Croft relaxed somewhat the physical tension which had held him, and his voice grew less sharp. He sighed.
"Time? Time for what, Jasor?" Gaya inquired.
"Tonight I shall sleep," Croft told her frankly. "And while I sleep I shall learn what is the true intent of this sudden desire on Kyphallos's part to show Cathur their queen."
Gaya's eyes grew wide. "You shall sleep—as you sleep to learn?" she faltered.
"Yes," Croft smiled. "And I shall learn, wife of my friend. Zitu made Naia of Aphur a maid to madden men's blood, not for Cathur, but for Jasor. Yes, I shall learn."
But despite his confident tone he was more than a little disturbed as he sought his own rooms that night and stretched himself on his couch. What intent lurked in the mind of Cathur's prince he could not see. Nor could he understand why, knowing what already he had told them, Jadgor and Lakkon had decided to accede to the Cathurian's request, unless they had followed the other man's course at the time of the betrothal and acted in order to blind suspicion of their counter preparations so far as they might, or at least to avoid an open rupture at this time.
Hence it appeared doubly important that he should learn what was toward in Cathur now. He focused his mind. His body relaxed. He projected his intelligent ego toward Scira to discover what it might.
At first he went to the cell of Abbu in the Scira pyramid to learn, if he might, what Abbu was about.
He found him speaking with a brother priest—was half-minded to leave, yet lingered, held by the first remark of the unknown monk.
"A nice time for Kyphallos to be at Niera, with his promised queen approaching Scira on the sea."