Thieves World 3 – Shadows of Sanctuary by Asprin, Robert

then of more rewards than gold. ‘You have protections, do you?’

A second time that cool look. ‘I assure you it’s well thought out.’

‘Protections for me as well.’

‘They’d be far less interested in you.’ She walked back to the table, to the

light, a shadow against it. ‘This evening,’ she said, ‘you’ll earn the gold I

gave you. But perhaps, just perhaps, you ought to go out again. And come back

again when I tell you. To prove you know that my door isn’t yours.’

Heat surged to his face, words into his mouth. He thought of the money and it

stifled the rest.

‘Now,’ she said. ‘About the other thing you have in mind … well, that might

come later, mightn’t it? But you choose, Mradhon Vis. There’s gold … or other

rewards. And you can tell me which you’d like. Ah. Both, perhaps. Ambition. But

know me better, Mradhon Vis, before you propose anything aloud. You might not

like my terms. Take the gold. The likes of Sjekso Kinzan is commoner than you.

And far less to regret.’

So she had killed the boy. Markless, and cold and stiff within sight of the

doorway which might have saved him. He thought about it… and the ambition

persisted. It was power. And that was more than the money, much more.

‘You’ll go now,’ she said very, very softly. ‘I wouldn’t tempt you. Consider we

have a bargain. Now get out.’

No one talked to him after that fashion … at least not twice. But he found

himself silenced and his steps tending to the door. He stopped there and looked

back to prove he could.

‘I’ve needed a man of your sort,’ she said, ‘in certain ways.’