Part 17 (1/2)

Andrea spoke up. ”Because probably the news is all over Pandathaway by now, and somebody is going to be looking for whoever did it, stupid. I thought that Walter was just joking before. Tell me, Karl, have you ever thought about the consequences ofa””

”Shut up.” That was from Doria, oddly enough. Her defending Karl made little sense. ”Tell me, Karl; Did you think about the consequences?”

Karl didn't answer for a moment; he sat there tailor-fas.h.i.+on, his body relaxed and loose, his eyes misty like an absurdly overmuscled Buddha. ”To be honest, I didn't. It... it was important enough that... consequences just didn't matter. I'm sorry if you're upseta””

”Upset?” Andrea was almost hysterical. ”If they find out who did this, we all could get killed.”

Doria's face clouded over. ”He said that it was important enough, didn't he? I don't understand whya”but maybe I don't have to. We alla””

Andrea threw up her hands. ”That's the trouble with you,” she shrilled at Karl, ignoring Doria, ”you're always so d.a.m.n intense about everything. That's whya”never mind.” She shook her head slowly, rubbing at her eyes. ”It's done.”

Ahira picked up on that. ”Right. It's done.” He turned to Karl. ”Did anyone see you three?”

”No.” Karl chewed on his lower lip. ”And besides, around here, the three of us aren't all that unusual-looking. Maybe even if someone did see us, and somebody else links that to Ellegon getting awaya””

”a”it might not matter,” Ahira finished. Well, that wasn't likely, but at least it was a possibility. ”But let's not take chances. I don't want you three to be seen together in public until we're gone from Pandathaway. And we'd better arrange to get out of here soon. Soon as possible. And that means that you and I'd better do well enough in the Games tomorrow so that we can buy what we need quickly, and get out of here.” He considered that for a moment. ”Better: We buy just what we need to get to Aeryk, and finish outfitting ourselves there.”

Aristobulus c.o.c.ked his head to one side. ”I'll still need another two days in the Library, at least. I've gotten one of my spells back, but I need the Fire spell, and I think, with a bit of effort, I could puzzle out the spell that would let me bring writing materials past the Glypha””

”No.” Ahira made that as final as possible. ”We don't have time for all that. You and Andrea each have one spell to relearna”you do that tomorrow morning while we get ready to leave after the Games.”

Hakim lifted his head. ”I've got a better idea. We could have Ari Glow a blade or twoa”we ran into a smith who might pay nicely for it, if Doria handles the negotiations, And then he can relearn both that and his Lightning spell. That way...”

”Good.” Ahira nodded. ”And that's the way we do it. Where are these Games taking place?”

”Mmmm.” The thief spread his arms, embarra.s.sed. ”To be perfectly honest, we got kind of disa””

”At the Coliseum,” Aristobulus snorted. ”North side of the city. The oddsmakers set up their tables at dawn; contestants have to be there by midmorning. Anything else you need to know? It's fortunate that at least one of us spent some time asking questionsa””

”Enough.” Ahira cut him off. ”Spilled milk. Doria?”

”Yes?”

”You and Walter take care of placing the bets on us. Don't go deep into our money, but if Karl and I are as good as I think we are, we shouldn't have any problem winning. And since we're new here, I beta””

Doria nodded. ”a”that you'll be undervalued. Fine. How much should we put down?”

Karl spoke up. ”That's not the way you gamble. Not if you know what you're doing. Figure out what we need, find out what the odds are, and then you'll know how much to bet.”

Andrea stood and stretched. ”Well, unless you've got something for me to do, I'm going to wash up”a”she put her hand over her mouth to stifle a yawna””and then get some sleep. That meal's going to my head.” She started to walk away, then stopped and turned. ”One thinga”what if you and Karl don't win?”

Ahira shook his head. ”You're looking at it the wrong way. a”Now, Doria and Hakim, I want to go over what you've got to buy tomorrow, just at a minimum. That way, you can price it out, and know what you'll have to bet in order to make the kind of money we need.”

Andrea scowled down at him. ”What do you mean, I'm looking at it the wrong way?”

He sighed. She still hadn't worked it out? ”Karl, tell her.”

The big man shrugged. ”Look at it this way: We don't have enough money to buy what we need to get out of Pandathaway, and this is the only way I can see of making it in a hurry. And whoever's in charge of this place is probably looking for me right now, and isn't likely to think all that highly of the rest of you. So...”

”So?”

”So we'd d.a.m.n well better win, hadn't we?”

CHAPTER ELEVEN:.

The Games.

A man cannot be too careful in his choice of enemies.

a”Oscar Wilde.

Karl frowned. The place felt normal, but the chatter was strange. The swordsmen's pit beneath the right-hand limb of the Coliseum was a large bare room of gray stone, lit only by a few flickering oil lamps that dangled from the ceiling. The air was cold and damp; the reeking sawdust that covered the dirt floor should have been changed long ago.

But the conversation was positively merry.

”Bet I get past the second round without two marks on my hide, and youa””

”You serious? I put down a couple of silver on myself, but I only got thirty-to-one I make it to the finals. Who you betting with? I've been going to Antrius, that slimy son of a dungflya””

”Well, of course Ohlmin's going to grab first. n.o.body else can move near that fast. So I'm not holding back anything in the early rounds; I'll be satisfied if I can just get into the finalsa””

''You're dreaming, friend. Or crazy. Dwarves are no d.a.m.n good with longbows; they're just too short. Although the little b.u.g.g.e.rsa”''

A pinch-faced elf waved the hundred or so swordsmena”humans, elves, dwarves, and curious mixes that Karl couldn't quite identifya”to a semblance of silence. Standing on a waist-high stone block in the center of the high-ceilinged room, he wore a light-blue tunic with matching leggings, a gold headband that marked him as an official of the Games, and a bored expression that proclaimed that being around a bunch of ill-washed swordsmen was not his ultimate pleasure in life.

”I am,” he intoned, ”Khoralt ip Therranj, Wineseller's Delegate to the Guilds' Councila””

”So bring us some wine!” a mocking voice called out from the crowd.

The elf sighed. ”If you will all keep silent for a few moments, just a few moments, this will be over, and you can proceed to the winning of some money.” He made as though to step down, but moved back toward the center of his pedestal as the rush of noise diminished somewhat. He went on: ”I will be the chief official of the swords compet.i.tion. The top prize will be two hundred pieces of gold; lesser prizes in the usual ratios.”

The same voice called out, ”If it's as usual, then why are you wasting our time telling us?”

Karl looked over at him. He was a thin, dark man, dresseda” like all the other contestantsa”only in sandals, leggings, and tunic; armor was not allowed in Pandathaway's Games. Karl had a flash of dislike; the swordsman's crossed-arms slouch, his thin smirk, his whole manner suggested that he was slumming, that he was too good to be here, with ordinary warriors.

Khoralt sighed. ”Perhaps not everyone here is a veteran of the Games, Ohlmin. I see some new faces; perhaps there are some men who would not even recognize you.”

The thin mana”Ohlmina”shook his head. ”If they don't now, they will soon.” He smiled thinly. ”Business has been slow, latelya”I've an order to fill in Aeryk, and if I don't win today, I won't have enough coin to make my purchases.”

The elf shook his head. ”Your business concerns are not germane, but...” He shrugged, raising his head to address the crowd. ”Ohlmin, here, has won the swords compet.i.tion every time that he has entered it, whenever his selection of slaves has dipped low enough that he's needed the extra coin.” He turned back to Ohlmin. ”Now, is that sufficient acknowledgment?”

Ohlmin paused. ”For now,” He smiled.

In another setting, Karl would have wanted to wipe the smirk off Ohlmin's face, but drawing attention to himself for no profit hardly seemed to be a good idea.

”Before I begin,” Khoralt continued, ”an announcement. Our sewer dragon, as most of you know, escaped yesterday. It is not known if he managed to free himself, or if he was aided. If necessary, the Wizards' Guild will discover which. But in any case, there is a standing reward of three thousand pieces of gold for the capture of the one or ones responsible, if any.”