knew. What is the bargain, Hanse?’
‘I had rather deal with him.’
‘I wish you would trust me. Setting up interviews with him takes time.’
‘I trust you, Tempus, just as you trust me. Get me something in writing from
him, then. Signed. Give it to the seer, Moonflower. This is costing me time,
pulling me away from my work-‘
‘Work?’
‘ – and I shall have to have compensation. Now.’
0 you damned arrogant boy, Tempus thought, and without a word he made three
coins clink as he dropped them. He was sure Hanse’s ears could distinguish gold
from copper or silver by the sound of the clink. He also dropped a short section
of pig’s intestine, stitched at one end and tied off at the other. He said,
‘Oops.’
‘I want assistance in recovering something of mine, Tempus. Just labour, that’s
all. What’s to be recovered is mine, I guarantee it.’
‘I’ll help you myself.’
‘We’ll need tools, a horse, rope, strength…’
‘Done. I will get it in writing, but it is done. Deliver and I deliver. We have
a bond between us.’
‘So have he and I. I do want that paper signed and slipped to the S’danzo seer.
Very well then, Tempus. We have bargained.’
‘By mid-afternoon. Good night, spawn of shadows.’
‘Good night, shadow-man. You didn’t say “pawn”, did you?’
‘No.’ And Tempus turned and walked ba.ck up between the buildings to light, and
less stenchy air. Behind him, soundlessly, the three gold coins and little bag
ofkrrfhe had dropped vanished, into the shadows.
Next day not long after dawn Hanse gave Moonflower a great hug and pretended to
find a gold piece in her ear.