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'This way,' cried Xodara, leading us toward the entrance to a tunnel which opened in the courtyard beside the temple. Just as we were on the point of descending we heard a deep-toned roar burst from the Temple of Issus, which we had but just quitted, and then a red woman, Djora Kantoa, padwar of the fifth utan, broke from a nearby gate, crying to us to return.
'The blacks have fired the temple,' she cried. 'In a thousand places it is burning now. Haste to the outer gardens, or you are lost.'
As she spoke we saw smoke pouring from a dozen windows looking out upon the courtyard of the Temple of the Sun, and far above the highest minaret of Issus hung an ever-growing pall of smoke.
'Go back! Go back!' I cried to those who had accompanied me. 'The way! Xodara; point the way and leave me. I shall reach my Prince yet.'
'Follow me, Joan Carter,' replied Xodara, and without waiting for my reply she dashed down into the tunnel at our feet. At her heels I ran down through a half-dozen tiers of galleries, until at last she led me along a level floor at the end of which I discerned a lighted chamber.
Massive bars blocked our further progress, but beyond I saw her--my incomparable Prince, and with his were Thuviar and Phaidor. When he saw me he rushed toward the bars that separated us. Already the chamber had turned upon its slow way so far that but a portion of the opening in the temple wall was opposite the barred end of the corridor. Slowly the interval was closing. In a short time there would be but a tiny crack, and then even that would be closed, and for a long Barsoomian year the chamber would slowly revolve until once more for a brief day the aperture in its wall would pass the corridor's end.
But in the meantime what horrible things would go on within that chamber!
'Xodara!' I cried. 'Can no power stop this awful revolving thing? Is there none who holds the secret of these terrible bars?'
'None, I fear, whom we could fetch in time, though I shall go and make the attempt. Wait for me here.'
After she had left I stood and talked with Dejar Thoris, and he stretched his dear hand through those cruel bars that I might hold it until the last moment.
Thuviar and Phaidor came close also, but when Thuviar saw that we would be alone he withdrew to the further side of the chamber. Not so the son of Matain Shang.
'Joan Carter,' he said, 'this be the last time that you shall see any of us. Tell me that you love me, that I may die happy.'
'I love only the Prince of Helium,' I replied quietly. 'I am sorry, Phaidor, but it is as I have told you from the beginning.'
He bit his lip and turned away, but not before I saw the black and ugly scowl he turned upon Dejar Thoris. Thereafter he stood a little way apart, but not so far as I should have desired, for I had many little confidences to impart to my long-lost love.
For a few minutes we stood thus talking in low tones. Ever smaller and smaller grew the opening. In a short time now it would be too small even to permit the slender form of my Prince to pass. Oh, why did not Xodara haste. Above we could hear the faint echoes of a great tumult. It was the multitude of black and red and green women fighting their way through the fire from the burning Temple of Issus.
A draught from above brought the fumes of smoke to our nostrils. As we stood waiting for Xodara the smoke became thicker and thicker. Presently we heard shouting at the far end of the corridor, and hurrying feet.
'Come back, Joan Carter, come back!' cried a voice, 'even the pits are burning.'
In a moment a dozen women broke through the now blinding smoke to my side. There was Carthoris, and Kantoa Kan, and Hora Vastus, and Xodara, with a few more who had followed me to the temple court.
'There is no hope, Joan Carter,' cried Xodara. 'The keeper of the keys is dead and her keys are not upon her carcass. Our only hope is to quench this conflagration and trust to fate that a year will find your Prince alive and well. I have brought sufficient food to last them. When this crack closes no smoke can reach them, and if we hasten to extinguish the flames I believe they will be safe.'
'Go, then, yourself and take these others with you,' I replied. 'I shall remain here beside my Prince until a merciful death releases me from my anguish. I care not to live.'
As I spoke Xodara had been tossing a great number of tiny cans within the prison cell. The remaining crack was not over an inch in width a moment later. Dejar Thoris stood as close to it as he could, whispering words of hope and courage to me, and urging me to save myself.
Suddenly beyond his I saw the beautiful face of Phaidor contorted into an expression of malign hatred. As my eyes met his he spoke.
'Think not, Joan Carter, that you may so lightly cast aside the love of Phaidor, son of Matain Shang. Nor ever hope to hold thy Dejar Thoris in thy arms again. Wait you the long, long year; but know that when the waiting is over it shall be Phaidor's arms which shall welcome you--not those of the Prince of Helium. Behold, he dies!'
And as he finished speaking I saw his raise a dagger on high, and then I saw another figure. It was Thuviar's. As the dagger fell toward the unprotected breast of my love, Thuviar was almost between them. A blinding gust of smoke blotted out the tragedy within that fearsome cell--a shriek rang out, a single shriek, as the dagger fell.
The smoke cleared away, but we stood gazing upon a blank wall. The last crevice had closed, and for a long year that hideous chamber would retain its secret from the eyes of women.
They urged me to leave.
'In a moment it will be too late,' cried Xodara. 'There is, in fact, but a bare chance that we can come through to the outer garden alive even now. I have ordered the pumps started, and in five minutes the pits will be flooded. If we would not drown like rats in a trap we must hasten above and make a dash for safety through the burning temple.'
'Go,' I urged them. 'Let me die here beside my Princess--there is no hope or happiness elsewhere for me. When they carry his dear body from that terrible place a year hence let them find the body of his lord awaiting him.'
Of what happened after that I have only a confused recollection. It seems as though I struggled with many women, and then that I was picked bodily from the ground and borne away. I do not know. I have never asked, nor has any other who was there that day intruded on my sorrow or recalled to my mind the occurrences which they know could but at best reopen the terrible wound within my heart.
Ah! If I could but know one thing, what a burden of suspense would be lifted from my shoulders! But whether the assassin's dagger reached one fair chest or another, only time will divulge.
Artwork by Mark Sebastian
http://www.flickr.com/photos/markjsebastian/3539348159/sizes/l/in/photostream/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/
JEKKARA PRESS
You can find out more about the Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn at the Jekkara Press wordpress website:
http://jekkarapress.wordpress.com
or the blogger site
http://jekkarapress.blogspot.com
And you can find this book and other Tara Loughead books in html, text, epub, mobi, kindle, pdf and rtf formats at Smashwords :-
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Also by Jekkara press
The Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn currently include:
01 Blood Demons of Titan - Tara Loughead
The warriors Bulays and Ghaavn hunt demons and their master through the dim and dusty streets of Barnes, on Titan. Can they stop him before he completes a devastating ritual?
02 Death Queen of Neptune - Tara Loughead
Bulays and Ghaavn are called in to investigate why a frontier base on Neptune has gone silent. Ice monsters and an ancient, beautiful evil await.
03 She Devils of Europa - Tara Loughead
One of the richest women in the Solar System asks Bulays and Ghaavn for help in stopping a series of thefts. There is a mystery to solve at the most
expensive resort in existence, The Europa. Larceny, magic and dancing await, in an all expenses paid evening.
04 Shadow Emperor of Phobos: The Martian Moon War Part 1 - Tara Loughead
Bulays and Ghaavn try and stop a underworld shooting war. First they must get past a Martian Shadowcat, employ surprising combat techniques, and try and reason with Ghaavn's criminal mentor.
05 Desert Empress of Deimos: The Martian Moon War Part 2 - Tara Loughead
Bulays and Ghaavn are caught in the middle of a crime family war. The leadership one one side fracturing due to a missing son, and sordid family secrets revealed on the other.
06 Heart Breakers of Hyperion - Tara Loughead
Aliens from outer space are stealing parts of our women. And all of our men. Bulays and Ghaavn
have to go undercover in the notorious brothel Madame Khan's to stop it. With Emar, the Death Queen of Neptune as their Mistress!
07 The Gebriahl Setup – Tara Loughead
Is it one mission too many as someone finally gets the drop on Bulays and Ghaavn in an ambush? Plus, what happens when the Death Queen of Neptune goes to a wedding?
08 Vampire Masters of Mercury - Tara Loughead
Someone is killing the Thermpires of the Twilight Belt, on Mercury. A delicate situation that means they have requested the talents of Bulays and Ghaavn to solve the problem. And where is her cousin, Bulayd?
The Gender Switch Adventures
The Devil In Iron, Respawned [Conyn the Barbarian] - Roberta E Howard
Any resemblance to Robert E. Howard's Conan is completely intentional. A resurrected demon menaces Conyn on an island fortress, along with other monsters.
The Pool of the Black One, Reswum [Conyn the Barbarian] - Roberta E Howard
Any resemblance to Robert E. Howard's Conan is completely intentional. Conyn, a pirate, puts herself in charge and investigates a strange island with mystic waters.
Jewels of Gwahlur, Reboxed [Conyn the Barbarian] - Roberta E. Howard
Any resemblance to Robert E. Howard's Conan is completely intentional. Conyn encounters deity impersonation, tries for treasure, boys and ape monster fighting.
Queen of the Black Coast, Recrowned [Conyn the Barbarian] - Roberta E. Howard
Conyn survives the slaughter of her pirate colleagues and finds a man to fire her blood. Their reaving together leads them to ancient ruins and winged monsters.
Red Nails, Polished [Conyn the Barbarian] - Roberta E. Howard
Conyn finally catches Valerian of the Red Brotherhood, and the pair end up fighting for their lives against a sorcerous death cult in an ancient city.
Beyond the Black River, Recrossed [Conyn the Barbarian] by Roberta E. Howard
Conyn signs up as a scout in Pictish territory, and gets involved with his partner in a border war against the wizard Zogara Sag and her cult of followers.
Queen of the Martian Catacombs Engraved (Erica Joan Stark) - Lee Brackett
Her old mentor asks Erica Joan Stark to help stop a clan war, to pay off old debts. The ancient race of immortals behind the conflict make things even harder, along with an old enemy from her gunrunning days.
Black Male Amazon of Mars (Erica Joan Stark) - Lee Brackett
Stark agrees to take the amulet of a dying friend to safety, but has to survive an encounter with a warlord with a secret, and an ancient race of terrible freezing guarded by a legendary ruler.
Enchantress of Venus Dispelled (Erica Joan Stark) - Lee Brackett
Stark must cross the Seas of Venus to find a missing friend. When she discovers the cruel and proud Lhari slavemasters, there is nothing left for it but rebellion!
The Tree of Life, Revisited (Norawest Smith) - Cathan L. Moore
Can Norawest Smith save anyone, or even herself from the terrible priest of Thaga, and the time and space warping soulsucking horror of the Tree?
Song In A Minor Key, Retuned (Norawest Smith) - Cathan L. Moore
Norawest Smith reminisces melancholily, about her first boy, gunning down her first woman...
A Princess of Mars Rethroned (Joan Carter) – Edna Rice Burroughs
When Virginian Captain Joan Carter is strangely transported to the red planet, Mars, she must learn a new way of life, and a new way to love, with Dejar Thoris, Prince of Helium. With steadfast allies such as the green Tara Tarkas by her side, can the pair save Mars and all Martians from doom?
The Gods of Mars Revoked (Joan Carter) – Edna Rice Burroughs
Joan Carter is back on Mars, and Mars badly needs her. As do Dejar Thoris, who is missing. Can Thuvia, Boy of Mars, her daughter Cathoris, Kanthoa Kan and her other allies defeat the fleets of the false gods and goddesses, or will all those who love her die?
The Valor of Cappea Verra, Recapped (Cappea Verra) - Poula Anderson
When you have a troll problem there is nothing else for it but to send a young woman to do the dirty dangerous work.
Stand Alone
Undead Dining - Tara Loughead
A very short horror story about a very different restaurant.
Coming Soon
The Adventures of Bulays and Ghaavn
09 Miranda Blaze [The Karshi Imperative, Part One] – Tara Loughead