"I have sworn to kill him."
Kyral suddenly clapped his hands and shouted to the white _chak_ to
clean up the broken glass on the floor. He said huskily, "You are not
yourself Rakhal Sensar?"
"I _told_ you he wasn't," said Dallisa, high and hysterically. "I _told_
you he wasn't."
"A scarred man, tall--what was I to think?" Kyral sounded and looked
badly shaken. He filled a glass himself and handed it to me, saying
hoarsely, "I did not believe even the renegade Rakhal would break the
code so far as to drink with me."
"He would not." I could be positive about this. The codes of Terra had
made some superficial impress on Rakhal, but down deep his own world
held sway. If these men were at blood-feud with Rakhal and he stood here
where I stood, he would have let himself be beaten into bloody rags
before tasting their wine.
I took the glass, raised it and drained it. Then, holding it out before
me, I said, "Rakhal's life is mine. But I swear by the red star and by
the unmoving mountains, by the black snow and by the Ghost Wind, I have
no quarrel with any beneath this roof." I cast the glass to the floor,
where it shattered on the stones.
Kyral hesitated, but under the blazing eyes of the girl he quickly
poured himself a glass of the wine and drank a few sips, then flung down
the glass. He stepped forward and laid his hands on my shoulders. I
winced as he touched the welt of the lash and could not raise my own arm
to complete the ceremonial toast.
Kyral stepped away and shrugged. "Shall I have one of the women see to
your hurt?" He looked at Dallisa, but she twisted her mouth. "Do it
yourself!"
"It is nothing," I said, not truthfully. "But I demand in requital that
since we are bound by spilled blood under your roof, that you give me
what news you have of Rakhal, the spy and renegade."