Thieves World 01 – Thieves World by Asprin, Robert

‘Discarded,’ he snarled, not even bemoaning the loss of Lirain’s denuded

bandeau, which Moonflower made vanish within a shawl-buried vaster one.

‘Or,’ she said, keeping him fixed by her gaze, ‘hung up.’

Lirain and her (uniformed?) confederate were tools then, Hanse reasoned,

prowling the streets. Prince Kadakithis was nice to look at, and charismatic. So

his imperial half-brother had sent him way out here, to Sanctuary. Now he wanted

him sorely embarrassed here. Hanse could see the wisdom of that, and knew that

despite what any might say, the Emperor was no fool. So, then. They two plotted.

Lirain gained enough knowledge of Hanse to employ Cusharlain to investigate him.

She had found a way to effect their meeting. Yes; though it hurt his ego, he

admitted to himself that she had made the approach and the decisions. So now he

was their tool. A tool of tools!

Robbing Kadakithis, however, had been his goal before he met that cupidinous

concubine. So long as she helped, he was quite willing to let her think he was

her dupe. He wanted to be their tool, then – insofar as it aided him to gain

easy entry to the palace. Forewarned and all that. There was definitely

potential here for a clever man, and Hanse deemed himself twice as clever as he

was, which was considerably. Finally, being made the tool of plotting tools was

far too demeaning for the Hansean ego to accept.

Yes. He would gain the wand. Trade it to the Prince-Governor for gold – no,

better make it the less intimidating silver – and freedom. From Suma or Mrsevada