«How was that?»

Riyannah laughed. «I got you to take off your clothes, then watched you. All of Chard's men have a lightning bolt tattooed on their penis, and a triangle on the inside of the right or the left thigh.»

Blade stiffened, put both hands on Riyannah's shoulders, and held her at arm's length.

«A lightning bolt tattooed on the penis?»

«Yes. Down the middle. The officers have the triangle on the inside of the right thigh, the ordinary soldiers on the-«

«Riyannah, what are you-?»

«I'm telling you the truth, Blade. If you'd looked at the bodies of the soldiers, you'd have seen it for yourself.»

Blade nodded slowly. «A tattoo on the penis,» he said, half to himself. Then he threw his head back and roared with laughter until the echoes rolled around the forest.

«A tattoo on the penis,» he gasped, tears running down his cheeks. «A tattoo on the penis!» Then he reached out for Riyannah again, and she came into his arms. He felt her lips on his and her hands fumbling at his trousers. He thrust his hands inside the back of her trousers and cupped her buttocks. She laughed and tossed her head so that her hair brushed his face and neck.

Then all the delicious sensations of making love to Riyannah were coming so fast Blade could no longer sort them out.

Chapter 10

Toward dawn Riyannah fell asleep. Blade wanted to but found he couldn't. His mind was still whirling too fast from what Riyannah told him. She'd answered some of his questions, but left many others open and raised some completely new ones.

The most important question was also the least easily answered. Was she telling the truth? If she wasn't, what if Blade went with her to Kanan? He might be signing his own death warrant, as well as helping the wrong side in a war. He would be alone, against the resources of a whole planet. He could be eliminated as easily as a swatted mosquito-more easily, if they didn't teach him the Kananite language.