And the other two have been with me almost from the first. It
is inconceivable that either of them would betray me-whatever
the price offered or the reason supplied. Their hatred of the
Federation is nearly a match for my own.”
The muscles in his jaw tightened. “So perhaps it isn’t any of
us after all. But who else could have discovered our plan? Do
you see what I mean? Your friend the Highlander mentioned this
morning something he had almost forgotten. When we first came
into the city and went down to the market stalls, he thought he
saw Hirehone. He thought then he was mistaken; now he won-
ders. Forgetting momentarily the fact that Hirehone held my life
in his hands any number of times before this and did not betray
me, how would he have gone about doing so now? No one,
outside of Damson and those I brought with me, knew the where,
when, how, or why of what we were about. Yet those Federation
soldiers were waitmg for us. They knew.”
Par had forgotten momentarily his plan to tell Padishar he
was fed up with matters. “Then who was it?” he asked eagerly.
“Who could it have been?”
Padishar’s smile was forced. “The question plagues me like
flies a sweating horse. I don’t know yet. You may rest assured
that sooner or later I will. For, the moment, it doesn’t matter.
We have bigger fish to fry.”
He leaned forward. “I spent the morning with a man I know,
a man who has access to what happens within the higher circles
of Federation authority in Tyrsis. He is a man I am certain of,
one I can trust. Even Damson doesn’t know of him. He told me
some interesting things. It seems that you and Damson came to
my rescue just in time. Rimmer Dall arrived early the same
morning to see personally to my questioning and ultimate dis-
posal.” The outlaw chief’s voice emitted a sigh of satisfaction
“He was very disappointed to find I had left early.”
Padishar shifted his weight and brought his head close
Par’s. “I know you are impatient for something to happen. Par
I can read the signs of it in you as if you were a notice posted
on the wall by my bed. But haste results in an early demise in
this line of work, so caution is always necessary.” He smiled
again. “But you and I, lad-we’re a force to be reckoned with
in this business of the Federation and their game-playing. Fate
brought you to me, and she has something definite in mind for
the two of us, something that will shake the Federation and their
Coalition Council and their Seekers and all the rest right to the
foundation of their being!”
One hand clenched before Par’s face, and the Valem
flinched back in spite of himself. “So much effort has been
into hiding all traces of the old People’s Park-the Bridge
Sendic destroyed and rebuilt, the old park walled away, guards
running all about it like ants at a picnic dinner! Why? Because
there’s something down there that they don’t want anyone
know about! I can feel it, lad! I am as convinced of it now as
was when we went in five nights ago!”
“The Sword of Shannara?” Par whispered.
Padishar’s smile was genuine this time. “I’d stake ten years
of my life on it! But there’s still only one way to find out, isn’t
there?”
He brought his hands up to grip Par’s shoulders. The weath-
ered, sharp-boned face was a mask of cunning and ruthless
determination. The man who had led them for the past five days
had disappeared; this was the old Padishar Creel speaking.
“The man I spoke to, the one who has ears in the Federation
chambers, tells me that Rimmer Dall believes we’ve fled. He
thinks us back within the Parma Key. Whatever we came here
for we’ve given up on, he’s decided. He lingers in the city only
because he has not decided what needs doing next. I suggest we
give him some direction, young Par.”
Par’s eyes widened. “What. . . ?”
„What he least expects, of course!” Padishar anticipated his