| 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 |
| 1 | 50 | 99 | 149 | 198 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
influence her. It was not like the eyes. She heard the creature whistle and knew
that it was summoning assistance, but because she did not dare look toward it
she did not see it turn and concentrate its gaze upon the great, headless body
lying by the further wall.
The girl was still slightly under the spell of the creature's influence--she had not
regained full and independent domination of her powers. She moved as one in the
throes of some hideous nightmare--slowly, painfully, as though each limb was
hampered by a great weight, or as she were dragging her body through a viscous
fluid. The aperture was close, ah, so close, yet, struggle as she would, she seemed
to be making no appreciable progress toward it.
Behind her, urged on by the malevolent power of the great brain, the headless
body crawled upon all-fours toward her. At last she had reached the aperture.
Something seemed to tell her that once beyond it the domination of the kaldane
would be broken. She was almost through into the adjoining chamber when she
felt a heavy hand close upon her ankle. The rykor had reached forth and seized
her, and though she struggled the thing dragged her back into the room with
Luud. It held her tight and drew her close, and then, to her horror, it commenced
to caress her.
"You see now," she heard Luud's dull voice, "the futility of revolt--and its
punishment."
Tara of Helium fought to defend herself, but pitifully weak were her muscles
against this brainless incarnation of brute power. Yet she fought, fought on in the
face of hopeless odds for the honor of the proud name she bore--fought alone, she
whom the fighting men of a mighty empire, the flower of Martian chivalry, would
gladly have lain down their lives to save.
5
7
Page
Quick Jump
|