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

goddess, this Bey, that we must consider here.’

‘Her worshippers in Sanctuary are fugitives and the empire they fled from must

still be Her first concern. How much power can She have in Sanctuary?’ asked

Thilli. For a moment her husband Thufir leaned forward to listen and Lalo

flinched away from his eagle glance. The priests called Thufir the friend of the

Sikkintair as Ils was their master. They had taught him their far-seeing. Had he

ordered them to bring Lalo here?

‘I am tired of all this quarrelling,’ sighed Shipri. ‘I thought that when you

had bested the Rankans we would have peace again. I have finally come to an

understanding with Sabellia, and I suppose that this new goddess and I will have

to do the same. At least She is a goddess, and therefore more likely than a god

to be sensible about things.’

Lalo sat back, relieved. He had painted his own wife as Sabellia, and in the

past few minutes he had begun to fear Shipri’s jealousy. But Gilla resembled the

Sharp-Tongued One less and less these days, and he thought he would have

portrayed her as the nurturing Mother ofllsig now.

Then the splendour of the face of Ils was turned fully upon him, and, even in

this remade body unable to gaze into that light, Lalo cried out and hid his

eyes.

‘Son of Ils, come here…’ Sound was light, slivering painfully through Lalo’s

shut lids. He shook his head.

‘Lord, I have served in the temple of your enemies, and I am afraid.’

‘But I have defeated those enemies. Stand on your feet and come to Me!’

I have already died, thought Lalo. What else can He do to me? He opened his