indeed. Finally, he tried beating a smaller sailor with the idea of making off with his money. But the smaller sailor happened to be a foot-fighting expert of some renown in the area. Ten minutes later, Golgoth was sitting in a jail cell, three of his teeth missing, and a bruise splotching one entire cheek and half his chin. He moaned about his misfortune for a time until cellmates threatened to bruise more of him than his miserable face. Then he began examining the circumstances from an optimistic point of view, deciding that-no matter what else might happen-he had a bed and a meal coming. He settled down to sleep, the liquor temporarily mollifying the pain in his mouth. Yes, he reasoned, he was well-off. If the new officers realized he was a convict doing time on the ship, they would certainly not extend their search to the jail. That would be the last place they would look. When he got out, they would be gone, and it would be safe to walk the streets of the capital. And when he was released, he would not be so foolish as to pick a male victim no matter what his size.
But Golgoth was planning uselessly. It was not to be that simple. In the blackest part of the night, some hours before dawn, guards liveried as under the House of Lelar came into the jail and collected the four prisoners in custody there. They were chained together and led away, all of their protests and questions answered only by the slam of club to groin. They sooned learned their lessons and grew moodily silent, not daring even to talk among themselves. They were marched through the streets to the castle of King Lelar where they were put into private rooms, the doors locked behind them.
These rooms were sumptuously decorated. The walls were covered with brilliant crimson velveteen. The floor was a swirl of golden-threaded marble. Later, servants delivered the best of foods and large quantities of it. Golgoth was served wine that had been processed from the best vineyards of the kingdom, dark and light stuff as sweet as honey, as smooth as water. Even a whore was brought to him, a wondrous woman with enormous breasts, and he was encouraged to indulge himself to his full extent. Being some time without a woman, Golgoth indulged in the whore several times before dawn. Only then did the nature of this treatment begin to have its effect upon him. He grew weary and fell into heavy sleep. And when he awoke, there was fear in him like a cold stone in his stomach. He had come to realize, whether through his dreams or his waking thoughts or an amalgam of both, that the treatment he was receiving was much the same treatment a condemned man might expect on the evening before his execution.
Jake coughed, watched the lightning flash as the storm passed on to the west and the rain began to slow in its fall. No trappings, please. Just the bare story.
Lightning flashed dully.
Thunder boomed like baby giants laughing.
The rain was cold and good.
Kaliglia snorted but went on: Golgoth was brought before King Lelar that same morning, though the meeting had none of the airs of a royal audience. Golgoth was brought into the royal chamber by three guards who held him at sword point as if he might turn and scamper if they dropped their attention for an instant. Lelar sat in the background with several white-robed officials, much as an observer. Golgoth was tied firmly to two thick ropes, one on each ankle. When he asked what was to happen, he was clouted and told to remain quiet in the presence of Lelar. Then, with little ceremony and no warning, too fast for the poor man to get his wits about him, he was thrust into a circular blue aperture in the wall beside the king's throne.
Thrust into the wall?
Yes.
Is this the portal to my own world that Kell has told me about?
Yes again.
Go on.
Inside the wall, Golgoth was weightless. He