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

compare? She bowed her head, rocking back and forth while the chanting

continued, sweetly counselling acceptance of life’s eternal round of birth and

death, and the tears she had so long suppressed fell like rain upon the marble

floor.

The priestesses had finished and the chapel was silent when Gilla felt Vanda’s

touch on her shoulder and let her daughter lead her out into the harsh sunlight

of Sanctuary.

‘Don’t tell me,’ said Vanda. ‘Goronesh wouldn’t even see you, and those

hypocrites who served Shipri told you that loss is part of the burden that women

must bear.’

Gilla looked back at the golden dome of the Temple, still half-sheathed in

scaffolding. ‘Am I selfish to want Lalo back? I thought I was the strong one,

but I need him!’

‘Of course you do!’ said Vanda stoutly. ‘And so do we!’ Her hair in the sunlight

was the same bright copper Lalo’s had been when he was young, but her grey eyes

were troubled. Gilla swallowed the last of her tears and briskly wiped her eyes.

‘You’re right -I don’t know what got into me!’

‘And now will you come with me to see the Lady Kurrekai?’ For the first time

since leaving the Temple, Gilla took note other surroundings, and realized that

instead of turning down the Avenue of Temples towards the town they were

walking along the outer wall of the Palace Square. She sighed.

‘Very well. Let us see what the foreigner can do, for it’s certain I’ll get no

help from mage or god of Sanctuary!’

The Prince had obligingly offered rooms for the Beysa and her court in the

Palace, though perhaps he was only making a virtue of necessity. Gilla wondered