Thieves World 4 – Storm Season by Asprin, Robert

himself filled with dread. “Is the storyteller with you?”

“I’m here,” Hakiem said for himself. “Though just the news that you are indeed

alive is story enough for a dozen tellings.”

“There’s more,” Jubal laughed bitterly, “believe me-there’s more. You won’t

regret your trip.”

“What is it?” Saliman insisted, alerted by the odd tone of the slaver’s voice.

“Wasn’t the cure successful?”

“Oh, I can walk well enough,” Jubal grimaced. “See for yourselves.” With that he

stepped through the doorway and into the sunlight.

Saliman and Hakiem each gasped at the sight of him; open astonishment was

written large on their faces. If the slaver had any doubts of his recent

decision, the confirmation was now before him. He forced himself to smile.

“Here’s the finale for your tale, Hakiem,” he said. “Jubal will be leaving these

parts now. Where so many others have failed, I myself have succeeded in out

witting Jubal.”

“What happened?” Saliman stammered.

“What the Lizerene said would happen-if we’d had the wit to listen to him

closely. He healed my legs by speeding my body’s processes. Unfortunately he had

to speed them all-not just those in my legs.”

Jubal was old. His hair was white and his skin had the brittle, fragile texture

of parchment once wet then left to dry in the sun. Though his muscle tone was

good there was none of a young man’s confidence in his stride or stance-only the

careful, studied movements of one who knows his natural days are nearing an end.

“It’s as much my fault as his,” the ex-gladiator admitted. “I was sneaking extra