Nathan darted out of the room of the Stone Pig, guided by his intimate
knowledge of the cavern. He waited a moment by the entrance, listening
in the darkness. Then he heard the soft scrape of a sandal against a
rock somewhere. And a voice.
"Nathan Ormondy!"
It called his name softly, echoing in the cavern, and it was like no
other voice he had ever heard. The music of its overtones was brilliant
and glowing like the inner light of the Jewels of Chamar themselves.
"I have come for you, Firebird," said Nathan. "Ready your flame lance."
He darted away, expecting a flame to be hurled at the sound of his
voice. None came. He waited, hoping Firebird would answer and give him
a target.
That first sound of her voice haunted him. It was the loveliness
of a spring day on Earth, the blue of the sky and the song of the
birds--but it was the song of the Firebird, a song of death.
Then she answered. "I came to make peace, Nathan. Put up your lance and
make a light."
He aimed in the darkness--and could not fire at that voice.
"Do you think I'm a fool?" he muttered savagely. It was to himself as
well as to Firebird.
"You _are_ a fool!" Firebird hissed in anger. "I came to you
peacefully."
From across the chamber a ball of fire the size of an orange spurted
with the speed of lightning. It splattered the wall two feet from
Nathan. The heat of its explosion singed his cape to a shred. His face
was scorched and his eyes blinded temporarily.
Nathan aimed again and unleashed a blast of his own, but it went wide
for he did not even glimpse Firebird in its glow. He leaped away to
hiding behind a large stalagmite.
"Listen to me!" the voice of Firebird commanded again. "I could have
killed you then. My shot landed two feet to the left of you. Now will
you hear what I have to say?"
"It's easy to call your shots after they are fired."
"Here's one neither to the right or left," said Firebird evenly.
Before she finished speaking a blast of flame burst over the huge
stalagmite in front of Nathan. The fire of it flowed around the sides
and enveloped him in a searing blanket.
For the first time, Nathan knew fear. The witch could see in the dark!
He was at her mercy.
Her voice spoke more softly now. "Are you coming out from behind there
or do I have to come and get you?"
"You'll have to come and get me--the same way you got my father."
He leaped away to still another stalagmite. He paused midway to unleash
his own burst from the flame lance. It splashed against the cavern
wall, but there was no answering fire.
He waited tensely in the darkness. Minutes passed. Surely he could not
have killed the Firebird with that blast. The silence could only mean
then that she was holding her fire, creeping up on him in the darkness.
"You have no excuse for my father's murder?" Nathan taunted. He slipped
away to another protecting rock.
Then the voice of Firebird came again--and she hadn't moved! Nathan's
eyes tried hopelessly to pierce the blackness to check the evidence of
his ears.
Firebird said, "I was just wondering what I could say to a fool like
you. If I killed your father for the Jewels why do you suppose that I
didn't take them and go? Why should I have left them, and prepared the
trap to destroy the cave mouth?"
"Is there anyone who knows the mysterious ways of the thief and killer,
Firebird?"
"I have never stolen except from thieves. I have never killed--except
murderers."
"My father was not a murderer!"
"And I did not kill him. Your father and I were partners for many
years. We searched together for the Seven Jewels."
"I don't believe that. He warned me against you."
"Yes. Because we quarrelled. I'll tell you about it some day. Together,
we found five of the Seven Jewels. One of his three was stolen by the
murderer. Now, there are four of the Jewels equally divided between you
and me. It is senseless for us to fight. There is power enough for us
both when the Seven are ours. In return for your cooperation I promise
to help you find your father's murderer. You know my reputation well
enough to know what my promise means. And remember, I could have taken
the Jewels instead of bargaining with you, but the Firebird is not a
thief."
Nathan didn't believe a word of what she said, but he knew that if
he continued to challenge Firebird with the flame lance it would not
take her a dozen shots to find him in the darkness. Though he had been
taught by Thymar he could not match such shooting. He would be lucky
to find her with a hundred shots. No wonder her prowess had become a
legend.
"I'll compromise--with one reservation," he said. "I think you killed
my father. I know you can kill me here in the darkness. I don't know
why you don't. I'll accept your offer, but unless you prove you did
not kill my father, you and I will sometime again trade flames to the
death."
"Done," said Firebird.
* * * * *
Almost instantly, a pink glow began filling the chamber. It was like
the rising of the sun over one of Earth's quiet seas. There seemed to
be the perfume of flowers in the air, and the song of birds.
[Illustration: _There seemed to be the perfume of flowers in the air,
and the song of birds._]
And then Nathan realized it was Firebird's song--that high-pitched
melody that caused a faint chill to race the length of his spine.
The glow, too, was coming from her. It heightened with a tremendous,
terrifying crescendo. Nathan had heard babbling outlaws who swore
drunkenly to having seen this sight.
He stood immobile now, not breathing in the face of the wondrous glory
of that unfolding light. The Firebird herself was so dazzling that the
pink radiance blinded him after the darkness, but when his eyes became
accustomed to it he saw her.
She was small, almost tiny, and exquisitely shaped. Her head was
encased in a close fitting silver helmet that did not prevent her
flowing, raven hair from tumbling over the nape of her neck. As she
stood there in the rising glow she seemed poised for flight.
A close fitting tunic that seemed to be of scarlet tinted mail
protected her body, but her arms and legs were bare and from her very
flesh the pink light was emanating.