Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

bird lived in a place without some fetor … but the perfume and the incense

were that strong, that he had not. He ignored the creature, poked about amid the

debris on a table, feminine clutter of small boxes and brocade.

And the steps creaked, outside. He cast about him in a sudden fright, knife at

the ready, slid in among the abundant shadows of the room. The steps reached the

top, and the bird stirred and beat his wings in gusts as the door opened.

Black robes cast a silhouette against the daylight; the lady turned unerringly

in his direction, took no fright at him or the knife, merely closed the door and

reached up and dropped her hood from a tumble of midnight hair about a sombre

face. ‘Mradhon Vis,’ she said quietly. She belonged in the dark of this place,

amid the clutter of worn and beautiful things. It was incredible that she could

ever have walked through sunlight.

‘Here,’ he said, ‘lady.’

‘Ischade,’ she named herself. ‘Do you make free of my lodgings?’

‘The man you were with last night. He’s dead.’

‘I’ve heard, yes.’ The voice was unreadable and cool. ‘We parted company. Sad. A

handsome boy.’ She walked to the slight illumination of the parchment panes,

drew an incense wand from others in a dragon vase and added it to the one which

was dying, a curl of pale smoke in the light. She looked back then. ‘So. I have

employment for you. I trust you’re not fastidious.’

‘Not often.’

‘You’ll find rewards. Gold. And it might be – further employment.’

‘I don’t shy off at much.’

‘I’ll trust not.’ She walked near him, and he recalled the knife and nipped it