The Greatest Works of Otis Adelbert Kline - 18 Books in One Edition. Otis Adelbert Kline

I saw two guards standing before a door draped with scarlet, and knew I had the right place. One of the guards saw me as soon as I saw him, and our torks spoke in unison. His bullet struck my sword hilt, but mine stretched him, unconscious, on the floor. The other guard wheeled just in time to receive my second bullet and share the fate of his companion.

      Rushing up to the doorway, I ripped aside the scarlet drape and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I quickly searched both fallen guards but could find no keys in the belt pouches of either.

      Arising, I rapped loudly and called the name of Loralie.

      A woman’s voice answered me from within. It was the voice of my princess. “Who is there?”

      “It is I, Zinlo,” I replied. “Open the door, quickly.”

      “Zinlo, beloved!” she answered. “I had almost lost hope of your coming. But I cannot open the door. It was locked from the outside, and we have no keys in here.”

      “Then I’ll break it down,” I answered. “Stand away from it.”

      Backing across the corridor, I ran at the door, hurling my body against it, but it was sturdily fashioned from thick planks of tough serah wood, and my sole reward for my onslaught against it was a bruised shoulder.

      Again and again I hurled myself against it with the same result.

      Then I whipped out my scarbo, resolved to hew my way through it, when I suddenly heard the sound of men running behind me. Wheeling, I beheld the brutal, leering features of Vinzeth. Behind him came a dozen palace guardsmen. I reached for my tork, but before my hand touched it, his spoke. There was a soaring pain in my already bruised shoulder, a dizzy nausea swept over me, and all went black before my eyes.

      When I regained consciousness after being shot down by Vinzeth, I had a furious headache, a terrific pain in my shoulder, and a tremendous thirst. I was lying on a mattress on the roof, with Vorn Vangal bending over me, holding a phial of some pungent liquid beneath my nostrils. Lotar was standing near by.

      “Where is Loralie?” asked. “Have you rescued her?”

      “Here, drink this,” said Vorn Vangal, removing the phial from beneath my nostrils and holding a steaming bowl to my lips. “Then I will tell you.” I recognized the fragrant aromatic smell of kova, and drank deeply. The hot, stimulating beverage sent the blood coursing warmly through my veins.

      When I had drunk, Vorn Vangal said, “Lotar and his men not only conquered the guards stationed on every floor they came to, but defeated the fifty guards which Vinzeth took down from the roof to oppose them, driving them upward from floor to floor until only a dozen remained with their mojak. Evidently intending to get the princess and escape in one of the airships, Vinzeth retreated with his twelve men while Lotar was conquering the guards posted on the floor that is second from the top. This took only a short time, but when Lotar reached the top floor he saw Vinzeth standing over you with a scarbo, ready to give you the death blow.

      “He instantly opened fire, whereupon Vinzeth transferred his attention from you to the only avenue of escape left to him—the door to the apartments of the princess. With a key from his belt pouch he succeeded in opening it and getting inside with two of his men. The others were shot down by Lotar and his warriors.

      “Finding you were not dead, but only temporarily paralyzed, Lotar had you brought up to the roof by two of his men, and with the others who were with him, demanded that Vinzeth surrender and give up the princess. But Vinzeth refused to surrender, and swore that if the door were broken down the princess should be instantly slain.”

      “How long ago was this?”

      “It occurred about three hours ago. The effect of the narcotic in the tork bullets lasts about that long.”

      “And she is still in there with him?” I asked, sitting up.

      “What could we do, Highness? We have surrounded the room, but if we break in she will undoubtedly be slain. Vinzeth is a desperate character.”

      “You are right. We must find some way to outwit this Vinzeth.”

      “We have not been unsuccessful in other ways,” said Vorn Vangal. “Already I have raised a citizen army of twenty thousand men, and more volunteers pour into our ranks constantly. The city is in the hands of the loyal commanders I have appointed, and a thousand men who are trustworthy guard the palace from roof to dungeons.”

      “What about Pasuki in the Black Tower? I had intended to have you send him reinforcements by way of the tunnel as soon as you could get them, but forgot it.”

      “In this I acted without Your Highness’s command, guessing your intentions,” said Vorn Vangal. “Five thousand men have already traveled to the relief of Pasuki through the tunnel. When all get there, his men will outnumber those of Taliboz. And they will have a decided advantage any time he decides to storm the tower. The twenty thousand citizen troops are mobilized near the south gate, awaiting your orders.”

      Just as he finished speaking a small, one-man flyer alighted on the roof. The man who stepped out looked around him for a moment, then espying our group, ran toward us.

      “I have just come from Tureno,” he announced. “A mighty battle fleet is in the harbor—the fleet of Tyrhana. And in the flagship rides Ad, Torrogo of Tyrhana, who demands that his daughter be delivered to him safe and sound, or he will immediately reduce Tureno and march on Olba. With him, also, are two ships, in one of which is Prince Gadrimel of Adonijar. He threatens an immediate declaration of war by his nation if his cousin, the Princess of Tyrhana, be not immediately returned unharmed to her imperial sire.”

      “Never mind Prince Gadrimel,” I told the messenger, “but fly at once to the flagship of Torrogo Ad. Tell him that his daughter has been kidnapped by one of the mojaks of Taliboz, and we are trying to rescue her. Tell him further that if he cares to, he is welcome to land his army in Tureno, and that such citizens of Tureno as are available and can bear arms will march with him and assist him if he is bent on attacking the army of the man who abducted his daughter and usurped the throne of Olba.”

      The messenger made obeisance and departed.

      I turned to Vorn Vangal. “Send another messenger at once to the King of Tureno. Tell him it is my command that he permit the soldiers of Tyrhana to land, and that he send as many men with them as he can gather to fight Taliboz. You will then go yourself and take command of the citizen army that waits at the south gate of the city, starting immediately for the Black Tower and surrounding the army of Taliboz, if possible.”

      Vorn Vangal hurried away to carry out my orders, and I swung on Lotar. “By looking over the battlements, can you point out the windows of the room in which Her Highness is confined?”

      “Yes, Highness.”

      “First send for a long, strong rope,” I commanded. “Then show me the windows—and be sure you make no mistake.”

      He sent a man scurrying for a rope and then went to the parapet and leaned over. I leaned over with him and he pointed downward.

      “That window,” he said, indicating one almost directly beneath us, “opens on the reception room of her apartment. The one to the left opens on her bedroom, the right on her bath.”

      At the sound of footsteps behind us we turned. Two soldiers bearing a large coil of stout rope saluted.

      “Put down the rope,” I ordered. “Now you, Lotar, go down in front of the door of the princess’s apartment. Make a great noise, demand the release of the prisoner, and engage Vinzeth in an argument if you can. Don’t do anything until you hear a commotion inside, or until I call you. Then break down the door.”

      With a quiet smile, which showed his full comprehension of my plan, Lotar hurried down the stairway.

      Making a tight loop in the end of the rope, I brought it over the parapet at a position directly above the window which opened on Loralie’s bedroom. Then, telling the two soldiers to let me down until I held out one hand for