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

recognized, thieves whose contorted features he had seen on the gallows. Hell

Hounds or mercenaries whom he had seen in Sanctuary for awhile and then saw no

more.

They were looking at him, now. and closing around him. Lalo began to run,

burrowing through the dark maze of this shadow Sanctuary like a maggot in an

ancient corpse, seeking some unimaginable safety.

‘Woman, you were fortunate to get me here at all!’ Alten Stulwig said stiffly.

‘My patients come to me. and I am certainly not accustomed to visiting this part

of town!’

‘But you know that my husband has influential friends who might object if you

let their pet artist die unseen, don’t you!’ said Gilla nastily. ‘So you stop

avoiding my eyes like a whore with her first customer and tell me what’s wrong

with him!’ She lifted an arm as broad as Stulwig’s thigh and he swallowed and

glanced nervously down at the man on the pallet.

‘It’s a complex case, and there’s no need to confuse you with medical

terminology.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I am afraid ‘

‘Now that I will believe!’ Gilla snatched his satchel and held it to her massive

breast.

‘What – what are you doing? Give me that!’

‘I don’t need your leech’s twaddle, nor your evasions either. Master Alten. You

just find something in this bag of yours that will make my man well!’ She thrust

it back at him and he shrugged, sighed, and opened it.

‘This is a stimulant, dograya. You steep it into a tea and spoonfeed him four

times a day. It will strengthen his heart, and who knows, it may bring him

around.’ He tossed the little packet on the coverlet and rummaged around in the