imbibing heavily; and so he has sent me and this company to escort you to your
residence.’
Stulwig turned to bid farewell to the false One-Thumb. And at once observed that
no such person was in sight. Quag seemed to feel that he was surprised. ‘He went
around that corner.’ He indicated with his thumb. ‘Shall we pursue him?’
‘No, no.’
It was no problem at all for a man with three cups of brew in him to step
forwards, and walk beside a Hell Hound like an equal.
And to say, ‘I’m somewhat surprised at his highness taking all this trouble for
a person not of Ranke birth, or-‘ daringly -‘religion.’
Quag was calm, seemingly unoffended. ‘These are not matters about which I am
qualified to have an opinion.’
‘Of course,’ Stulwig continued with a frown, ‘getting me back to my quarters
could place me in a location where the mighty Vashanka could most easily find
me.’
They were walking along a side street in the Maze. But a goodly crowd pressed by
at that moment. So if Quag were contemplating a reply it was interrupted by the
passing of so great a number of individuals.
When they had wended through the mob, Stulwig continued, ‘After all, we have to
remember that it is Ils that is the god of a thousand eyes. Which, presumably,
means that he can see simultaneously where everybody in the world of Ilsig is at
any one moment. No such claim – of many eyes – is made for either Savankala or
his son, Vashanka. And so we may guess that Vashanka does not know that-‘
He stopped, appalled. He had almost let slip that the goddess Azyuna had come to