Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

going on?’

‘He’s going to try to fish for the monster,’ Hort explained as the Old Man’s

plan came clear to him. ‘When I got here his boat was gone.’

“The monster,’ Terd blinked. The Old Man’s gone out alone after the monster?’

‘I don’t think so. I’ve been here since before first light. No, even the Old Man

wouldn’t take a boat out in the dark – not after the monster. He must be…’

‘Look there! There he is!’

The sun had finally appeared over the horizon and with its first rays the mist

began to fade. A hundred yards offshore a small boat bobbed and dipped and in

it they could see the Old Man pulling frantically at the oars.

As they watched he suddenly shipped the oars, waiting expectantly. Then the boat

was jerked around, as if by an unseen hand, and the Old Man bent to the oars

again.

‘He’s got it! He’s got the monster!’ Terci shrieked, dancing with delight or

horror.

‘No!’ Hort disagreed firmly, staring at the distant boat. ‘He doesn’t have it.

He’s leading it, baiting it into shallow water.’

It was all clear to him now. The metal trap! The monster was used to raiding the

Old Man’s traps, so he fed it one that couldn’t be crushed. Now he was teasing

the unknown creature towards shore, dragging the trap like a child drags a

string before a playful kitten. But this kitten was an unknown, deadly quantity

that could easily attack the hand that held the string.

‘Quick, Terci,’ Hort ordered, ‘get the net! It won’t follow him on to the

shore.’

The lanky fisherman was gaping at the scene, his mind lost in his own thoughts.