Thieves World 01 – Thieves World by Asprin, Robert

will make the necessary adjustments for the newer girls. Unless you doubt me

in which case, I’ll arrange a severance for you.’

‘But madame, if we pay once, they will levy the tax again and again until we

can’t pay it. Those Hell Hounds …’ A girl favoured more by intelligence than

beauty spoke up.

‘That is certainly their desire. The Street of Red Lanterns is as old as the

walls of Sanctuary itself. I can assure you that we have survived much worse

than the Hell Hounds.’ Myrtis smiled slightly to herself, remembering the others

who had tried and failed to shut down the Street. ‘Cylene, the others will be

coming to see me. Send them up to the parlour. I’ll wait for them there.’

The emerald day-robe billowed out from behind her as Myrtis ascended the

staircase to the lower rooms and up again to her parlour. In the privacy of her

rooms, she allowed her anger to surface as she paced.

‘Ambutta!’ She shouted, and the young girl who attended her appeared.

‘Yes, madame?’

‘I have a message for you to carry.’ She sat a’t the writing table composing the

message as she spoke to the still-out-of-breath girl. ‘It is to be delivered in

the special way as before. No one must see you leave it. Do you understand (hat?

If you cannot leave it without being seen, come back herd Don’t let yourself

become suspicious.’

The girl nodded. She tucked the freshly folded and sealed message into the

bodice of her ragged cast-off dress and ran from the room. In time, Myrtis

expected her to be a beauty, but she was still very much a child. The message