Lolan's heart thumped. His face flamed, and he tried to hide his
embarrassment by springing to his feet and pacing to a window. "It's
reason enough," he muttered. He swung suddenly to face them across the
room. "But that isn't why I came here tonight. It's something more
important than that. You've got to leave Areeba immediately!"
Atarkus' face folded into grim lines. "You mean Arzt has decreed our
death?"
"That's it. You might have expected something like this for being seen
with men like Ars Lugo."
Mora looked up into the officer's face. "I can't understand you, Lolan.
You're supposed to be second in command of the race that oppresses us.
Yet you risked death to hide that bracelet, and undoubtedly you've
taken the same risk to come here."
"Don't try to understand me. Simply do as I say. Arzt has appointed me
to execute you within four days. I--I can't do it, that's all. So I'm
going to try to dodge the issue by letting you escape. Beyond the city
there's a pursuit ship loaded with food and a pair of pistols. With
that outfit you can make it to Lyna or some other settlement where you
won't be known. But you've got to do it tonight!"