Kingdom Of Royth

J did. Lord Leighton smiled. «I see your point, Richard. Well, as long as you are willing to keep at it, you'll have plenty of opportunities to arrange your little aid-for-trade exchanges. And now, I think you look like you need some more sleep.» He ushered J out into the corridor and closed the door behind them, then turned to the other and gri

ed impishly.

«I rather suspected Blade was going to say what he did, so I let him say it. I agree with him absolutely, but of course I knew you'd take it much better from him than from me.»

«Well, I'll be damned!» said J, in frank amazement. «You are getting to be a romantic altruist in your old age!»

This time Leighton's grin was more sheepish than impish. «Better late than never, eh?»

«No doubt. But if you're going to indulge this notion of ru

ing the Project as a sort of interdimensional welfare agency, I think it would be wise to step up the search for more candidates besides Richard. Everything I've already said on that point still stands.»

In the monitored hospital bed, Richard Blade was not worrying about the Project or the need for other people to take his place in it. He was thinking of Royth and above all of Alixa. Beautiful, passionate, level-headed. Of all the memories he would have of Royth, she was the one he would not lose. Alixa, yes, and Brora, tough, loyal, putting an end to Cayla at the cost of his own life and willingly so. And Tuabir. He was glad he and Lord L seemed to see eye-to-eye on the point he had raised. There were people in each of the multitude of worlds in Dimension X who deserved help, who would get it from him whenever he could, however he could. This brought his mind back to his first sight of Alixa, then their first bout of love, and presently he fell asleep.