"
Only the old man echoed my words dully, "Rakhal Sensar?"
I felt heartened, seeing I wasn't dead yet.
"I have sworn to kill him."
Kyral suddenly clapped his hands and shouted to the white _chak_ to
clean up the broken glass on the floor. He said huskily, "You are not
yourself Rakhal Sensar?"
"I _told_ you he wasn't," said Dallisa, high and hysterically. "I _told_
you he wasn't."
"A scarred man, tall--what was I to think?" Kyral sounded and looked
badly shaken. He filled a glass himself and handed it to me, saying
hoarsely, "I did not believe even the renegade Rakhal would break the
code so far as to drink with me."
"He would not." I could be positive about this. The codes of Terra had
made some superficial impress on Rakhal, but down deep his own world
held sway. If these men were at blood-feud with Rakhal and he stood here
where I stood, he would have let himself be beaten into bloody rags
before tasting their wine.
I took the glass, raised it and drained it. Then, holding it out before
me, I said, "Rakhal's life is mine.
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