He bowed ceremoniously to Tana and then padded from the cell, closing the door gently behind him.
Tana waited until his footsteps had faded down the corridor before turning to Drake. Her deep thoughtful eyes regarded him searchingly.
“I am Tana,” she said softly, when her inspection was completed. “I am the mistress of the Caliph’s harem. I wish to talk to you.”
“Everyone seems to have that idea tonight,” Drake said, without humor. “There’s not much I can do but listen. What is it you want?”
“I think perhaps you and I can come to an understanding,” Tana said. “I can offer you your freedom if you are willing to help me.”
Drake smiled at her.
“Every bargain has two parts,” he said. “What is it you want me to do?”
“You are hardly in a position to bargain,” Tana said.
Drake shrugged. “I think I’m in a pretty good position,” he said. “You obviously need me or you wouldn’t be here. Supposing you tell me the whole story.”
Tana hesitated momentarily. Her fine, delicate features were expressionless, but there was a wary glint in her deep eyes.
“I can’t tell you everything,” she said finally. “Years ago when I was young and had the enticements of youth to offer our Caliph, I was his favorite and confidant. When he was through with me he didn’t put me to death as was his usual custom. My influence with him was strong enough to prevent him from delivering me to his royal torturers. Instead he appointed me mistress of his harem, where I serve as the custodian and servant to his precious little creatures.” She paused and Drake noticed that her white cheeks were stained with red spots of anger. “I, Tana, who once lived like the queen of Bagdad and with whom ministers and princes vied for favor, was relegated to a position of a servant. Zinidad knew that would be worse than death for me and it has been. The humiliation and baseness of my state is as intolerable as the water torture would have been.”
“A tough break,” Drake said sympathetically, “but how does all this affect me?”
“I have never given up my dream of ruling Bagdad,” Tana continued, ignoring his interruption. “Never in the blackest moments of despair have I ceased to hope, to strive, to fight for what is my rightful position. I have made friends, powerful friends with wealth and influence, who know that ‘my knowledge of the Caliph can be valuable to them. There is much dissatisfaction in Bagdad now. The people are over-burdened with oppressive taxes; there is open grumbling in the markets and streets. The time is right for a bold stroke that will break forever the influence of Zinidad. The time has come to revolt!”
“Sounds like it might be,” Drake said, “But the only difference between a revolt and a revolution is success. Will your revolt succeed? The Caliph has armies, I presume. What of them?”
“The main battle must be won here in the castle of the Caliph,” Tana said. “Once the private guards of the Caliph are defeated and he is killed, the people will welcome a new Caliph. The army will defer to the wish of the people. Not only can a revolt succeed, it will succeed!”
“I’m still in the dark about what you want me for,” Drake said.
“I will tell you,” Tana said quietly. “Your companion from the world of the future, the beautiful red-haired girl called Sharon, is in a position to help us immensely.”
At the mention of Sharon’s name, all of Drake’s desperate anxiety returned.
“Where is she?” he demanded. “What has that pot-bellied lecher done to her?”
“Nothing,” Tana said. “That I can promise. I saw their first meeting. I observed what happened from a small hidden peep-hole which I installed for the purpose of spying on the Caliph. She talked to him for several hours, telling him stories of the strange land from which both of you came. The Caliph finally went to sleep and the girl then lay down on a rug on the floor and did likewise. I know, however, that the Caliph is not through with her. He will want to see her again, to hear more of her strange stories. Thus, for the time, she is safe and in a position close to the Caliph where she can do us much good. If,” Tana smiled slowly, “she can be persuaded to help us with our plan.”
“Ah,” Drake said, “I begin to see. That’s where I come in. I’m to persuade Sharon to help us toss the Caliph into the discard. Is that right?”
“Yes,” Tana said.
“And for that I receive my freedom?”
“Yes.”
“And Sharon?” Drake asked. “Will she also receive her freedom?”
Tana hesitated, then shrugged.
“If you wish it,” she said. “That is a matter of no concern to me. Now what do you say? Freedom for both of you if you help me. If not,” she smiled, “you may take your chances on the tender mercies of the royal torturers.”
“There’s only one answer,” Drake said. “I’m not a bit interested in your internal problems, but I do want freedom for myself and Sharon. I’ll do what I can with her. How can I arrange to see her?”
“I will arrange that,” Tana said. “She will be brought here tomorrow morning.”
“What precisely do you want her to do?” Drake asked.
“I will tell you later. First talk to her and get her promise to help. Our plans are not quite complete. My main support will come from the mighty bandit, Ali Baba, who will provide me with the men to conquer the Caliph’s guards. When we are ready to strike, I will tell you what the red-haired girl must do. That will be soon enough for her to know.”
“All right,” Drake said. “How soon will it be before I have my freedom?”
“There need be no delay about that,” Tana said. “When you have talked to the red-haired one in the morning, I will come to you, bringing you suitable clothes and arms. The guards will be easy to handle. You shall go free then and hide in the hills with Ali Baba until we are ready to strike.”
She turned and moved to the door.
“Keep silent of all I have told you,” she murmured.
She opened the door and when it closed behind her, Drake heard heavy bolts sliding into place.
Chapter V
Drake slept fitfully that night in the dank, odorous cell. There was no change in the gloomy darkness to indicate the rising of the sun and the passage of the hours. His stomach told him he had been a long time without food when he awoke, but he couldn’t tell if it were five in the morning or noon. He was not awake long before he heard steps outside his cell and then the bolts clanged back and the door opened.
Two guards entered, one of them holding a smoking lamp and the other carrying a bowl of food and a pot of warm goat’s milk which he set on the floor.
Without a look at Drake, the two huge blacks left the cell, closing and locking the door behind them. Drake was left again in the darkness. He groped his way to the food and managed to eat enough of it to satisfy his hunger. The goat milk he left untouched.
He had just finished his meal when the door opened again and the same guards entered. One of them removed the empty dish and the bowl of milk while the other motioned Drake to his feet.
Drake got up and a small, almost naked little boy pattered into the cell carrying in his hands a pot of fragrant incense. He set it down in a corner and then stepped to one side of the doorway, salaaming low, until his forehead almost brushed the floor.
The giant black came to attention on the other side of the doorway, his great dark moon of a face impassive.
Drake heard another step in the corridor, a light, quick step, and then Sharon was standing in the doorway, looking incredibly radiant in a floating white gown that was set with hundreds of lustrous, milk-white pearls.
“Darling!” he cried. He stepped toward her, but the great black put his massive hand against his chest and held him back.