Thieves World 5 – The Face of Chaos by Asprin, Robert

know that those clowns in armour who parade the streets these days are no more

Stepsons than I’m a Hell Hound. Oh, they have the height and the hair of those

they replaced, but they’re poor substitutes for the mercenaries who long ago

followed Tempus off to the Northern Wars.’

‘Of course.’Jubal smiled vaguely.

A small purse found its way from his tunic to his hand, and he pushed it across

the table to the storyteller.

‘Here,’ he instructed, ‘use this to buy yourself a charm, a good one, against

poison. Violence in the courts is quieter, but no less rough than that you know

from the Maze, and tasters are not always reliable.’

‘What I really need is a guard against their snakes,’ Hakiem grimaced, making

the purse vanish with a wave of his hand. ‘I’ll never get used to having so many

reptiles about.’

‘Check with me next week,’ Jubal answered absently. ‘I have people working on an

antidote for that particular poison. That is, of course, assuming you decide to

retain your position. A street storyteller has no need of such protection.’

‘You have one of the beynit?’ the talesmith asked, impressed in spite of

himself.

‘They aren’t that hard to come by,’ the ex-crimelord responded casually, ‘which

reminds me. If you need a tidbit to keep your patroness happy with your

services, tell her that not all the snakebite victims appearing lately are her

people’s work. There are those who would discredit her court by duplicating

their methods.’

Hakiem raised his eyebrow in silent question, but Jubal shook his head.

‘None of mine,’ he declared, ‘though the idea bears further study in the future.