Blade swore mentally and drew Kun-Rala flat against the wall. There was thirty feet of well-lit open floor between them and the guard, and only a foot or so between the guard and what was obviously a newly-installed alarm signal

«This is new,» said Kun-Rala. «The High People have never bothered putting guards in these areas before.»

«Just be thankful there's only one,» said Blade. «I think we can take him. If you will pull your robe down to the waist-«

Kun-Rala's eyes opened as she stared at him.

«Yes-strip to the waist. Then step out into the guard's view. He should keep his eyes on you for a few seconds. That will be all I need.»

«You can't cross the whole floor before he sees you and gives the alarm, Blade.»

«I'm not planning to,» said Blade with a grin. He patted his short sword. «This throws fairly well.» Then he patted Kun-Rala on her rear. «Hurry, now.» She looked up at him with an expression that was not much short of worship, then undid the top of her robe and pulled it down until her breasts were bare. Slowly she stepped out into view, trying to give her body a sensuous sway. She was not very good at that, unfortunately.

But she was good enough. The guard's eyes widened as he saw her gliding toward him, and his mouth opened wide. Then Blade stepped out into the open, and his short sword flashed in the light. There was a meaty chunk as it split the guard's face open. His shout of surprise turned to a whimpering gurgle, and he collapsed to the floor, his eyes and mouth still open.

Without bothering to pull up her robe, Kun-Rala snatched a key from her belt pouch and opened the door to the work chambers. «Quick,» she said. «Drop him down the disposal shaft. If we leave him here, somebody may come. And if they find him here they'll start their search in the work chambers.» There was no strain or trembling in her voice or body now; she seemed entirely in control of herself.

Blade nodded and hoisted the body onto his shoulders. As he did so, footsteps sounded behind him. He dropped the body to the floor, snatching the short sword from its face as he did so, and turned to face his enemy. Then he stopped dead. It was his turn to stare wide-eyed and wide-mouthed, and behind him he heard Kun-Rala gasp. Pen-Jerg stood before them, both swords drawn and an inquisitive smile on his bearded face.

«Blade-Liza?» he said softly, though it was more of a statement than a question.

Blade momentarily toyed with the idea of playing the dumb and uncomprehending Low Person. But he rejected the idea in the next moment. It would be a waste of time, and dangerous too. Pen-Jerg appreciated honesty. Well, he would get it.

«Yes,» said Blade shortly.

«You are not supposed to be here,» said Pen-Jerg mildly. «You could be administered for this, you know. And I suppose you killed the guard?»

Blade nodded. He noted that Pen-Jerg had said «could» be administered, not «will» be. Then he shot back a question of his own, in a mildly sarcastic tone, «What are you doing here at this hour of the night, Pen-Jerg, brave commander? Are you inspecting the guard posts for Nris-Pol?»

Pen-Jerg started as though Blade had stabbed him, and his face worked. Then he actually spat on the polished floor. «That is for Nris-Pol. No, I am making the rounds on my own. Nris-Pol has been spreading strange rumors of stranger things happening among the Low People. I wanted to see for myself whether Nris-Pol was spreading tales or not.» He shook his head. «I am not sure what the answer is, now. What are you doing here, Blade?»

Blade told him, leaving out only the parts about raising the Low People in rebellion and about the great wands. He knew that Pen-Jerg would not stand for the first, and had best not know about the second. Not as long as he was going to be around Nris-Pol, who would probably have few scruples about torture.

When Blade had finished, Pen-Jerg stood in silence for such a long time that Blade began to get edgy. Suppose somebody else came along-somebody less sympathetic? Finally Pen-Jerg shook his head slowly. Blade braced himself, ready to try to jump Pen-Jerg and kill him quickly and silently. Pen-Jerg read the look in Blade's eyes, and smiled again.

«Be calm, Blade-Liza. If what you do is for Queen Mir-Kasa-with all her faults-and against the power of Nris-Pol, then I will not hinder you. In fact I will mount guard while you and your friend do your business in the work chambers. I think I will arouse less curiosity than that-«and he pointed to the body at Blade's feet.

Pen-Jerg hoisted the body on his own shoulders, while Blade and Kun-Rala darted into the work chambers. As they ran from room to room, Kun-Rala was looking nervously at Blade.

«Can we trust him?»

«Yes, as far as he knows what we're doing. He had no more love for Nris-Pol than we do. And in any case, do we have any choice?»

Kun-Rala had to admit that they didn't.

The particular chamber they were seeking was nearly a hundred feet in from the main door, and filled with strange-looking machines mounted on marble tables. Blade would have liked to spend more time looking them over, but time was one thing they didn't have. Pen-Jerg could be trusted for anything under his control, but some things would not and could not be under the warrior's control.

Kun-Rala darted to one of the machines, and turned it on. A low hum filled the room. Then she ducked under the table and Blade could see her hands going through the motions of twisting a combination lock. There was a faint click, and then the familiar hiss of a door opening. A tall cabinet in one corner and the section of wall behind it swung open, revealing a dark cavity. In the dim light Blade could see the sinister gleaming shapes of dozens of the great wands.

He joined Kun-Rala in the concealed chamber, scooping up great wands and piling them in the bag attached to the carrying frame. When he had as heavy a load as he felt he could manage and still be able to run and fight easily, he turned to Kun-Rala.

«I've got about a dozen. Let's go.»

«Wait,» she said. She was kneeling on the floor by the racks, tying a bunch of the cylinders from the great wands together. Then she fastened a wire to one end of the bunch, and ran it across the floor to the door sill.

She stood up and brushed her hands off. «There. Anybody who steps on that wire or pulls it will set off the power tubes attached to it. And that will set off all the power tubes in all the great wands in the room.»

Blade swallowed. «What will that do?»

«I don't know. Only the worker who invented them, and Queen Mir-Kasa herself, know for certain. It would probably kill everybody for several levels up and down. It might even blow the tower apart, but I don't think so. Certainly nobody will ever know what was in there, afterwards.»

«What about the wands we're carrying, in case we're captured?»

«I'll carry one under my robe. If it looks like we're not going to get away, I'll set off its power tubes. There won't be enough left of any of us to put down the disposal shaft.»

Blade swallowed again, then managed a grin. Kun-Rala might lack something as a lover, or as a swordswoman. But as a cool head in straight spy work, he had met few to equal her. He hoped she got out of this one safely. In a few more years a head like hers would be a valuable asset to the hoped-for new Melnon- He made sure the bag of wands was sealed tightly, then led the way out of the chambers.

Pen-Jerg was still waiting outside when Blade and Kun-Rala came out into the corridor, but the body was gone.

«Any trouble?» asked Blade.

«None that I couldn't handle,» said the warrior cheerfully.

«Several people came by, but none of them knew that I wasn't the regular guard. But there will be trouble as soon as somebody finds the chamber door unguarded.»