Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

‘I thought so,’ the Old Man nodded. ‘There weren’t any teeth marks on the traps.

Some damn sorcerer’s pet run loose,’ he added.

Hort nodded. Now that he could see the monster it fitted the rumours he had

heard from time to time in the town. The Purple Mage had kept large crabs to

guard his home on the White Foal River. Rumour said he was dead now, killed by

his own magic. The rumour was confirmed by the crab; it must have wandered

downstream to the sea when its food no longer appeared.

‘Whose catch is that?’

Hort turned to find two Hell Hounds standing close beside him. Simultaneously he

noticed the crowd of townsfolk which had gathered on the streets.

‘Everybody’s,’ the Old Man declared, getting his strength back. ‘They caught it.

Or anybody’s. Maybe it’s Terci’s – it’s mangled his net.’

‘No, Old Man,’ Terci declared, approaching them. ‘It’s your catch. There’s none

on the wharf who’d deny that – least of all me. You caught it. We netted and

gaffed it for you after the fight.’

‘It’s yours then,’ the Hell Hound decided, facing the Old Man. ‘What dp you plan

to do with it?’

It flashed across Hort’s mind that these soldiers might be going to fine his

father for dragging the crab to the beach; they might call it a public nuisance

or something. He tightened his grip on the Old Man’s arm, but he’d never been

able to hold his father. –

‘I don’t know,’ Panit shrugged. ‘If the circus was still in town I’d try to

sell it to them. Can’t sell it for food – might be poisonous wouldn’t eat

it myself.’

‘I’ll buy it,’ the Hell Hound announced to their surprise. “The Prince has