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

things settle down, I suppose. But the boat from Death’s Harbour will put in

there at midnight. I think, sir. I tell stories for a living, and I’ve learned

to sew them together from this word and that word I hear. But it doesn’t usually

matter if my pattern is the same one that the gods wove to begin with.’

‘Well,’ Samlor said after consideration, ‘I don’t think my first look at this

place had better be after dark. There’ll be a watchman or the like, I suppose

… but we’ll deal with that when we find it. I -‘ he paused and looked straight

at the younger man instead of continuing to eye the harbour. ‘We agreed that

your pay would be the full story when I had it to tell … and you’ll have that.

But it may be I won’t be talking much after tonight, so take this,’ his clenched

hand brushed Hort’s flexed to empty into the other’s palm, ‘and take my

friendship. You’ve – acted as a man in this thing, and you have neither blood

nor honour to drive you to it.’

‘One thing more,’ said the youth. ‘The Beysib – the Setmur clan, I mean – are

real sailors, and they know their fishing, too … But there are things they

don’t know about the harbourages here, around Sanctuary. I don’t think they know

that there’s a tunnel through the east headland of the cove they’ve chosen for

whatever they’re going to do.’ Hort managed a tight smile. Sweat beaded on his

forehead. The risk he was taking by getting involved with the stranger was very

real, though most of the specific dangers were more nebulous to him than they

were to Samlor. ‘One end of the tunnel opens under the corniche of the headland.