thousand things could go wrong.
'You say nothing, Blade?'
'I - I must think, my lady. I had not expected this.' Not so soon, at any rate, though he had known she was up to something.
'To murder the Khad,' he went on, as though the thought was brand-new, 'will be very difficult. He is guarded night and day by his personal troops, his bodyguard. They are loyal to him?'
She nodded, frowning. 'They are loyal to him. But I also have warriors loyal to me.'
And Rahstum had warriors loyal to him. The web was becoming more intricate by the minute.
Sadda tickled his nose with a painted nail. 'If my plan works there will be no fighting. I do not want that. I would lose because I do not have enough men. No - I shall kill the Khad by cunning, Blade. Which means that I will not kill him at all, nor you. There is another who will do the deed for us, who will take the blame, and who will die for it. No suspicions will attach to us.'
'And how is this to be done?'
'You know of Morpho the dwarf? The Khad's fool?'
The fine hairs prickled on Blade's neck. Morpho? The dwarf held both Blade and Rahstum's lives in the palm of his hand. All he need do was denounce them and—
'The dwarf is my man,' Sadda said. 'I know something about him, yet keep it to myself, that ensures his absolute loyalty to me. He only pretends loyalty to the Khad, because I wish it so for now. But in the end he will obey me!'
Did Rahstum know of this? Blade thought not. His stomach began to feel a bit queasy. Morpho was playing a many handed game. And yet Baber, whom Blade did trust, also trusted the dwarf.
Sadda had been silent for a moment. Now she said, 'When the time comes, and it will be two days hence at the celebration of my brother's birth date, the dwarf will slay the Khad. I can make him do that, Blade!
'That is when I will need you. I will give you more freedom and allow you to carry a real dagger instead of that wooden toy. You will be at the celebration with me. Now, when the dwarf kills my brother, he must not be allowed to speak. Not one word that can implicate me. You, Blade, will dagger the little man as soon as he has slain the Khad!'
She laughed and caressed Blade's arm. 'You see how cunning and simple it is? Morpho is blamed for killing my brother. You gain much, in the eyes of my people, and my officers, by slaying the assassin. I am not involved in any way. I will bury my brother with much pomp and many tears. I cry easily, Blade. Later I will rule alone and you shall sit at my right hand.'
But not for long, Blade thought. She would tire of him all the sooner because of what he knew about her.
Cautiously he asked, 'How can you be so sure that Morpho will kill the Khad? It is a good plan, my lady, but only if you can be absolutely sure that the dwarf will do his part.'
'I am sure. But that I will not tell you. You know enough for what you must do. And keep a sharp eye on Rahstum. I do not know where his loyalties lie, but to himself. I would not have him interfere.'
One thing Blade knew. He could no longer put his entire trust in the dwarf. And he must speak to Rahstum of what he had just heard.
Sadda wrapped one smooth arm about his neck and pulled him close to her. 'All this talking, Blade, has made me desire you again. You will make love to me, as fiercely as before. Then I can sleep.'
In just that moment, Blade thought, she sounded sad and a little lonely. As he obeyed the royal command, he thought that even a pit viper must have its moments of sadness and loneliness.
Chapter Twelve
Bitter disappointment welled in Blade as he reined in his little horse and glanced back at the endless procession of Mong wagons. There were over a thousand of them. The Mongs were on the trek.
The Khad's madness had left him as suddenly as it came. He had had a vision - the same night in which Sadda confided her plans to Blade - in which the God Obi left his wagon and appeared to the Khad. Victory, said Obi, lay not here before the wall, but far to the east.
On awakening the Khad gave orders and the Mongs began to strike camp.
All plans were off. Sadda, in a fury of disappointment, explained to Blade when they were alone. 'We must wait now. There will be no birth celebration and in ordinary times he is too well guarded. His mind is so filled with this vision of Obi that he does not drink too much bross. To try to kill him now would be too dangerous. We will bide our time. The madness will come again and there will be other celebrations.'
Rahstum was of the same mind. That morning he gave Blade a look and shook his head, muttering as he passed, 'Patience.'
There was no sign of the dwarf and it occurred to Blade, as it had not before, that Morpho had a habit of dropping out of sight from time to time. Where did the little man go?
Blade prevailed on Sadda to give him Baber as his slave. She also gave him a sharp look, but said nothing. Blade, happy enough with his gains and his increased freedom of movement, knew he still walked a narrow path over quicksand.
Baber had completed his cart and could now propel himself about with two sticks. Blade saw to it that he was bathed and given new clothing, and allowed to ride in one of Sadda's wagons. He even succeeded in commandeering enough precious wood to make a ramp for Baber's cart, so the old man could enter and leave the wagon easily.
Thus far Blade had said nothing of what he knew about Morpho - or did not know, which was more important.
Baber, in his turn, made a remark that gave Blade food for thought.
'I have seen how Sadda looks at you,' he said. 'And perhaps you are in more trouble than you think, my friend, a
