10 – Aftermath by Asprin, Robert

He couldn’t verify that, not without going to Randal. And Randal might lie for Kama, might say Tempus had sent a message.

The touch of him made her ache and she suddenly wondered whether if, for just one night, every lover in Sanctuary could be in the right bed, things might straighten out.

Critias’s usually handsome Syrese face had none of its gentility tonight; it was a fright mask, just shields for eyes and a slash where his mouth should be- He tucked in his chin, bowed his head to stare into her face, then shook his head infinitesimally: “You want in, fine. We’re going up- town to the ruined blocks, see if we can’t find Tasfalen in one of the houses left standing there. That’s where she says to look. Me, the two backstreeters she owns, and you. But no Strat.”

“Crit, he-“

“Can’t be trusted. Too much her creature. Tell him to back off, out of sight till I leave. Tell him if he wants to talk to me, get rid of the horse as a sign of good faith. Or of returning sanity. I don’t need a ghost horse, or a ghost rider, which is what he’s becoming. Go on. Tell him. Then meet me at the gate.”

He gave her a little push and she wished he felt so strongly about her, even if those feelings were as hard and fierce as what he felt for Strat.

Like a page in court, she ran back to Strat’s horse and said, ‘”He says he’s going uptown to find Tasfalen for Torchholder. Doesn’t want you involved. We’ll talk to you iater. You stay with Ischade. If this goes wrong, we need someone on the outside who knows where we went and what happened. And we may need Ischade’s-your help.”