Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

–

She heard the sigh, the involuntary gasp of wonder as Satan spread his wings,

and flew.

Above her. Aerie’s shadow cut the air. Wess pulled off her cloak and waved it,

signalling. Aerie dived for the tent, swooped, and landed.

Wess drew her knife and started sawing at a guy-rope. She had been careful

enough of the edge so it sliced through fairly quickly. As she hurried to the

next line, she heard the tone of the crowd gradually changing, as people began

to notice something amiss. Quartz and Chan were doing their work, too. Wess

chopped at the second rope. As the tent began to collapse, she heard tearing

canvas above where Aerie ripped through the roof with her talons. Wess sliced

through a third rope, a fourth. The breeze flapped the sagging fabric against

itself. The canvas cracked and howled like a sail. Wess heard Bauchle Meyne

screaming, ‘The ropes! Get the ropes, the ropes are breaking!’

The tent fell from three directions. Inside, people began to shout, then to

scream, and they tried to flee. A few spilled out into the parade-ground, then a

mob fought through the narrow opening. The shriek of frightened horses pierced

the crowd-noise, and the scramble turned to panic. The skewbald horses burst

through the crush, scattering people right and left, Satan’s empty cart lurching

and bumping along behind. More terrified people streamed out after them. All the

guards from the palace fought against them, struggling to get inside to their

prince.

Wess turned to rejoin Quartz and Chan, and froze in horror. In the shadows