Pphira went on speaking, emphasizing her words with the wand.

"He says that he and his twin brother were wrecked and cast ashore by a great wind. This is true. There was such a storm on the Purple Sea. We lost many of our own ships."

Pure coincidence, for which Blade was now grateful.

"He did have a twin brother," continued Pphira. "We have had word of this other stranger by courier, as you well know. By mischance he was carried far out to sea, captured by pirates, then left to die in the Burning Land."

Blade could not restrain himself. He had been constrained to silence, under threat of instant death, yet he broke it now and shouted.

"My brother? This twin of mine! You say he is alive?" It was the first hint that the Russian agent had landed in the same Dimension X.

The Five stared at him coldly. Malice and sadistic pleasure glittered in ten beady dark eyes. Blade had spoken without leave. Blade was condemned.

Blade watched only the Queen. In her eyes he thought he read amusement and even approval.

Kreed said, "He must die immediately, my Queen. A pity - Otto the Black would have been pleased with him."

The Queen waved the wand at the old Head Priest "Enough of this, Kreed. Formalities are all very well, but I weary of them. I rule Sarma. I will say when Blade dies - if he does."

But Kreed persisted. "He has spoken in the presence of the Five, and in your presence, Majesty, without permission. You know the ancient law - that is sacrilege! None may flout the old law, Pphira. Not even - "

The Queen smote her leg with the wand. "Enough, Kreed! You presume too much. You offer to teach me, Queen of Sarma, the law?"

"But, Majesty, I - "

She ignored him. Blade did not. As Kreed bowed low and backed away he saw a smirk of satisfaction on the old man's face.

The Queen pointed her wand at Blade. She smoothed her skirt, of ankle length and worked in gold arabesques, around her taut buttocks and trim thighs. On either side the skirt was slit nearly to the hip.

"You may approach the throne, Blade."

He left the block of stone and did so. Behind him he heard the hissing of indrawn breath. He wondered at the smirk on Kreed's face. Had the old man wanted Pphira to break the law?

Pphira leaned to tap his great bare chest with the wand. "You will kneel to me, Blade."

He did not think it a time to quibble. He went to his knees before her, but kept his head proudly erect and stared into her eyes. For a long moment their glances locked and held, then her eyes moved elsewhere, down his body and back up again. She nodded slightly and a tip of pink tongue slipped through her small white teeth.

"A giant," she said. "You make nearly two of poor Tarsu. Yet I think you will have trouble killing him. We must be fair. You will be as blind as Tarsu."

His spine was an icy bar. They were going to blind him? The spasm of despair passed. It was not likely. Yet -

To brush away the thought he blurted out, "My brother, Queen? You tell me he is alive?" Where? How to get to him? How to find him and kill him as ordered? In the last few minutes all his plans, the entire perspective, had been altered.

"I did not say he is alive, Blade. I said that he was marooned in the Burning Land by pirates. None live in the Burning Land. There is no water and the sun flames like the mouth of Bek-Tor."

From behind Blade came affirming nods and hisses. The Five were in agreement.

Blade had been thinking fast. Now he made his first tentative positive move. He had been helpless. Now, though still in a chancy position, he was not quite helpless. Not if he played his cards right.

His eyes held Pphira's. He did not entreat. He spoke boldly and with resolution. He was prepared, remembering what J had told him about Code Gemini.

"I must go and seek for my brother, Gemma, your Majesty. We have been very close all our lives. I cannot forsake him now. If there is a bare chance that he lives I must find him. I ask your gracious permission - "

The Five were clacking like a crowd of old hens.

The Queen smiled at Blade. "Perhaps. I do not think it likely, but perhaps. If you live. If you please me enough to persuade me to indulge you. But first there is the law - he who would succeed another man in my affections must first kill that man."

Blade, still on his knees, gave her back look for look. He could feel the priestly eyes gnawing at his back.

Queen Pphira had a sudden thought. She frowned and leaned forward and Blade saw the glitter of something deadly in her eyes. She spoke softly through compressed lips.

"You do find me desirable, man?" Mockery now. And menace. "You arc conscious of the honor that may come to you?"

He knew how near he skirted the chasm. Blade smiled, using all his great charm, his teeth gleaming white in the curling back beard.

"I know, my Queen. I am not fit, yet I desire you beyond all things. Even, perhaps, my brother's life. And that is an evil thing to say. But I am a man - how can I slay a blind man? That is also an evil thing. I cannot do it."

She leaned to tap him on the shoulder with her wand. "It may be that you cannot, Blade. Tarsu has slain the last three men who sought to take his place. He may kill you as well."

Pphira leaned back. She tapped her teeth with the wand. She smiled at him again. "I think that I would regret that."

Puzzled, Blade said, "But how can I fight a blind man in fairness?"

"You will see."

She looked over Blade at Kreed. "Let it be arranged. At once. I would know who shares my bed tonight Tarsu - or Blade?"