late to prevent our escape. We were safe. We had accomplished what a few hours before would have seemed impossible, for then Ptor Fak and I were chained to trees and Llana of Gathol was a captive in another part of the city.
'We owe Rojas a great debt of gratitude,' I said.
'A debt,' she replied, 'which it will be very easy, and I hope pleasant, for you to repay.'
I winced at that; I saw a bad time ahead for me. I would rather face a dozen men with my sword than one infuriated or heartbroken woman. Before we reached Helium, I would have to tell her; but I decided to wait until we had regained visibility.
Perhaps it would have been easier to tell her while we were both invisible, but it seemed a cowardly way to me.
'You are going on to Helium, John Carter?' asked Llana.
'Yes,' I said.
'What will they think of a flier coming in by itself with no one on board?' she asked.
