The crystal was not working at the moment. He felt no impulse, no communication from the artificial intelligence of the computer. That did not necessarily mean that His Lordship was not reading Blade's impulses, though, and with this in mind he began to concentrate.

Alive and well. Blade smiled at the banality, then got back to his task. Future most uncertain. Much too early to know if there is treasure in Zir, or anything of use to England that can be teleported.

As of this moment know very little of Zir. Begin this task tomorrow. Am at present in position of power, but chancy. Have enemies, as usual, but not yet sure of the extent of this danger. Will pursue my usual course of coping with events as they arise and trust that luck holds.

His head ached and Blade left off. He was covered with sweat. Such concentration was hard work. He got up and summoned a servant and had a bath prepared. When he came out of the bath, with only a cloth about his genitals, Valli was there.

She fell to her knees and would not look at him. He went to her and stood looking for a moment at that sleek head with its golden combs and piled dark hair. She wore her silver kirtle and red underpants and nothing else. She kept staring at the floor and he saw that she trembled. He took her arm and raised her. «What is this, Valli? Are you afraid of me?»

The huge dark eyes were filled with tears. «Yes, Blade. I fear. Everything has changed. I am but a harem woman and you are now a god. Everyone knows this. All speak of it.»

There were many advantages to being thought a god. Blade knew this and meant to take his measure of adulation and use it, but not with Valli. He meant to use her too, but not in that manner. The fact was, and he admitted it now, that he was a bit ambivalent about Valli.

He took her chin in his hands and forced her to look directly into his eyes. «Smile,» he commanded. «There, that is better. And I am no god, Valli. Never to you. We are friends, good friends, and I am much in your debt. And will be even more so, for I have a task for you, a favor to ask, and that is why I have sent for you. Did you have trouble leaving the harem?»