Robert Asprin – Thieves World 09 – Blood Ties

And where one of her rosebushes was trampled to splinters.

She stood there staring at the ruin, and the light inside her shuttered house flickered brighter, glowed with a white incandescence. It died slowly as she turned. “A girl,” she said. “A girl is the thief. At my house. From my guest.”

“This wasn’t your doing.”

His voice was calmer, restrained.

“No,” she said in soft and measured tones, “I do assure you.” And drew herself up to all her height when he reached for her. “I’ve had quite enough, thank you.”

“It threw you too.”

“To the far side of the mage quarter.” She drew in a hissing breath through wide nostrils. It smelled of horse and mud, trampled roses, and bitch. And there was wrath and chagrin both in this huge man, wrath that began to assume a certain embarrassed self-consciousness. “Our curses are not compatible, it seems. Storm and fire. And we were so well begun.”

He said nothing. His breathing was rapid. He walked past her to the trampled ground and gave a whistle, piercingly shrill.

She caught it up for him, reached inside and flung it to the winds, so that he winced and faced her in startlement.

“If that will bring him,” she said, “that will carry to him.”

“That will bring him,” Tempus said, “if he’s alive.”

“A young woman took him. Her smell is everywhere. And krrf. Don’t you smell it?”

He drew in a larger breath. “Young woman.”

“Not one I know. But I will. My roses come very dear.”

“A bloody young bitch.” It sounded particular and specific, his eyes narrowing in some precise identification.