Thieves World 7 – The Dead of Winter by Asprin, Robert

promise that sealed her fate. Not by sword or by any hand of man, the Thunderer

told her those many years ago. By water….

She shivered and forced herself to move on. So it had been when she sailed to

the island. On the way back there had been too much to do, plans to make. And

there was much to do now. She felt the water calling, calling. But she denied

it.

A new odor permeated the air, almost as bad as the barrel’s contents. She had

spent enough time with Rankan bestiarii to know a camel when she smelled one.

The odor was quite distinct. She moved silently and came, at last, to the pens

themselves.

Daxus-that was the first name Enas Yorl had whispered in her ear. For several

years the man had made his living standing night watch over Corlas’s beasts.

According to the wizard, however, he also made a little selling information

about caravan cargoes to various raider groups such as the desert-dwelling

Raggah. It was he, Enas Yorl claimed, who had arranged the attack on Daphne’s

caravan.

Chenaya fingered a folded length of gold chain that hung on her belt, and she

licked her lips. Now Daxus would pay as she had promised Daphne.

The pens were built of wooden posts set close together and planted deep in the

earth. The outer wall was a small fortification designed to foil would-be

thieves. It would require a grapple to climb it. There was only one gate, and it

would be barred from the inside. Because of the street disturbances, Daxus had

taken to sealing himself inside with the camels.

Noiselessly, she crept around the walls, peeking through the frequent tiny gaps.