“Who, Jav?” asked Tario.
“Not Jav, nor any other soft-skinned Lotharian,” she replied; “but a real man, a real warrior—Carthoris of Helium!”
Again the man laughed at her.
“You forget the bowmen,” he reminded her. “What could your red warrior accomplish against my fearless legions?”
Again he caught her roughly to him, dragging her towards his couch.
“If you will not be my queen,” he said, “you shall be my slave.”
“Neither!” cried the girl.
As she spoke the single word there was a quick move of her right hand; Tario, releasing her, staggered back, both hands pressed to his side. At the same instant the room filled with bowmen, and then the jeddak of Lothar sank senseless to the marble floor.
At the instant that he lost consciousness the bowmen were about to release their arrows into Thuvia’s heart. Involuntarily she gave a single cry for help, though she knew that not even Carthoris of Helium could save her now.
Then she closed her eyes and waited for the end. No slender shafts pierced her tender side. She raised her lids to see what stayed the hand of her executioners.