Lisma peered up at him through half-closed lids. «I near to swooned, Blade. How is it that I never felt like this before? I saw visions and my spirit fled this room and into the skies. How is it? Why have I not known such pleasure before?»

«Because you have not loved before,» said Blade. «and I did not love. Now we both love and want each other and it is different. You will be pregnant soon, Lisma.»

Her fingers toyed with his dark beard. «Do we love? I had no thought of that. You are a prisoner, even if a god, and I am the daughter of a king.»

«I had not thought of it either,» said Blade. «Now I know. I love you, Lisma, and you love me. We have found our destiny.»

He met her glance without difficulty. It was no great task. He had faked love many times before.

He did not give her time to think. He entered her again and for an hour rang every sexual change he knew. When she left him she had promised to arrange an audience with her father as soon as possible. When he walked with her to the trapdoor she clung to him and whispered, «I will have you out of this place soon, Blade. You will be consort and lover to me. We cannot marry, for Hitt law does not permit marriage to a foreigner, but we will be together. I vow it.»

«Beware of Galligantus,» said Blade, «for I think he is my real enemy.»

She stood on tiptoe to kiss him. «I have my father's right ear-Galligantus has only his left.»

Blade went back to sew on his balloon. His spirits were back and he felt more alert and confident than in weeks. The old Blade was back. No more bewailing the past and blaming himself. What was past was done and could not be changed. Look to the future. Look to himself.

That night the crystal worked again for the first time since his capture. The computer, meaning Lord L, was worried about his mental condition, more so than his present physical peril, for based on past performance he would somehow extricate himself.

Blade concentrated long enough to tell them of his plans, of the balloon, and then had the best night's sleep in many a day. The following morning they came for him.

He was not bound or chained. He walked inside a square of armed guards. He was taken down through passages and stairs and out into a valley, past crowds of staring Hitts, to a cavern where Loth Bloodax held his court. There, in the garish light of a hundred torches, he found Bloodax sitting on a natural seat of stone that served as throne. He was attended by warriors and by his council, the latter wearing iron chains of office and with blue marks of rank painted on their forehead.

Lisma squatted at her father's feet. She smiled as Blade was brought forward. To the king's right was the man Galligantus and his new wife, the girl Sariah. She did not look at Blade. Galligantus stared and his lip curled in contempt. In that moment, even before he had spoken, Blade determined to kill Galligantus if possible. It would be some revenge for Thane.

Loth Bloodax leaned to peer at Blade. The man was short-sighted. He was also enormous, not tall, but with a span to him that bespoke great strength going a little to blubber. He wore an iron crown, and beneath it his hair was thin and dry, the yellow fading into gray. He wore a dress kilt and light chest armor. His eyes, a pale, washed-out blue, were set too close to a blobby nose. Nothing distinguished about him, thought Blade, and then he remembered how the man had fought.

Blade did not bow. He had noted that Hitts never bowed or were in any way obsequious. Loth Bloodax had a low, harsh voice.

«You have worked a new magic, Prince Blade. My daughter who came to you first for child now comes to me for your life and comfort. She tells me that you seek to live with her, to be her lover and man and warrior. This is true?»

Blade inclined his head. «It is true.»

Galligantus glared meanly at Blade and spat. «It is false, Loth. He is weary of his perch atop our rock, and lonely, and in fear of his miserable life. He has fooled Lisma and now he is trying to fool you. I will kill him for you. A pleasant enough task.»

Bloodax waved him off. «There will be no killing until I say so. I gave you the man Thane to carve as you pleased. Be content for now.»

He looked at Blade for a moment, frowning and plucking at his teeth with a forefinger. He dislodged a bit of meat and spat it out.

«Is it true, Blade, that in Zir you grew from a babe to full man in a month?»

«That is true.»

Bloodax nodded slowly. «My spies brought word of it. I did not believe it.»

«I still do not believe it,» said Galligantus.

«I begin to,» said Bloodax. «And I will not tell you again, Galligantus. I am king here, not you. Hold your tongue.»

Galligantus subsided, muttering, but his glance toward Blade was hate-filled. Blade's likewise. Somehow he must find means to kill this man.

«You defeated me,» said Loth Bloodax, «and that was no small thing. I know how you crossed the water behind me, for I watched your Captain Ogier tear up the hidden bridge. But it would have taken a god to think of that. I have use for a new god, Prince Blade, for our old ones have deserted us. But tell me-can you work that magic again?»

Blade was puzzled for the moment. «What magic?»

Bloodax slapped his hand on an enormous thigh in impatience. «Make babes into men in so short a while! I need warriors. I have babes beyond counting and few men who can wield an axe or sword. You have bled me of men, Prince Blade, and I think you owe me this magic to restore my armies.»

So that was it. Blade knew that this was a ticklish moment. He must go cautiously, and yet he must seize the opportunity.

«I can do that,» he said, «but it will take a little time to prepare. And I will need your help-I will also need many of the shining stones. I am told that you Hitts have mountains of them?»

Loth Bloodax was excited now, eager. He clapped his hands and stared hard at Blade. «You swear you can do this?»

«I swear it. If I am not interfered with and am given leave to go my own way freely. First I must be taken to the place of the shining stones.»

Bloodax frowned. «You keep speaking of shining stones. I do not wholly understand this. Do you mean-«

One of the counselors came forward. «I think he means this, Loth. See-I use it to sharpen my dagger.»

In his hand was a diamond as large as a baseball in HD. Blade was not an avaricious man and so did not have to cloak it, but nonetheless he hooded his eyes. And reached for the stone. Bloodax nodded and the counselor handed it to Blade. He hefted it. Not half the weight of the stone Casta had shown him, but a fine gem just the same. Blade handed it back.

«That is what I mean. But I must have larger stones, much larger. For if I am to make warriors out of babes, I must first make an image-and it must be life-size.»

Silence came down like a pall. Bloodax stared at Blade, his pale eyes hard and unblinking. Galligantus could contain himself no longer. He leaped to his feet and pointed a trembling finger at Blade, shouting.

«This is not magic, Loth. This is witchery. How else could he know of our sacred place, of the place of Kings and Queens? And how could he know that the images are made of the shining rock-such matters are never spoken of. I say kill him now. At once! If he is a god he is an evil one.»

The girl Sariah had been sitting quietly, head down, not looking at Blade. Now she spoke. «He is not evil. I do not know if he is a god or not, but he is not evil. He was kind to me and kept his word. He guarded me while I slept, so I was not raped or slain. I am a Hitt and am married to a Hitt, but still I must say this.»

Galligantus turned on her with a snarl. He struck her across the face. «Keep your tongue, wife! Women do not speak up in the councils of men.»

Loth Bloodax laughed. He patted his belly and roared and pointed at Galligantus. «You would marry her, Galligantus. Now you see what you have taken into your bed. You will live to rue it, but this is your worry and not mine.»