Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

handsome self!’

The rangy young man called Shadowspawn had left her then. Smile and even

pleasant expression left his face and he swaggered like a Mrsevadan gamecock.

Face and walk were part of his image, which none would dare say might stem from

insecurity. Still, Moonflower’s words would not have made him smile anyhow. He

was not handsome and knew it, as he knew that his height was no more than

average. The biggest thing about him was his ego – although his lips, which some

thought were sensuous, were to him too full. His nickname others had given him.

He did not dislike it; his mentor Cudget Swearoath had told him a nickname was

good to have – even such a one as ‘Swearoath’. Hanse was just a name;

Shadowspawn was dramatic, with a romantic and rather sinister sound that

appealed to the youth.

He left Moonflower remembering how he had indeed dallied with a beauty of means.

Highborn she was not, though she had been from the palace, and richly garbed.

Hanse had been touched both in his ego and in his greed, by her attentions. Only

later had he discovered that it was not truly he she was interested in. She and

a fellow plotter were in the employ of someone back in Ranke -the Emperor

himself, perhaps envious or wary of Kadakithis’s good looks? – who wanted to

discredit and destroy the new Prince-Governor, him they called Kitty-K-at. They

had elected to use Hanse in their plot; Hanse had been their dupe! – for a

while.

But that was done with, and on this later day he left Moon-flower and swaggered

along the streets. His eyes were hooded and the weapons all too obvious on him.