Part 34 (2/2)

”Now,” he went on calmly, ”I think a bit of your soldierly skills are needed. Can you take out that guard without raising the alarm?”

I thought so, and also thought that Kutulu was talking too much. I touched my finger to my lips, pointed to the ground- stay here. Stay silent. I considered various possibilities, then crept around the corner. I held close to the wall, and moved forward. I was relatively unworried. Unless I stumbled over something, there would be no way me sentry could be alert-ed-he would be night-blind and unable to see me.

I kept my eyes on the cobbles in front of me, and never looked directly at the man in front of me. I refuse to accept any senses beyond the normal, except those seers might develop, but it's a fact that if you stare at the back of someone's head long and hard enough, he will turn.

I'd thought of taking him down with my knife, but in spite of my a.s.surances to Kutulu I was not really an artist with the small blade. The leaded gloves were a better solution. A few feet from the guard I went into a crouch, then went forward, not fast, but very smoothly, rising to my full height, and smas.h.i.+ng the back of my fisted hand against his neck. His body contorted, I grabbed his sword before it could fall and clatter on the cobbles, and I eased him to the ground. I don't know if he was dead, but if he was not he'd be out for a very long time and very sick if he came to.

I went back to Kutulu, and we slipped to the mouth of the tunnel.

The chamber inside was rectangular, fairly large, with an arching brick roof. I saw two other entrances, both with large wooden doors. It did, indeed, resemble a temple, since there were benches from front to back and a low dais in the front.

The man speaking did have the rolling, sonorous speech of a priest, but he certainly didn't look imposing. Rather, he looked like the jolly fat grover in the market, complete with a small fringe of a beard.

And his words were anything but religious: ”... but it isn't the gold which we must be thinking of at this most important time, Brother.”

There were about sixty men and women sitting on the benches, all cleanly dressed and sober-appearing, paying no attention to anything but the speaker. Among them I saw the Marchioness Fenelon and some other n.o.blemen and -women I'd seen around Nicias. I spotted Count-or rather former Count-Komroff, whom I'd seen holding forth the evening I first met Mardn. But n.o.bles were in the minority-most of the people in the audience were poor or working cla.s.s in their desperately scrubbed best outfits.

I saw Kutulu's head swiveling from man to woman to man, creating new entries for his file.

The man whom the priest, for so I kept thinking him to be, had been addressing frowned, not satisfied.

”I know, Brother. But when a loyal Sister tells me she must have food for her babies, it's hard to tell her not to reap the spoils she's ent.i.tled, the spoils Thak promised us.”

A man sitting with his back to me rose, and I recognized Malebranche.

”Sir... since I'm not a member of your order, I cannot call you Brother... let me repeat what I've said before. My master has more than enough gold to provide for all.”

Son of a b.i.t.c.h! Quite suddenly it was obvious why Elias Malebranche had been in Sayana. It wasn't merely to stir up trouble and attempt to make an alliance with Achim Baber Fergana, but also to work with the Tovieti. Now, from what Malebranche was saying, the Kallian was bankrolling them as well. It was apparent we'd come on the Inner council, or whatever they called it, of the stranglers.

Kutulu's eyes widened briefly, probably as much surprise as the lawman could show.

The fat ”priest” nodded.

”Thank you, sir. Brother, tell that woman in your band what our friend said, and tell her also to have faith in our coming victory. We cannot name who our friend's master is, although I'm sure many of you know. Also tell your woman why we must not linger over our kills.

”We have the wardens in a frenzy, the commoners quaking, n.o.bility fleeing their estates for safe havens that don't exist, and even the Rule of Ten must be beginning to tremble. Think what it must be, when you do not know your enemy, nor where die silken cord may come from at any time, day or night, but know it is coming, as inexorably as the Wheel turns.

”Even the old gray G.o.ds must be shuddering at the new day we are about to bring.

”The minute one of us is caught, a bit of the mystery, the fear, the darkness that is the blanket we love, vanishes.

”Thak is content; Thak has his blood and a chance to play with the souls of those we kill before they return to the Wheel. Our day will be here very soon.”

There was a murmur of pleasure. A woman stood. ”Brother, p'rhaps everything you're sayin' is true.

But why're we listenin' to this man, this n.o.bleman, one of the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds we've given our lives to send into th' Darkness? He ain't joinin' us, he's made that clear. But we're willin' to take his gold. What's his stake?

What's his master's stake?

”An' Brother, I don't need any fine words. I want answers.” ”You'll find out when the time comes,”

Malebranche snarled. ”Until then, you've no right to ask my business.”

”Stop!” The fat man snapped, and I heard raw power in his tone. ”Never address any of us in such a tone again, or be prepared to face our wrath. She has all the right to speak she wishes, sir. Let me remind you that the Sister is right. We are dedicated to bringing you, and all you now represent, down.

”Your master is helping us a.s.sist him in bringing down the Rule of Ten. Very well, very good. We are not fools, so we know he intends to return to the old days and old ways and sit the throne as king of all Numantia.

*”That may happen, that may not happen. Thak has allowed us to work together thus far. But do not ever think we are your servants. If your master reneges on his promises to create a society of equals, to distribute the lands, the gold, and the women of the rich pigs of Dara among us... our war can always continue, sir.

”Our war can continue until the Wheel is choked with the corpses of those who do not follow Thak, and yours may well be one of them! Be warned, sir, and be aware, as should your master, that our alliance is but of the moment, and can be shattered with a single word or a single dream sent by Thak, who even now sits just Beyond, watching all we say and do.”

We'd heard enough. We stole back into darkness. I pulled at the lever and the hatch rose, and we went out into the clean night Neither Kutulu nor I said a word*-this vast conspiracy, stretching from Kallio to the Border States to Nicias itself, was too enormous, and shocked us both to our cores. Seer Tenedos must learn what was going on and then plans could be made.

We went up the alleyway at a fast walk, still worried that there might be some outside sentries. I could not believe the arrogance of the Tovieti in holding a meeting with no more than one guard, but then realized they truly did believe they owned the night, and were comfortable in its blanket We were halfway up the alley when the ground shook and I heard a sc.r.a.ping, grating roar-a tremblor! But when I turned and looked back the river was undisturbed, nor did any building sway.

The street itself was turning, cobbles being churned away, a ridge snaking toward us as if some enormous, not-yet-visible mole were tunneling toward us, moving faster than a man could run, or a horse could trot!

We ran for our lives, out of the alley and onto the street.

But that was no sanctuary. The unseen digger raced on us, and then the stones of the street rained away and a dark, slime-gleaming shape reared out of the ground.

d not need sentries Thak had his own minions posted.

NINETEEN.

The CollapseThe demon struck at Kutulu, and he tried to duck away, I but was too slow, and a tentacle had him by the ankle. Yet he did not scream, or panic, but somehow pulled his knife, slashed at the tentacle, and fell free.

Again came that sc.r.a.ping roar, and the monster's mouth was reaching for me. I hurled my own knife, a truly worthless defense, and it pinwheeled end for end, bouncing harmlessly off the creature's hide. The tentacles swept out, and I rolled underneath mem, kept moving while my fingers found that tiny bottle. I yanked the stopper free with my teeth, spat inside, then tossed the bottle at the demon.

There was a flash of light mat nearly bunded me, than a howl of rage as Tenedos's captive exploded to its full size.

Demon-roar, monster-growl, and I dimly heard shouts from the houses around us as people awoke.

The demon's head snaked out, and took on the creature, then Thak's guardian bellowed pain as its jaws closed on spikes and the beast's tail swung and its mace smashed into the monster's slimy sides. It rolled, still in the demon's jaws, bent its head, and, snarling like a pack of lions over a kill, ripped and tore at the demon with its own fangs. The two nightmares, each bund in its own rage, rolled and ripped at each other, mere humans forgotten for the momentK”The water!” I shouted, and Kutulu stumbled to his feet and we went back down that alley, running across the pier as the trapdoor yawned open. I did not look to see who was coming out, but flat-dove straight out into darkness. I hit the water cleanly, surfaced, and began swimming away.

I heard a shout for help. Kutulu! ”I... I can't swim!” I saw floundering arms above the dark water, and swam for them as they went under, then had him. Kutulu clutched at me, and I banged the heel of my hand into his forehead to stun him, pulled away, dove under, and came up behind him.

I had his chin in my arm, his groping, panicked arms flailing without effect, and was swimming hard, a strong side-stroke, once more.

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