"Well," said Mufaddal, who was eating a hard-boiled egg in a sloppy
manner, "did you get to the barracks?"
Heraj picked up a cold towel from the air near his knees and wrapped it
around his head. "I did. Wow! I had to cast immobility spells on two
more of these devilish Crusaders, who were stationed at the back door.
But I made it to the barracks. The soldiers are even now deploying
around the palace. Oosh! What an ache!"
"I don't see why you can't collect yourself and put the whole pack of
them under a spell," said Mufaddal irritably.
"I've told you and told you, I have a headache, that's why I can't
do it, curse you," said Heraj. "I have all I can do to keep the ones
in this room and those two back there motionless. I have to keep
concentrating and it hurts like seven devils in my brain. Then I've
flung a force wall around this room, so no one can get in or out
except myself, and _that_ takes concentration. I tell you, I never went
through anything like it. All I can recall are these two spells and
the one for curdling milk. I could no more bewitch all these benighted
villains than I could--could fly to the moon."
"Incidentally, did you find the gorilla? Godwin?"
"No I didn't, and I hope I never do. I don't want to come within range
of those ham-sized fists again, not even with a legion of fiends at my
back."
"Is he still a gorilla, if he's alive, I mean? Or did he switch back
when you swooned away?"
"No, he's a gorilla. That's a different sort of spell from force walls
and immobility. But to hell with Godwin. I want to nurse this lump. And
you're confusing me, too. My spells are wobbling. I just saw El Sareuk
there move a good half inch. If you want those swine kept alive for
torture and other pleasantries, I've got to concentrate. Oh, my newts
and bat-wings! I shall die!" He went over and collapsed in a corner,
where he stared moodily at the corpses of his two brothers and mumbled
to himself.
Mufaddal peered out the window. It was too small to negotiate, but wide
enough to command a partial view of the back grounds. He saw a dozen
of his men go dashing from the shelter of one outbuilding to that of
another.
"In a minute or two," he said confidently, "in a very few minutes, by
Allah, these renegades and infidels will see what a real besieging is
like!"
And at the thought, he stroked his greasy beard and crinkled up his
soft brown eyes, and giggled like a maniac.