Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

But the musicians reached for their clatter-sticks and the eunuchs guided her

rudely back to the cushions. She shook their hands away, aware that they

dared not hurt her, but then her attention, and the attention of everyone in the

tent, was riveted to a newcomer, a more appropriate man-god who had eased out

of the darkness and held an unsheathed dagger in his left hand.

He was tall, massive, etched with the harsh lines of a rough and feral man. The

one whom she had mistaken for the man-god embraced the newcomer with hearty

familiarity. ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t show up, Tempus.’

‘Both you and He had my word. Torchholder is a canny man; he distrusts me

already -T could not walk in right behind you, my Prince.’

‘She is beautiful…’ the Prince mused, glancing to Seylalha for the first

time. ‘You’ve reconsidered? It would be for the best if you did … even now.

Her beauty means nothing to me. None of this means anything to me except

that it must be done and I must do it.’

‘Yes, you’re the one to do it… though she is more tempting than I would have

thought possible.’

The chiefmost of the gowned eunuchs moved to separate the men, giving the

interloper a stiff punch on the shoulder. Seylalha, who could read the language

of movement, froze in terror as the feral stranger turned, hesitated and

plunged the dagger deep into the eunuch’s chest all within the space of a few

heartbeats. The other ‘women’ who saw little more than a blur of movement,

wailed and groaned in terror as the dead eunuch collapsed to the rough