“Now I present you with your life, Tydomin. She wishes it.”
The woman fingered her chin thoughtfully.
“I little expected I should ever be beholden for my life to one of my own sex—but so be it. What really happened to you in my cavern?”
“I really saw Krag.”
“Yes, some miracle must have taken place.” She suddenly shivered. “Come, let us leave this horrible spot. I shall never come here again.”
“Yes,” said Maskull, “it stinks of death and dying. But where are we to go—what are we to do? Take me to Sant. I must get away from this hellish land.”
Tydomin remained standing, dull and hollow-eyed. Then she gave an abrupt, bitter little laugh. “We make our journey together in singular stages. Rather than be alone, I’ll come with you—but you know that if I set foot in Sant they will kill me.”
“At least set me on the way. I wish to get there before night. Is it possible?”
“If you are willing to take risks with nature. And why should you not take risks today? Your luck holds. But someday or other it won’t hold—your luck.”
“Let us start,” said Maskull. “The luck I’ve had so far is nothing to brag about.”