As they emerged into a wider space Roane spoke:
“I do not know about you, but I am hungry.”
“Do not speak of food!” retorted Ludorica. “When one has nothing, it is better not to dwell on that lack. Let us get out of here—”
“But I have provisions of a sort,” Roane countered. There was no use in trying to conceal such things as tubes of E ration when so much else in the way of cover had been broken, and she was painfully hungry.
“Where? You carry no provision bag—” The Princess once more turned the beamer on Roane, who had already unsealed her coverall and brought out one of the tubes. There were only two left, and with their rescue still uncertain, it was better that they now divide one between them.
The Princess stared at the tube. “You carry food so? But there is not enough in that to make even a quarter of a meal if you hunger as I do.”
“This is a special kind of food, made for travelers,” Roane explained. “A small portion, say half of this tube, is equal to a full meal. It does not taste as the real food you know, that is true. But it is as good for the body, and it will give us strength. If you hesitate, I shall eat first.” She measured off half the length of the tube, squeezed the contents bit by bit into her mouth without touching the edge to her lips.
Her companion watched her with deep interest. And when Roane had done and passed her the tube, Ludorica put it to her mouth in turn. She made a slight face as she tasted the paste, swallowed.
“It has little flavor, as you warned. Truly I do not think I would relish many meals taken so. But when one hungers there need be little choice of dish; any food will do.” She finished the tube quickly and gave it, empty, back to Roane.
From long training the off-worlder wadded it into a ball, which she hid under a loose stone. The Princess had set the beamer upright as one might a candle, and its light, reflected from the roof over their heads, showed them that the space in which they now stood was a true cave.
But it showed something else, too. Roane gave a start as she caught sight of it, snatching up the beamer to turn it full upon what lay there. That had been a man once. But she had seen ancient burials enough not to be squeamish. These bones lay half buried under a fall of rock which concealed the skeleton above the waist.
She heard an exclamation from the Princess as the light caught a spark of fire to one side of the crushed bones. Roane stooped to pick up a band of metal in which were set small gem stones. It was a fine piece of work, the stones making small flowers among raised leaves of the metal.
A moment later the circlet was snatched from her hand, the Princess turning it about in her own fingers.
The arm ring of Olava! This is Och’s Hide! And the Crown-the Crownl” She turned around, searching the walls of the cave as Roane swept the beamer. But the side wall opening which had once existed where the skeleton lay crushed was filled in past their exploration. There was now no opening at all that Roane could see.
5
“If it was ever here,” Roane pointed out, “then it must now be buried under that fallen rock.” Privately she thought the bracelet a very small clue.
“But it can be dug free!” Ludorica crowded as close to the mound as she could and still avoid the skeleton. “You say those you know will come to free us from the outer cave. They surely can aid here to find the Crown! Let me but rest my hands on it and Reveny has naught to fear, for then as long as I live no one else can claim it—”
“As long as you live. What then, if, once you have found the Crown, your enemies find you? How long will you continue to live?”
The Princess looked back at Roane, her eyes wide with what might be shock.
“But no common man can raise his hand against the wearer of the Crown; such are under the protection of the Guardians. Any such death must come before the Crown has rested on the cho-sen’s head.”
“But the Crown now would belong to your grandfather, would ft not? So long as he remains alive you will be in danger.”
True. But if what I fear is also true, and that is in a manner proved by the fact that Reddick moved against me so openly, theft the King is very near to death. The Crown will know that; it has many strange powers. All the crowns do. They are the hearts of the countries possessing them and their lives are those of the nations—as was proved at Arothner. No, when your people come they must dig for the Crown. It still exists and I must find it!”
And that influence she was able to exert at times, which Roane recognized but somehow could not resist, brought Roane to half agreement now. Yet enough of her fought that compulsion so that she was able to persuade the Princess to return to the other end of tile passage to meet their rescuers.
That Uncle Offlas would come she had no doubt, but how long he would take was another matter. Especially if he had to avoid searchers in the woods. And she said as much in warning to the Princess.
“But you can send a message—though why tapping on that ugly arm circlet carries a message—” Momentarily she was diverted. “I do not know who you truly are. But that you are not of Reveny, nor of any kingdom I know, I will swear to. Had you Bot brought me out of that tower, I would not—” Again she paused. “But I stand here and not in the hands of Reddick’s men, so I have a measure of trust in you. Send another message to those you say will come to unseal us; tell them to use my name to the garrison at Yatton. There is there Colonel Nelis Imfry. He was of the palace wards before he took service with the March Guards. Summoned in my name, he will come. You may tell your people, if those clicks really talk, to say to him—”
“No.” Roane shook her head. “They will not go to Yatton nor any other place for your guard, no matter what message I send.”
Perhaps she was wrong in being so definite about that. It might arouse Ludorica’s suspicions even further. But she must make plain before the camp party arrived that they would not give the Princess any help in solving her complicated problems of dynastic inheritance.
“My people are sworn”—she tried to put the situation into words the Princess would understand—”by oaths, very tightly binding, to have naught to do with the affairs of others. I have already broken this oath by what I have done since we met. For this I shall have to pay. But you will find deaf ears if you ask for any aid from those who come.”
They were passing the wall panel which the Princess could not see but which so fascinated Roane. The latter kept her eyes resolutely turned from temptation. And at that moment the com on her wrist flashed. She did not need the beamer light to read the sparked code.
Sandarl But no mention of Uncle Offlas. Only a sharp demand that she turn the call beam higher so that he would have a guide. “They are here now!” She began to run along the smooth flooring, not caring whether the Princess followed or not.
Back in the entrance cave she again faced that plug of stone and clay, cautiously, since she did not know the force of the tool they would use to clear it. And she threw out an arm to hold the Princess to an equally safe distance.
The latter had given no vocal protest when Roane had denied her help. But she was smiling with anticipation. There was such an aura of confidence about her that Roane was uneasy. Perhaps she should have given her the whole truth in warning—not only that Ludorica could expect no aid, but that those who came might take her into another captivity, that her quest for the Crown might well come to an end here and now. Roane half opened her lips, was about to say what she must, when there was a shifting of earth about the plug. The stone which was its anchor disappeared.
Roane caught her breath. They were using that tool! Then indeed they were ready for desperate measures; such were unboxed only at times of extreme need.