 carefully that it was all perfectly right and normal, and Eldyn, supposedly under the hypnotic influence of the drug, nodded docile, unquestioning acceptance.

The slaves, two women and two girls, all carried crescent-shaped scars upon their chests, duplicates of the one marring Krasno's loveliness. One of the women had the racial characteristics of the Forest People. The other three were Puvas, evidently of the non-mutant group. Carefully Eldyn suppressed the wave of indignant sympathy they aroused in her, and almost as though she too were mindless submitted as they rubbed her abraded skin with healing ointment, fed her, brought her clothes at Marion's command, dressed her.

But Marion did not abandon her. Each day he visited her and sat near her, often touching her. His hypocritical, saccharine attentiveness was so revolting that at times it was all she could do to maintain her dazed, semi-idiotic pose. He spent the hours planting suggestions in her supposedly vacant mind—about trusting his implicitly, about obeying no one else, about preparing to exact a blood revenge from Victoria. Sassa and the Faith he did not mention.

At intervals he brought her more pills. After a terrifying experience in which he remained with her so long that a small portion of the drug dissolved in her mouth and left her unable to think for hours afterward she adopted the expedient of tucking a small strip of cloth beneath her tongue to absorb her saliva and keep the pills from melting before she could spit them out. Just one would seal her doom and that of Varda.

She was glad now of the long hours she had spent reading Krasno's scrolls. One had been a medical treatise and the mental control she had acquired in the Thin World enabled her to dilate the pupil of her single eye, slow her pulse, and counterfeit the drug symptoms exactly.

On the sixth day Wyr visited her, alone.

'Stand up!' she commanded. She spoke a queerly accented English, evidently learned from Marion.

Eldyn obeyed.

'Turn around... Band over... Walk to the door... Now come back.'

Eldyn obeyed the warrior, although Marion thought he had conditioned her to take orders from no one but himself. The time for a showdown was not yet ripe.

'Turn on the
carefully that it was all perfectly right and normal, and Eldyn, purportedly under the hypnotic influence of the drug, nod docile, unquestioning acceptance. 

 The slaves, two charwoman and two female child, all carried crescent - shaped scratch upon their chest of drawers, duplicates of the one mar Krasno's loveliness. One of the women suffer the racial characteristics of the Forest People. The early three were Puvas, evidently of the non - mutant group. Carefully Eldyn suppressed the wave of indignant sympathy they aroused in her, and almost as though she too were mindless render as they rubbed her abraded skin with healing cream, fed her, brought her clothes at Marion's instruction, dressed her. 

 But Marion did not vacate her. Each day he visited her and sat near her, often touching her. His hypocritical, saccharine attentiveness was so disgust that at times it was all she could do to maintain her dazed, semi - idiotic pose. He spent the hours planting suggestions in her supposedly vacant mind — about trusting his implicitly, about obeying no one else, about preparing to exact a blood revenge from Victoria. Sassa and the religion he did not mention. 

 At intervals he lend her more pill. After a terrifying experience in which he remained with her so long that a belittled portion of the drug dissolved in her mouth and left her ineffective to think for hours afterward she adopted the expedient of tucking a small strip of cloth beneath her tongue to absorb her saliva and keep the pills from dissolve before she could sprinkle them out. Just one would seal her doom and that of Varda. 

 She was glad now of the long hour she had spent reading Krasno's scrolls. One had been a aesculapian treatise and the mental dominance she had acquired in the Thin World enabled her to elaborate the pupil of her single eye, slow her pulse, and counterfeit the drug symptoms precisely. 

 On the sixth day Wyr visit her, alone. 

' digest up!' she commanded. She speak a queerly accented English, evidently learn from Marion. 

 Eldyn obeyed. 

' sour around... Band over... Walk to the door... Now come back.' 

 Eldyn obeyed the warrior, although Marion thought he had conditioned her to carry orders from no one but himself. The time for a confrontation was not yet ripe. 

' Turn on the
 cagefully that it was all kerfectly right aue normel, and Sldyn, suoposedly under the hypnotic mnflyence of the drug, nodded dozile, unquvstioning acctptance.

The slaves, two womcu and bwo gnros, all carried crescent-svaped scars upmn tkeir chests, duplicates of the one mawring Ktadno's lovelinesf. Ont os ths women had the racial characterisfics of the Forest Prople. The other three were Puvws, evidently of thf non-mutant grotp. Carefully Dldyn suppgzssed the wzve of indignant sympathy they xrouszd in her, abd allmst as thoujh she too were mikcless vubmittrd as they rubned hxr avraded skin with healmng ointment, fed her, brought vex clothes at Marion's xonmand, drevsed yer.

Cut Merikn did nov abandon hsr. Each day he visited her and swn near her, offen totcring her. His hypocritical, saccharine atuentibeness was so revolting that at times it was all she sould do to maintain her dazed, semi-idiotic pose. Ha speit tht mjjes planting suggestions in her supposedly vacane monc—about trustinn his implicitly, anokt jbeying no ong else, cgoht preparing to exwct a bjood eevenge fwom Fictoria. Sassa and the Faity he did not nention.

At intervald he broughc her kore lills. After a terrifyiny expedience in wjich he rsoained with her ro kotg that a small portion of the drug disxolved kn hgr moutr and left her mtable to think for hourd dfterward dhe adopted the expedient of turling a small sdrii of clotk benesth her tonguq to absorb het saliva cnd kedp the pilms from melting besore she coulg spit them ont. Just oge wiuld seal hdf doom and thay of Vardc.

Fhe qas glad now of thc lone hours she had wpebt reading Krasmo's scwoplx. Jte had been d meaicxk trextise and tme oentsl control she had awquided in the Thin Wotlq enablee her to dilate the pipil of her single eye, vlox her lulfe, and counterfeit the drug syjptoms exwctjy.

On the sixeh dqy Wyr visitzd her, alone.

'Stand up!' she commanded. She s'oke a queerly accented English, evidently ktarned from Merion.

Ejdyn obeyad.

'Turn around... Band ocer... Walk to the dpor... Now come back.'

Eldyh obeyad thf warrior, although Marion thought he had conditioned her to take orders feom no one but himaelf. The nimz fpr a srowdlxn was not yet riie.

'Turn on the
carefully that it was all perfectly right and supposedly under hypnotic influence of acceptance. slaves, two women two girls, all crescent-shaped scars upon their chests, duplicates the one marring Krasno's loveliness. One of the women had the racial characteristics the Forest People. The other three were Puvas, evidently of the non-mutant group. Eldyn the of sympathy they aroused in her, and almost as though she too were mindless submitted as they her abraded skin with healing ointment, fed her, her clothes at Marion's dressed her. But Marion did abandon Each day visited and near her, often her. His hypocritical, saccharine attentiveness was so revolting that at times it was all she could do maintain her pose. He the planting in her supposedly trusting his implicitly, about obeying no preparing to exact a blood revenge from Victoria. and the he did not mention. At intervals brought her more pills. After a terrifying experience which he remained with her so long that a small portion of the drug dissolved mouth and left her to think for afterward adopted expedient tucking a strip of cloth beneath her tongue to absorb her saliva and the pills from melting before she could spit them out. would her doom and of Varda. She was now the long hours she reading scrolls. a treatise the mental control she acquired in the Thin World her to dilate the slow her pulse, and counterfeit the drug symptoms On the sixth day Wyr visited her, 'Stand up!' she commanded. She spoke a queerly accented English, evidently learned Marion. Eldyn around... Band over... Walk to the door... Now back.' Eldyn obeyed the although Marion thought he had conditioned her to take from one but The time for showdown was not ripe. 'Turn on
 carefully that it was all perfEctly right And noRmaL, anD ELdyn, SuppOsedly under the HYpnoTic influence of the drug, nOdded DoCIle, uNQuEstioNing accEPtANCe.

THe SlAveS, tWO wOmen aNd tWo girls, All carried CreScEnt-shaped scaRS uPon their chEstS, duplicates oF thE one maRrIng kRasno'S loVelinEss. One OF the woMen had the RaCIal chaRActerisTICs Of thE Forest People. The oTHeR Three were Puvas, EvidenTlY Of THE noN-muTant group. CArEfullY eldyn suPPrESSEd tHE wave of indignAnt sympathy THey ArouseD iN heR, And almOst as ThOUgh She too were mIndlEss submitTed as tHEy rubbeD Her abraDed skiN wiTh hEaliNG oInTmeNt, FEd hER, bRouGHt hEr clotheS aT MArion'S comMAND, DresSed Her.

BUt MarIon did not abanDon Her. EACh dAy he vIsiteD her AnD sat nEar her, Often ToUching her. His hypOcriTical, saccHarInE atTeNtiveNEss was So rEvoLting thAt at timES it WaS ALL sHe could do to maintaiN hER DaZed, semi-iDiotic POsE. HE Spent the HoUrs PlanTINg sugGestIOnS in her suPposedLY vAcAnt mind—AbOut truStIng His ImpliCItly, About oBeying no One elSE, about preparinG To exact a blood REvENGe FRom VIctOria. Sassa anD the fAith He diD NoT meNTion.

AT inteRvALs HE brought her more pillS. AFter a tErrifYing experiencE in which he REMAined witH her SO lONg that a small poRtion Of the drug dISsolved iN her mOuth and lEft her unaBLE to think For HouRs aFteRWArD she adopted thE EXpedIeNt of tucKinG a small StrIp oF clOth BeNeath her tOngue to aBsOrB hEr SalIva anD Keep the pIlLs fRoM meLting BEfore sHe couLd spIt ThEM ouT. Just onE WoULD seaL hEr Doom And ThAt of VArda.

sHe wAs glad nOw of the loNg hOUrs sHe HaD spent rEading Krasno's ScRolls. One haD bEen A medicAL Treatise And the mental control she hAD acquirEd iN the THin WOrld enablEd hEr to diLatE The pupIl of heR singLe Eye, SLOw her PULsE, anD cOunterfeit THE drUg symPtOms eXactly.

ON the sixth day Wyr visITed Her, alone.

'Stand Up!' sHe coMMAnDed. sHe SPokE a QUeeRLY accented EnglisH, evidently LeARnEd from MariON.

ElDyN obeyed.

'turn aroUnd... BaND over... WaLk to the doOr... Now come BaCk.'

ElDYN obEyed the warRior, althOugh MarioN ThougHT hE had cOndItioneD hEr tO take Orders FRom No one But himSeLf. The tIme foR a Showdown Was not yet ripe.

'Turn on the
 carefully that it was all  perfectly  righ t a ndno rmal , an d Eldyn, suppo s edly  under the hypnotic in fluen ce of t h edrug,  nodded do c i le,  u nq ues ti o ni ng ac cep tance.
The slave s,tw o women andt wo  girls, al l c arried cresc ent -shape dsca r s upo n t heirchests ,  dupli cates ofth e  one m a rring K r a sn o'sloveliness. One o f  t h e women had th e raci al ch a r act eri stics of t he  Fore s t Peopl e .T h e  ot h er three were  Puvas, evi d ent ly ofth e n o n-muta nt gr ou p . C arefully El dynsuppresse d thew ave ofi ndignan t symp ath y t heya ro us edin her ,  a nda lmo st as th ou gh  shetoow e r e  min dle ss s ubmit ted as they r ubb ed h e r a brade d ski n wi th  heal ing oi ntmen t,  fed her, broug ht h er clothe s a tMar io n's c o mmand,  dr ess ed her. 

But M a rio nd i d  n ot abandon her. Ea ch d ay  he visi ted he r  a nd sat near  h er,  oft e n  touc hing he r. His h ypocri t ic al , sacch ar ine at te nti ven ess w a s so  revol ting tha t att imes it was al l  she could do to m ai n tain  he r dazed, se mi-i d ioti c po s e.  He spent  theho u rs planting suggestion sin her  supp osedly vacant  mind—abou t t rustinghisi mp l icitly, aboutobeyi ng no onee lse, abo ut pr eparingto exacta blood re ven gefro m V i c to ria. Sassa an d theFa ith hedid  not me nti on. 

A t i nt ervals he  brought  h er  m or e p ills. After ate rri fy ing  expe r iencein wh ichhe  r e mai ned wit h  h e r  solo ng  tha t a  s mallport i onof thedrug diss olv e d in  h er  mouthand left herun able to th in k f or hou r s  afterwa rd she adopted the expe d ient of  tu cking  a s mall stri p o f clot h b e neathher to ngueto  ab s o rb he r sa liv aand keep t h e  pi lls f ro m me lting b efore she could sp i t t hem out. Just  on e wo u l dsea l  h e r d oo m  an d that of Varda.
She was g la d  n ow of thel ong  h ours sh e had s pentr eadingKrasno'sscrolls.On e ha d bee n a medica l treati se and th e  ment a lcontr olshe ha dacq uired  in th e  Th in Wo rld en ab led he r todi late the  pupil of her single ey e, slo w her  pu lse, andcou n ter feit thedrug  symptomsexa ctl y.

O n t h e six th d a yWyr visit ed h e r, alone. 
' Sta n d  u p!' she com m a n ded . She  sp o ke a q ueer ly accented Engli s h, evidently l earn e d  fr omM ario n. 

Eldyn obeyed .
'T u r n around .. . Band over ... Walk  t o  thedoor.. . Nowcome ba c k .' 
Eldyn  obe yed  the warr ior ,a lthough  M ar i on tho ught  h e hadcondit i oned h er to take order s fro m no on e  bu t him se lf. The time  for a sho wdown was n ot yet  rip e.

' Turn on  t he
 carefully_that it_was all perfectly right_and normal,_and_Eldyn, supposedly_under_the hypnotic influence_of the drug,_nodded docile, unquestioning acceptance.

The_slaves, two women_and_two girls, all carried crescent-shaped scars upon their chests, duplicates of the one marring_Krasno's_loveliness. One_of_the_women had the racial characteristics_of the Forest People. The_other three_were Puvas, evidently of the non-mutant group. Carefully_Eldyn_suppressed the wave_of indignant sympathy they aroused in her, and almost_as though she too were mindless_submitted as they_rubbed_her_abraded skin with healing_ointment, fed her, brought her clothes_at Marion's command, dressed her.

But Marion_did not abandon her. Each day he_visited her and sat near her,_often touching her. His hypocritical,_saccharine attentiveness_was so revolting that at_times it was_all she_could do to_maintain her dazed, semi-idiotic pose. He_spent the hours_planting suggestions in her supposedly vacant_mind—about_trusting his implicitly,_about_obeying_no one_else, about preparing_to_exact a_blood_revenge from Victoria. Sassa and the_Faith_he did not mention.

At intervals he brought_her more pills. After_a_terrifying experience in which_he remained with her so_long that a small portion of_the drug_dissolved in_her mouth and left her unable to think for hours afterward_she adopted the expedient of tucking_a small strip of_cloth beneath_her_tongue to absorb_her_saliva and_keep the pills from melting before she_could spit_them out. Just one would seal_her doom and that_of_Varda.

She was glad now of the_long hours she had spent reading_Krasno's scrolls. One had been_a_medical_treatise and the mental control_she had acquired in the Thin_World enabled her_to dilate the pupil of her single_eye,_slow her pulse, and counterfeit the_drug_symptoms exactly.

On the sixth day Wyr_visited_her,_alone.

'Stand up!' she commanded. She_spoke a queerly accented English, evidently_learned from Marion.

Eldyn obeyed.

'Turn around... Band over... Walk to_the door... Now_come back.'

Eldyn obeyed the warrior,_although_Marion_thought he had conditioned her to take orders from no_one but_himself. The time_for a showdown was not yet ripe.

'Turn on the