Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [226]
The room was obviously unused now; dust covers were draped over the furniture; the drapes were drawn, the window shuttered. Lafayette went to the far wall, tapped the oak panels, pressed at the precise point in the upper left-hand corner that Yokabump had pointed out to him, long ago. The panel swung inward with a faint squeak, and O'Leary stepped through into the musty passage.
"This is one ace Lom didn't know I was holding," he congratulated himself. "Now, if I can get to Adoranne before he does . . ."
It was a difficult fifteen-minute trip through the roughly mortared secret passage system, up narrow ladders, under low-clearance beams, which O'Leary located with his skull, to the black wall behind which lay the royal apartment. Lafayette listened, heard nothing. At his touch the inconspicuous latch clicked open and the panel slid smoothly aside.
Across the deep pile rug he could see the corner of Adoranne's big, canopied four-poster bed. No on was visible in the room. He stepped out—and whirled at the sudden whistle of steel clearing a sheath. A sharp point prodded his throat, and he was looking down the length of a sword blade into the square-jawed and hostile face of Count Alain.
4
"Hold it, Alain!" O'Leary said with some difficulty, owing to the angle at which his head was tilted. "I'm friendly."
"You have a curious manner of approach for one who means no ill, rascal!" Alain said. "Who are you? What would ye here?"
"I think I'd better let my identity ride for a moment; it would only complicate matters. Just think of me as a friend of Yokabump. He showered me the route here."
"Yokabump? What mare's tail's this? He lies in the palace dungeons, banished there by the madness of the usurper."
"Yes. Well, as it happens, I just escaped from the dungeon myself. Ah—would you mind putting the sword down, Alain? You'll break the skin."
"Aye—and a few bones beside! Speak, varlet! Who sent you here? What's your errand? Assassination, I doubt not!"
"Nonsense! I'm on your side, get it?"
A door across the room opened; a slim figure with golden hair and immense blue eyes appeared, clad in a flowing sky-blue gown.
"Adoranne—tell this clown to put the sword down before he gets into trouble with it," O'Leary called.
"Alain—who—"
"A would-be assassin," Alain growled.
"A friend of Yokabump; I came to help!" O'Leary countered.
"Alain—lower your blade. Let's hear what the poor man has to say."
"Well, then: speak. But at the first false move . . ." Alain stepped back and lowered the sword. O'Leary fingered his throat and let out a long breath.
"Listen," he said. "There's no time for formalities. I'm glad to see you two in good shape. The story is you're dying of a mysterious fever—"
"Aye, 'tis the lie spread by that treacher I once named as friend," Alain rumbled.
"There's a fellow on his way here—a man named Quelius, alias Lom." Lafayette described his former ally. "Have you seen him?"
Both Alain and Adoranne shook their heads.
"Good. He's the one who's at the bottom of this whole fiasco. Now, suppose you kids start by filling me in on the picture from your end?"
"Fellow, you're overfamiliar—" Alain started; but Adoranne put a hand on his arm.
"Hush," she said softly. "As you wish, friend of Yokabump. We, as you see, are held prisoner in our own apartments. His Majesty assures us that it's but a temporary measure—"
"Majesty, my left elbow!" Alain cut in. "I knew the first time I laid eyes on the miscreant no good would come of him! King Lafayette indeed! Wait 'til I lay hands on the treacher's neck!"
"As I remember, you didn't do so well the last