They both gasped in the moment of joining. Then it was all they could do to keep moving and stay together and not fall down into the water all at once. Blade vaguely wished he could shift position, or let go altogether and run his hands over more of Rhodina, kiss her breasts, kiss some of her scars to show her once and for all that they didn't repel him, let her do the same to him, take him in her mouth-

But they couldn't do any of these things. They were joined and they had to stay joined. Even so, it was immensely satisfying, right through to the moment when Rhodina moaned and slumped half-conscious in Blade's arms. He staggered and tried desperately to keep his balance with her weight all on him, and then his own climax was coming and he lost the battle. They both went down with a splash, and the waves washed over and around them until they struggled up to a sitting position, laughing as they coughed and spat out mouthfuls of sea water.

Getting their catch to shore was hard work after their pleasure on the reef. Rhodina blew up the fish bladder as soon as she caught her breath, and that took care of the smaller fish. The brooga was another matter. It sank after death, and weighed a good eighty pounds. Blade wasn't going to abandon it, though, and not just because it was many days' good eating. That three-foot spike would be a useful weapon.

Eventually they used the fishing lines to tie the brooga to their belts. Then they stepped into the water and swam toward shore, with the big fish dangling between them. It was slow going, with the fish weighing them down. The wind was rising again, and several times Blade went under unexpectedly. Fortunately the same wind and waves gave them a badly needed extra push toward shore. Soon enough they reached shallow water, and after that it was easy. In a few more minutes they stepped out on dry land, Blade with the brooga slung over his shoulder and Rhodina carrying the bladder and its load of smaller fish.

They walked fast toward home, and as they came over the last sand dune Blade stopped abruptly. There was a faint yellow light shining from inside the shelter. Before he could warn Rhodina to be cautious, she let out a cry of delight.

«He's come back! I knew he would!»

Then she was running down the face of the dune toward the shelter. Blade realized she might be running headlong into danger. They didn't know who might be in the shelter. Yet he certainly wasn't going to abandon her now. He shifted the brooga to his left shoulder and drew his knife with his right hand. He was just about to run after Rhodina when a massive figure appeared at the entrance to the shelter.

«Khraishamo!» Rhodina screamed, dropping the fish as she dashed up to the man and threw herself into his arms.

Blade stopped. There was just enough light for him to be sure. Rhodina's lover and protector was the Pirate Folk chief Khraishamo, the same man he'd captured in the battle aboard Blue Swallow.

After a moment, Blade recovered. This meeting was good luck, and no doubt about it. If the seed he'd planted in Khraishamo's mind about escape from Shell Island had already taken root-

No. Better not hope for too much. Blade started down the slope toward where Khraishamo was now holding Rhodina close, murmuring small reassuring noises into her ear. He did not sheathe his knife.

Chapter 15

Blade was approaching the shelter when Khraishamo raised his head, looked past Rhodina, and saw Blade approaching. He pushed the woman aside so violently she fell to the sand, leaped forward, and embraced Blade. For a moment Blade wasn't sure whether the pirate was greeting him or attacking him. He was quite sure that either way his ribs and shoulders were going to be smashed by the pirate's massive arms.

Then Khraishamo held Blade at arm's length, kissed him on both cheeks, lifted him into the air, and dropped him.

«Blade, I told you the Goharans would say you weren't of them and send you here! And I was right!» He laughed wildly, and the eerie sound floated away on the sea wind. More quietly he said, «Welcome to Shell Island.»

«I suppose I should say thank you,» said Blade. «But I don't plan to stay here any longer than I have to. How are you? Rhodina told me her lover and protector was something out of the ordinary, but she didn't tell me that-«

The pirate turned to Rhodina and glared at her. «Didn't tell him? Still ashamed of having a Bloodskin lover?» He sounded genuinely angry. Blade noted that Khraishamo now spoke adequate Goharan, although he'd picked up a Mythoran accent from Rhodina.

Rhodina glared at her lover. «Leave off, Khraishamo. You know what you are to me. You know too what most Goharans would say learning it. You wanted him to beat or even kill me for going with a Bloodskin?»

«He's not Goharan, my lusty love. He's-«

«Not Goharan? He told me he was exiled for-«

«I'll tell you, if you'll stop interrupting me.» He put one hand gently but firmly over her mouth. «Blade's a man from the future, a thousand years from now. He's sent back here by his people, to see how we lived. Then he'll go back.»

Rhodina swore a few lurid Mythoran street oaths. «You never told me that he was a man from the future, you-«Then she turned to Blade, still glaring. «And you never told me-«

«I never told you any lies, either,» said Blade. «I said I was exiled from Gohar because of a quarrel with Kloret, the Prime Minister. That's perfectly true. I just left out some of the details.»

Rhodina threw her hands up in mock despair, then burst out laughing. «Enough, enough. Don't know whether I should kick or kiss the both of you. But tell me everything now, please.»

«We'll do it,» said Khraishamo. «But we'll do it better with some food in our bellies. Go and do up some of those fish, woman!» He slapped her on the rump. She aimed a kick at his groin but he sprang aside with a laugh. «What? Spoil your own fun would you? Or has Blade got other weapons besides his sword? O-ha-you're blushing! Don't worry, I won't kill him. He's got blood-brother rights to all that's mine.»

Laughing, Rhodina picked up the fish and went off to one side of the shelter. Khraishamo looked soberly at Blade. «You know that's true, don't you? You can ask for anything, I give you, and I hope I can do the same with you.»

«You can,» said Blade. «But I agree with you-let's save the rest of the talk until we've eaten.»

Brooga wrapped in seaweed and baked over a driftwood fire was a gourmet dish. By the time dinner was over, Blade, Khraishamo, and Rhodina had made a notable dent even in the eighty-pound fish. With his knife Blade cut off the fish's spike and stuck it in the sand behind him, then settled down to exchange stories with Khraishamo.

«So Thrayket is dead?» said the pirate, when Blade was finished.

«You're thinking it might be just a rumor Kloret spread?»

«If the man's ready to do what you say-«

«He is, but he's not a fool, either. He'd have to be one to lie about Thrayket's death while there was any chance he'd be caught in that lie. No, Thrayket's dead.»

Khraishamo's face twisted into a demon's mask. «Not good. Not one damned bit good! If Kloret moves fast enough, Harkrat's got to let him keep what he grabs or else fight him.»

«Kloret's likely to move that fast, from what I've seen.» Blade had been very careful not to tell his new allies the deadly secret of Harkrat's impotence and the hold this gave Kloret over him. He'd given the impression that Kloret's strength lay in his ruthlessness and his ability to strike without warning.

«So we just move faster,» said Khraishamo. «Off this damned island, to start with. Then-«

«On to Mythor,» said Blade. He turned to Rhodina. «Once we've escaped from here, we'll be safe only among people who haven't anything to lose for new crimes against Gohar. That means the rebels-your friends. Can you lead us to them?'