Free Conan the Rebel by Poul Anderson Page B

As I said, Bahotep knows better than to make afield hand of a gifted and educated man. Jehanan responded well to reasonable treatment.' Otanis cast a smirk at Conan.' We may even visit a certain female he keeps, once a week, if we behave ourselves.' He grew serious anew, met Bêlit's tearful regard, and went on: 'Yes, Jehanan works beside me, or did until I was sent on his voyage. Of course, his heart ever hungers for freedom. But he is too intelligent to risk what he has, little though that be, unless the Gods give him a better chance of escape than has yet appeared.'
    'Jehanan- in Khemi? Jehanan!' Bêlit wailed. She cast herself into Conan's arms and sobbed. He held her close, stroked her hair and back, murmured what comfort he could. Such of her men as were topside stared white-eyed but did not venture near.
    'Where is he, Otanis?' Bêlit tore loose from her lover and whirled on the other man. 'We will make a raid. Guide us to him, and all the gold in Stygia shall be yours!'
    Conan understood, down to his marrow, what she was feeling. Yet because he was, in some measure, still an outsider, he was able to maintain calm. Beneath it, rage and eagerness seethed in him. To give Bêlit this gift! But he had the power to stand back and study how the thing might be done.
    He pinioned her, made her look at him, and said most carefully:' 'My dearest, you rave. One ship against a city and a fleet? That is rescue, that is suicide. Let us use our brains as well as our blades,' tone strengthened, 'and Jehanan will indeed walk the decks Tigress.'
    She hauled herself, almost hand over hand, back toward steadiness. 'Yes, you are right, of course,' she could finally say. 'We need a plan. But this is going to be what we live for – Jehanan's freedom – until we have won it.'
    Conan's ice-blue gaze went above her head and speared Otanis. 'We shall require your help,' the Cimmerian said. 'No doubt the venture will be dangerous. You have fought for your country. Now be true to us, and you shall have not only your liberty, but shiploads of wealth. Would those not buy plenty of mercenaries for your cause?' He pondered a moment, silent amidst the sea wind. 'If you fail us,' he finished bluntly, 'you die.'
    Otanis smiled. 'It may not even be so difficult,' he responded. 'Shall we talk further?'
    Bêlit put the first mate in charge of transshipping cargo, and accompanied the two men beside her into the former captain's cabin. She and Conan sat down at its table. Otanis fetched wine and joined them. A sunbeam sickled through a glazed window, back and forth as the vessel rolled. There came sounds of men talking and laughing at work, creak of wheeling gulls, whoosh and smack of waves. Though the room was small and sparsely furnished, air blew past a door secured half open, to fill it with salty breath and hope.
    Otanis took a sip from his goblet, leaned back, bridged his fingers, and said: 'Bahotep's mansion and warehouse are not heavily watched. His slaves know they have the best – the least bad -master in Khemi, and are anxious to stay in his good graces. Yes, Jehanan likewise, unless and until a clear chance to run away comes along. My lady Bêlit must have had incredible luck in her own escape. I would be interested to hear what happened.'
    'I stole a boat,' the woman snapped.
    'And were not intercepted before then – by a sacred python, for example?' Otanis clicked his tongue. 'Moreover, when a missing slave and a missing craft were reported next morning, certainly three
    in lour ships went out in search. The Stygians always want to make examples of contumacious underlings, and a ship has greater hull speed than a boat. It was sheer fortune that none chanced to sight you, and that nobody thought it worthwhile to ask a magician to scry your exact whereabouts, until too late. Jehanan can not expect similar luck; and a flight overland would be more futile yet. Remember, the punishment for a fugitive slave is not death -not for lays.'
    He paused.