Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

The prince sat down, with Bauchle Meyne in the place of honour by his side. The

rest of the royal party arrayed themselves around, and the parade began.

Wess and her friends moved closer together, in silence.

They would have no help from the prince.

The Processional gates swung open to the sound of flutes and drums. The music

continued for some while before anything else happened. Bauchle Meyne began to

look uncomfortable. Then abruptly a figure staggered out on to the path, as if

he had been shoved. The skeletally thin, red-haired man regained his balance,

straightened up, and gazed from side to side. The jeers confounded him. He

pushed his long cape off his shoulders to reveal his star-patterned black robe,

and took a few hesitant steps.

At the rope barrier’s first wooden supporting post, he stopped again. He

gestured towards it tentatively and spoke a guttural word.

The post sputtered into flame.

The people nearby drew back shouting, and the wizard lurched along the path,

first to one side, then the other, waving his hands at each wooden post in turn.

The foggy white circles melded together to light the way. Wess saw that the

posts were not, after all, burning. When the one in front of her began to shine,

she brought her hand towards it, palm forward and fingers outspread. When she

felt no heat she touched the post gingerly, then gripped it. It held no warmth,

and it retained its ordinary texture, splintery rough-hewn wood.

She remembered what Lythande said, about her having a

strong talent. She wondered if she could do the same thing. It would be a useful