QUEEN GWENAY reacted with shocked disbelief when Bargonast entered her throne room. "Bargonast...It's impossible. How can you be here?"
"By the back door. As you see, I had a swim."
"Through the lake?" Her voice was incredulous.
"Right past your slimy tentacled guard."
"But, no one?no one has ever ?how did you?"
"It was too busy stuffing its ugly maw with Dagrans to notice me."
"You were attacked at the cave?"
"By a troop of swordsmen. And I think I am losing some blood."
Gwenay noticed the puddle of water at his feet was tinged with red. "Oh, you are wounded. Let me look." She examined the sword gash. "It is not so bad. I can stop the bleeding and bind it." She got a flask of medicine from another chamber and daubed the stinging liquid on the wound.
Bargonast twitched from the pain. "Yeaow! That cursed venom is worse than the sword cut!"
"A dwarf remedy distilled from gelliga root. It will heal you quickly."
Bargonast sat wordlessly while she finished, then turned to face her. "You have become very beautiful in your ancient years, Gwenay." His eyes moved lazily over her body. "How is it that you, who were old enough to be my grandmother when last I saw you, now have such youth?"
Gwenay laughed, flattered by his interest in her charms, "The secrets of the 'Hag' of Calix...eternal youth and more. Powers no mere man like you could understand."
Bargonast fingered his beard reflectively. "Eternal youth...a power once claimed by the Dag-Arnak priesthood. For that matter, they still do?but no one believes it."
"A false claim. They spread the belief to reinforce their power over the Dagrans. Indeed, if they had such power, why would they employ an assassin such as you to protect their political interests?"
"That is the same question I once asked a dying priest--a very old priest. 'Why,' I asked him, 'if you have the power to retain youth, why do you die of old age?"' Bargonast guffawed like he had told a good joke. "So, are you willing to let me hide out here until they forget about pursuing me?"
"I have a ship to take you to the islands." she replied, "They won't look for you there. King Jult's old yacht is being refitted and his obligation to you, the so-called blood pact, will be fulfilled. We will join my captain in a few days and sail before the season of storms."
"You will go?"
"Yes. I must visit dear Jult's tomb. His memory festers in my heart, and I long to spread his crypt with flowers and commune with his spirit." She had been gazing absently into space as she talked. Then she faced him. "You will be of use to me in manning the ship. My dwarves avoid the salt water as they do their wash water. I will provide you shelter and refuge here until we embark."
"I had not intended to leave," Bargonast's scarred lips split into a mirthless grin. "I think we should become better acquainted. You could be a lively humping tumble for an old lady." He roared with pleasure at her indignant reaction.
Her eyes blazed and she pulled a tasseled cord. A dwarf appeared. "Show this man to the rock hut. See that he has food and wine until I send for him."
Still laughing, Bargonast followed the dwarf. He turned as he left the chamber and flung one last taunt. "Don't wait too long to send for me. I am a man of many appetites, ha, ha!"
Left alone, Gwenay took Jult's ring from her girdle and studied it sadly. "Oh, Jult," she whispered, "why did it have to be him."