"That is all right. Doctor Karadur entrusted me with a sum adequate for the purpose."
"Good." How came you hither?"
"In my chariot," said Zerlik.
"You drove all the way from Iraz? I knew not that the coastal road was good for wheeled traffic."
"It is not. My man and I had to dismount a hundred times, to manhandle the thing over rocks and out of holes. But we made it."
"Where is this man of yours?"
"Ayuir is in the kitchen. You would not expect him to dine with his master, would you?"
Jorian shrugged. After a pause, Zerlik said: "Well, sir, and what next?"
"I'm thinking. We have perhaps half an hour wherein to flee the Scarlet Mammoth ere a squad of Royal Guardsmen from Xylar arrives with nets and lariats. Are you staying here?"
"Aye. I have a private room. But surely you do not propose to leave tonight?"
"Yes I do, and forthwith."
"But my dinner!" cried Zerlik.
"Bugger your dinner; corpses have no appetite. If you hadn't blabbed my name… Anyway, command your man to hitch up your chariot whilst we gather our gear. What's your idea of whither we should go?"
"Why, back the way I came—through Xylar and along the coastal road, at the foot of the Lograms, and down the coast to Penembei to Iraz."
Jorian shook his head grimly. "You'll never see me in Xylar—not whilst they seek to chop off my head."
"What, then? Shall we send eastward to Vindium and around the other end of the Lograms?"
"Not practical. 'Twould take months, and the valley of the Jhukna is wild, roadless land. Methinks we needs must go by sea."
"By sea!" Zerlik's voice rose to a squeak. "I hate the sea. Besides, what would become of my beautiful chariot?"
"You and your man can take it back the way you came. I'll join you in Iraz as soon as I can find passage."
"From what I hear, there is not much coastal shipping just now, with the pirates of Algarth active off the coast. Besides, I was commanded to accompany you, to render aid and assistance."
Jorian thought that if any help were called for, it would be he who rendered aid to this spoilt young fop rather than the other way round. But he merely said:
"Then come with me, whilst your man takes the chariot. If we cannot find passage on a coaster, we may have to sail our own ship, and that takes at least two."
"Ayuir might steal my car and run off with it!"
"That, young sir, is your problem."
"Nor can I be expected to flit about the world without a single attendant, like some wretched vagrant—"
"You'll learn, laddie. You'd be surprised what one can do when one puts one's mind to it." Jorian rose. "In any event, we cannot sit here havering all night. I go to pack and shall meet you back here in a quarter-hour. Tell your man to be ready to drive us down the river road to Chemnis." He stepped back to the large table and touched one of the surveyors on the arm. "Come up to the dormitory a moment, Ikadion."
With a puzzled frown, the other followed Jorian up the creaking stairs. In the dormitory, Jorian pulled his spare clothing, sword, and other possessions out from under the bed. He donned the scabbard and jammed the other gear into a stout canvas bag. As he worked he said:
"I fear I must run out on you, as the pard said to the lioness when the lion returned home."
"You mean—you mean to leave the gang?"
"Aye. That makes you head surveyor. The Syndicate owes me for the work I've done so far. Pray collect my pay and keep it against my return."
"When will that be, Nikko?"
"I know not. Perchance in a fortnight, perchance in a year."
"Whither away? Why the haste and mystery?"
"Say that I fear the blast of the wintry winds and the drip, drip, drip of the rain. When and if I return, I'll seek you out and tell you about it —and also collect my pay."
"The boys will be sorry to see you go. You drive them hard, but they think you're a good boss."
" Tis good of you to say so. By rights you should have had my job."
'True, but I never could get the work out of them as you do. Did I hear that foreign fellow call you 'Jorian?'
"Aye, but he had confused me with another man entirely."
With his duffel bag slung over his back and Ikadion following, Jorian strode to the head of the stair. Glancing over the scene below, he muttered: "Where's that Zerlik?" Then he stepped back and knocked on the door of the private room occupied by the Irazi.
"Coming, coming," said Zerlik's voice.
"Welt hurry up! Have you sent your man to get out the car?"
"Nay, Ayuir is in here helping me. You do not expect me to pack my own gear, do you?"
Jorian sucked his breath through his teeth. "I've just packed mine without dying of the effects. What do you want, an egg in your beer? Send the fellow out; we have no time to squander."
The door jerked open. Zerlik said: "My good man, if you think I will do my own chores like a common lout, just to meet your convenience—"
Jorian flushed a dangerous red. At that moment, Zerlik's servant, a small, swarthy man, spoke timidly in his own tongue. Zerlik briefly replied. Ayuir picked up the massive wooden chest and issued from the room.
"One moment," said Zerlik. "I needs must give the room a last inspection, lest I forget aught."
Jorian waited while the servant staggered down the stairs with the chest. Ayuir set the box down near the door and scuttled out.
Zerlik came out of his room; he, Jorian, and Ikadion started down the stairs. As they did so, six men in plain black clothing entered the Scarlet Mammoth. In the lead came the chunky man, who pointed to Jorian and shouted:
"There he is, boys! Take him! King Jorian, I command you in the name of the kingdom of Xylar to surrender!"
The six rushed across the floor, circling around the table at which the gaping surveyors sat. As one of the former started up the stairs, Jorian swung his duffel bag off his shoulder and hurled it at the man. The missile bowled the fellow over, and the man behind him tripped over his body.
Before they could recover, Jorian's sword came out with a wheep. Jorian hurdled the two sprawling figures and brought the blade down in a whistling cut on the shoulder of the next intruder. The man screamed and staggered back, cloven halfway to the breastbone. He sank to the floor in a swiftly widening pool of blood.
Another black-clad man threw a net over Jorian's head. Jorian slashed at the net but only entangled his sword in its meshes. He struggled to tear off the net, but the men in black expertly drew it tighter about him, while one stepped up behind him with a bludgeon.
"Surveyors, to me," roared Jorian. "Help! Zerlik, bear a hand! Theudus!"
Coming out of their daze, the surveyors rose to attack the men in black. Three of the latter pulled out short swords. The surveyors had only daggers, but one picked up a stool and smote the nearest Xylarian over the head.
Theudus appeared with a mallet. After hesitating to see who was fighting whom, he waded in with the surveyors. Zerlik, after dancing excitedly about on the fringe of the fray, ran to his chest, fumbled with a key, opened the chest, and took out a light scimitar.
Assailed from all sides, the Xylarians left off cocooning Jorian to defend themselves. Jorian tore and cut his way out of the net and fell upon the foe. Since not only was he the largest man in the room but also his sword had much the longest reach, his reentry into the fray tipped the odds against the kidnappers.
The combatants swayed back and forth, stabbing, punching, grappling, falling down and scrambling up again, hurling crockery, thrusting, slashing, swinging, and kicking. The room resounded with the shouts of the fighters, the boom of overturned furniture, and the crash of breaking tableware. Red blood spattered the floor and stained the fighters' garments. The Red Mammoth trembled to the stamping of feet. The din of roars, yells, curses, and threats wafted into the street, so that several Oryncians gathered about the door.