Thieves World 4 – Storm Season by Asprin, Robert

but the motion triggered Zanderei’s words in his memory.

“Have you ever painted your own portrait?”

Lalo shuddered suddenly, violently. Could even Enas Yorl lift the curse this man

had laid upon his soul? He heard the irregular tramp of men trying to march in

close order over an uneven road. The sound was louder now-in a few moments they

would pass his alleyway. In a few moments the waters would be here.

“What will you see when you have murdered me?”

Without conscious decision, Lalo found himself running stiffly towards the

Serpentine.

“Ho there! Guards-he is hiding in the sewers-down this alley!” He held his

ground while they debated, knowing that they could not recognize him under the

sodden clothes and mud, and motioned to them to follow him.

Then he pounded down the alley, bent to wrestle the bar from the shaft-cover and

ran on until he found the dark overhang of a staircase to shelter him. Below he

felt a trembling and heard the hiss of many waters, and, just as the wooden lid

of the shaft was knocked aside, the hollow boom of water forced upward through

too narrow a way.

Something dark clung to the rim of the shaft, like a rat flooded from its hole,

then clambered the rest of the way out once the fury of the waters had passed.

But now the Hell-Hounds surrounded the shaft. There was a flurry of movement and

Lalo heard swearing and a cry of pain. Among the voices he distinguished the

soft tones of the Emperor’s Commissioner.

“Is that who you say you are?” A deep voice, Quag’s voice, replied. “Well, if