«Blade- Blade-what does it mean?»

Blade sat up on her lap and scowled at her. «That is no matter. You must not be stupid, Valli. You must answer questions and do as you are told. And call me Blade. Just that.»

Her luminous dark eyes devoured him. Her gaze made him uneasy. In it he read doubt and fear and love and desire, even awe, and at the moment these things did not please him. He wished that Valli were brainier, cooler, more like a man than a woman, but wishing was vain and stupid and he must make do. She was all he had.

Valli seemed to sense his disapproval. She hooded her eyes and said, «I will do as you say, Blade. What do you wish to know?»

«Everything. Everything about Zir.»

They talked the night away. As the dawn crept in and the birds began to twitter in the bushes, Blade saw that his half-formed plan, until now little more than an armature for hope, might well come to fruition. It was remarkable how the pieces of this future jigsaw began to drop into place. Risky, yes, with mortal danger around every corner, but no help for that. Danger, fear, terror-they were all part of life in Dimension X.

Just before the sun came up Blade told Valli what she must do. She covered her face and sobbed. «No-no-they will kill you. And me also.»

«I do not think so. Not if you spoke truth about the Izmir and this high priest, this Casta. You said that Casta has promised the old man an heir, that he has made a prophecy that a boy will come to inherit Zir and lead it to new glory. Did you not tell me that?»

«I did, Blade. I did. And it is true. But the Izmir is a doddering old fool who believes lies. Casta is cunning and a liar and a villain. He is also the lover of the Princess Hirga and plots to put her on the throne. They are only waiting until the old Izmir dies, or until they can kill him without suspicion to themselves. Oh, Blade, do not do it! The Izmir will believe and welcome you-the High Priest will have you slain.»