"Through the inventive genius of Phor Tak, and the compound of invisibility that I filched from him."
"Splendid!" exclaimed Tavia. "I had forgotten your cloak. With it we should have no difficulty in eluding all dangers between here and Gathol."
I opened my pocket pouch and reached in to withdraw the cloak. It was gone! As was the vial containing the remainder of the compound. I looked at Tavia and she must have read the truth in my expression.
"You have lost it?" she asked.
"No, it has been stolen from me," I replied.
She came again and laid her hand upon my arm in sympathy and I knew that she was thinking what I was thinking, that it could have been none other than Sanoma Tora who had stolen it.
I hung my head. "And to think that I jeopardized your safety, Tavia, to save such as she."
"Do not judge her hastily," she said. "We cannot know how sorely she may have been tempted, or what threats were used to turn her from the path of honor. Perhaps she is not as strong as we."
"Let us not speak of her," I said. "It is a hideous sensation, Tavia, to feel love turned to hatred."
She pressed my arm. "Time heals all hurts," she said, "and some day you will find a woman worthy of you, if such a one exists."