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Lisma had been keeping silent, half smiling at Blade and occasionally nodding encouragement to him. She also spoke now. And glared at Galligantus.
«I have never liked you, man, and I like you less with each hour that passes. You defy my father too much. You interfere. You are fortunate that I am not yet queen.»
She turned to her father. «You are king, father, you are Loth Bloodax. I beg you do as the Prince Blade asks-for you would have soldiers and I would have him.» She rose and went to her father and whispered, twirling her fingers in his hair as she did so, smiling and cozening. Blade heard the last of her words.
«I already feel his seed stirring in me, I tell you. Soon you will have a god as grandson. Do this thing for me, father. I will see that all is well. I promise. And you can have him well guarded, to put your mind at ease.»
Bloodax drew her into his lap and kissed her and ruffled her hair. He gri
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Leather-men glided over the line of march occasionally, flitting from peak to peak. Galligantus did not bind Blade, but kept him well guarded. He had fifty men, all heavily armed, the last of the royal guard. The others had died on the beach.
Galligantus went a little out of his way so that Blade would have to view Thane's head on its pole. It had been set into the rock near a valley entrance. The eyes were gone and most of the flesh, and Thane's last grin was ivory and terrible.
Galligantus, sneering, called a halt and pointed to the head. «One smell of treachery, Prince, and you will join your friend. You would be with him now were I not obedient and loyal to Loth Bloodax.» He lowered his voice. «Though he can be a great fool at times and lets his daughter Lisma coax him into anything.»
Blade ignored him. He forced himself to look at the head. Poor Thane. No more wine. No more huge laughter and crude jokes. No more battles or building.
After a time he said, «I have seen and I have heard. Shall we march?»
Galligantus glared at him, then gave the order. They left that valley and entered another. And another and another. Their march was a succession of valleys. Blade noted what landmarks he could and tried to keep himself oriented. They were heading to the southeast and in that direction must lie the cha
The last valley ended in an open plain. Not unlike the Plain of Pyramids back in Zir. In the center of the plain a mountain stood alone. The sun was dying in the west, but a last ray struck over the mountains and cliffs and valleys and caressed one black flank of the mountain on the plain. In that moment it came alive, sequined, glowing and sparking and flashing. Blade stood awe-stricken. Here was literally a mountain of diamonds. Stones that by some X-Dimension chemistry did not need to be polished but were thrown up already glittering. He made himself think as Richard Blade of Home Dimension-such a treasure would be worth countless billions, if the market could be controlled, for industrial use alone here was a fortune- If, if, if. Blade went back to thinking in terms of Dimension X.
Galligantus and his men were not impressed. Indeed, the troops were bored and weary. Galligantus gave the order to move on.
As they grew near the diamond mountain Blade saw that it was in reality a volcano-long dead, for no wisp of smoke floated from the deep-scarred crater. They made camp near a mine entrance, a shaft leading into the side of the mountain, and Galligantus sought out Blade. He was in a sarcastic mood now.
«If you are not too weary, Prince God, we will go in this very night. The men will complain, but I wish to have done with it. You will see and you will tell me what you need and it shall be done. Are you ready?»
Blade was glad he had no weapon. His temper was uncertain and he did foolish things these days. He nodded. «I am ready.»
Galligantus selected ten of his best men and they entered the shaft. One man went ahead with a flaring torch. They made their way through a burrow of narrow passages with width for only one man. At times they crawled on hands and knees.
They broke out into a chamber and Blade was nigh blinded by the reflections of the torches in the diamond face. It was a hall of mirrors, deep beyond knowing, a billion facets catching light and distorting it. Blade gazed and had trouble with his breath. The far side of the chamber was fifty feet high and some hundred across. Solid diamond. Like a coal face to be chipped away and loaded and hauled out, only this was crystallized carbon. Diamond. Formulae floated through his dazed brain. H10-specific gravity 3.52. Teleport it back to Home Dimension and you were the richest nation in the world-if you could keep the politicians and the merchants, the grabbers, from muddling things. Ah, well, that was not his worry.
Galligantus had been watching his reaction, a cu
«I see greed,» he said, «and I do not understand. How do you gain of it, of this stone? But to make an image and persuade Loth that you can work magic with it? Which mayhap you can. I do not deny it-yet, though I have my own thoughts as to it. But you gaze on this useless stone as a man might on a woman or a fine weapon.»
«The images,» said Blade. «I must see them.»
Galligantus drew his sword. He had a brief whispered talk with his men and then gestured to Blade. «Walk ahead of me. We will go to the place of Kings and Queens alone. These commoners are not permitted to see.»
There was a narrow opening to one side of the diamond face. Galligantus prodded Blade through it with his point. «Walk well ahead but not too far. Do not tempt me, Prince Blade. I would as lief kill you and take my chances with Loth. I admit it. But I will not unless you force me.»
Blade carried a torch. The passage was short and ended on a wide ledge. There was a chasm, wide and deep and black, and across the chasm was another ledge, smaller, narrower, a gallery of glinting figures.
Blade advanced to the brink of the chasm and raised his torch to see better. It guttered and smoked, and the yellow flame wavered in a fetid draft from the pit, but he saw well enough. He stood dumfounded, locked in awe and near disbelief, for here some artisan had wrought close to the quick of life.
There were dozens of them close-packed along the gallery. Men in armor and women in robes or breeches or kilts. All were life-size and all appeared to move and breathe in the uncertain light. Blade moved along the ledge on his side of the chasm, peering, trying to catch his breath.
«Mind you the edge.,» said Galligantus behind him. «If I am not to have the pleasure of killing you I would not have the pit take you.»
He picked up a chip of diamond and flung it into the chasm. «Listen, and tell me what you hear.»
Blade heard nothing. He gazed into the chasm and over it. At the narrow point he reckoned it to be fifteen feet across. He drew back a little and wandered farther down the ledge. And saw her.
She stood a little alone, on a natural plinth that jutted out over the chasm. She was naked and her arms were outstretched in welcome. Her glittering diamond smile seemed to welcome the torch, the light brought into the pit, and as Blade gaped she appeared to move. Warmth glowed in that perfect body. She spoke to Blade across the chasm and the years and he knew he must have her. From that moment on he reckoned himself a little mad and must live with it. But only half of him was mad.
Galligantus was close behind him now. Blade felt the swordpoint against his flesh. When the man spoke, Blade knew that he too felt the spell of this diamond goddess.