gone to buy the drugs. After that, she wasn’t without somebody watching her,
asleep or awake. The Temple of Heqt wanted the child born. Samlane said she’d
use the knife to end the child when they pulled it from her … and I believed
that, though I knew she’d be in no shape for knifings just after she’d whelped.
‘Seems she knew that too, but she was more determined than even I’d have given
her credit for being. She could give a lot of folks points for stubborn, my
sister.’
Samlor shook himself, then gripped a handful of the captive’s tunic. He ripped
the garment with his knife. ‘What are you doing?’ the retainer asked in concern.
‘Tying you up. Somebody’11 find you here in time. I’m going to do what I came
here for, and when it’s done I’ll leave Sanctuary. If I’ve got that option
still.’
Sweat was washing streaks in the blood-flecks on the captive’s face. ‘Sweet
goddess, don’t do that,’ he begged. ‘Not tied, not -that. You haven’t been here
when … others were here. You-‘ the injured man wiped his lips with his tongue.
He closed his eyes. ‘Kill me yourself, if you must,’ he said so softly it was
almost a matter for lip-reading to understand him. ‘Don’t leave me here.’
Samlor stood. His left hand was clenched, his right holding the dagger pointed
down at a slight angle. ‘Stand up,’ he ordered. Regli’s man obeyed, wide-eyed.
He braced his back against the wall, holding his left hand at shoulder height
but refusing to look at its ruin. The severed arteries had pinched off. Movement
had dislodged some of the scabs, but the blood only oozed instead of spurting as