Part 29 (2/2)

”Your task becomes delicate and even dangerous, since we will wish to question him with meticulous precision. He will ignore your orders, and attempt a sly trick of some kind; you must drop this circlet of suheil over his neck; otherwise he will kill you with a gust from his mouth.”

s.h.i.+mrod dubiously examined the ring of fine wire which Murgen had placed upon the table. ”This ring will subdue Zagzig and make him pa.s.sive?”

”Exactly so. You can then bring him back to Swer Smod, where our inquiries can be made at leisure.”

”And if he proves obstreperous?”

Murgen went to the mantelpiece and returned with a shortsword in a scabbard of worn black leather. ”This is the sword Tace. Use it for your protection, though I prefer that you bring Zagzig submissively to Swer Smod. Come now into the tire room; we must arrange a guise for you. It is not fitting that you should be identified as s.h.i.+mrod the Magician. If we must violate our own edict, at least let us do it by stealth.”

s.h.i.+mrod rose to his feet. ”Remember to counsel Vus and Vuwas, so that they extend me a more civilized welcome upon my return.”

Murgen brushed aside the complaint. ”First things first. At the moment, Zagzig must be your only concern.”

”As you say.”

III.

The River Evander, where it met the Atlantic Ocean, pa.s.sed by a city of great antiquity, known to the poets of Wales, Ireland, Dahaut, Armorica and elsewhere as 'Ys the Beautiful', and 'Ys of the Hundred Palaces', and 'Ys of the Ocean': a city so romantic, grand and rich that all subsequently claimed it for their own.

Still and all, Ys was not a city of great ostentation, nor magnificent temples, nor public occasions of any kind; Ys, indeed, was steeped in mysteries, old and new. The single concession the folk of Ys made to prideful display were the statues of mythical heroes ranked around the four Consancts, at the back of the central plaza. The inhabitants, in the language spoken nowhere else, called themselves 'Yssei': folk of Ys. By tradition they had come to the Elder Isles in four companies; over the course of history the companies had maintained their ident.i.ties, to be come, in effect, four secret societies, with functions and rites more fiercely guarded than life itself. For this reason, and others, the society was controlled by intricate customs and delicate etiquette, subtle beyond the understanding of alien folk.

The wealth of Ys and its people was proverbial, and derived from its function as a depot of trade and trans-s.h.i.+pment between the known world and far places to the south and west. Along the Evander and up the slopes to either side the Yessei palaces gleamed white through the foliage of the old gardens. Twelve arched bridges spanned the river; avenues paved with granite flags followed each bank; with tow-paths skirting the sh.o.r.e, that barges laden with fruits, flowers, produce of all kinds, might be conveyed to the folk living at a distance from the central market. The largest structures of Ys were the four Consancts at the back of the plaza, where the factors of the four septs transacted their business.

The waterfront was considered a separate community by the folk of Ys; they called it 'Abri', or 'Place of Outlanders'. In the harbour district were the shops of small merchants, chand leries, foundries and forges, s.h.i.+pyards, sail-makers' lofts, rope-walks, warehouses, taverns and inns.

Of these inns, one of the largest and best was the Sunset Inn, identified by a sign showing a red sun sinking into an ultramarine ocean, with yellow clouds drifting above. In front of the Sunset Inn tables and benches served the convenience of those who might wish to take food or drink in the open air, while observing events in the square. Beside the door, sardines grilled over glowing coals, emitting a delectable odor and attracting customers who might otherwise have pa.s.sed by unheeding.

Late in the afternoon s.h.i.+mrod, in the guise of an itinerant man-at-arms, arrived at Ys. He had darkened his skin and his hair was now black, while a simple cantrap of eighteen syllables had altered his features, causing him to appear hard-bitten, crafty and saturnine. At his side hung the shortsword Tace and a dagger: weapons adequate to the image he wished to project. He went directly to the Sunset Inn where, as it might seem from Rylf's report, Zagzig the shybalt had gone to keep a rendezvous. As s.h.i.+mrod approached, the odor of grilling sardines reminded him that he had not eaten since morning.

s.h.i.+mrod pa.s.sed through the doorway and into the common room, where he halted to take stock of the company. Which of these persons, if any, would be the shybalt from Xabiste? None sat brooding alone in a corner; none hunched watchfully with hooded eyes over a goblet of wine.

s.h.i.+mrod went to the service counter. Here stood the inn keeper-a person short and plump, with cautious black eyes in a round red face. He nodded his head politely. ”Your needs, sir?”

”First, I want accommodation for a day or so,” said s.h.i.+mrod. ”I prefer a quiet chamber and a bed free of vermin. Then I will take my supper.”

The innkeeper wiped his hands on his ap.r.o.n, meanwhile taking note of s.h.i.+mrod's well-worn garments. ”Such arrangements can be made, and no doubt to your satisfaction. But first: a detail. Over the years I have been robbed right and left, up and down, by ruthless scoundrels, until at last my natural generosity became sour and now I am excessively provident. In short, I wish to see the color of your money before taking the transaction any farther.”

s.h.i.+mrod tossed a silver form upon the counter. ”My stay may be of several days. This coin, of good silver, should adequately cover my expenses.”

”It will at least open your account,” said the innkeeper. ”As it happens, a chamber of the type you require is ready for occupancy. What name shall I write into my general register?”

”You may know me as 'Tace',” said s.h.i.+mrod.

”Very well, Sir Tace. The boy will show you to your chamber. Fonsel! At once! Show Sir Tace to the large west chamber!”

”One moment,” said s.h.i.+mrod. ”I wonder if a friend of mine arrived at about this time yesterday, or perhaps a bit later. I am not sure as to what name he might be using.”

”Several visitors came yesterday,” said the innkeeper. ”What is your friend's appearance?”

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