nearly lost the battle when he glimpsed the priest biting his lower lip.
“I’m taking Stealth back downstairs,” Stormbringer’s daughter announced,
effortlessly holding the grown man in her arms. “Is anyone coming with me?”
She had strength and power it was dangerous to mock, however immature its
manifestation. Not even Randal, who of the men was the most clearly respectful
of gods and magic, dared to answer her.
“What now?” Randal asked, easing himself onto the stool Ischade had used.
Jihan’s touch had cleansed and sealed the surfaces of his wounds; he had his own
healing resources to call on but his continuing tremors indicated that the
little mage had not yet paid the full price for the day’s exertions.
With the last of the women departed, Tempus felt his confidence returning: “For
you-rest. If we need you again we’ll need you healthy. Go stay with Jihan and
Niko if you can’t finish the job yourself over at the Mageguild. Crit, you get
someone in that damn house others. And get Kama-however you have to do it. The
rest of us will see about restoring the appearance of order in this damn place
before that ship docks.”
He looked out the window again as trumpets blared from the gateways; Shupansea
had evidently reached her advisors. Squads of Burek fighters, deadly swordsmen
and archers despite their baggy silk pantaloons and polished scalps, were
double-timing across the courtyards. Either all Beysib were nearsighted like
their empress and believed the entire Rankan fleet loomed beyond the horizon, or