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

discovered not malice, not anger, but insouciance, even humour on the part of

the perpetrator, this witch, this northron demigoddess, be she what she was. The

affront lay there a good long while, gnawing at the laissez-faire on which her

peace was founded – for, without that habit of laziness, she hungered more

often; and that hunger led to tragedies.

Such a thing had happened because she was lazy, because there were costs of

power she had never wished to pay. This witch slaughtered children, plucking

them from her hands; and dropped the matter at her door. This witch went her

way, indifferent, having fouled her nest, her eyes set on further ambitions, in

professional disregard. This was worth, after thought, a certain anger; and

anger eroded itself a place and grew. She ought, Ischade thought, to thank the

Nisi witch for this discovery, that there were other appetites, and one great

one which could assuage that moon-driven hunger that had held her, so, so long.

She understood – oh, very much of what passed in the streets, having been on the

bridge, having been everywhere in Sanctuary, black-robed, wrapped in more than

robes when she chose to be. The world tottered. The sea-folk intruded, assuming

power; Wizardwall and Stepsons fought, with ambitions all their own; Jubal

planned

– whatever Jubal planned; young hotheads dealt in swords on either side; death

squads invaded uptown; while across the White Foal the beggar-king Moruth made

his own bid. All the while the prince sat in his palace and intrigued with