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glass, low, I swung back to face into the room. The guards were smirking away, one to the other, letting
their lord see how much they admired his astuteness.
There were four strides to the desk  three if I jumped a trifle.
Three strides took me there, that wicked curved dagger came free of Trylon Nath s scabbard, and the
broad, sharp blade pressed against his neck.
 Just all hold still, I said, cheerfully.
Trylon Nath was a rigid lump. He knew a single twitch from that deadly curved blade could slit his throat
from ear to ear.
 Yes, trylon, I told him.  And will slit your damned throat. Now you will play my game, and not your
cheating brand of damned Vajikry.
 You are a dead man, Jak the Sturr.
 And, my friend, so are you, if that be the case. Now, up with you. I am tired of games.
The guards sweated. They looked at me and I looked at them. They knew the score.
 We are going to take a little walk. I didn t care if I sounded like a cheap melodrama down on Wharf
Street in Vondium.  You have a voller? Good. I shall regard that as fair quittance for unwanted
hospitality. Then I wounded him sorely.  And for a damned cheating rogue who wins foul at Vajikry.
 Never! he said, and he tried to twist that gaunt head to glare at me. The blade bit and he choked.  I
had you  you know nothing of the arts of Vajikry 
 I know enough to know when to take a dagger to your scrawny throat. Move! And I amplified that
with:  Bratch!
He jumped.
We went out of the room and if the guards thought to stop me they saw my face and made no move.
Which was the wiser course for them. We went up the stairs, and retainers and servitors shrank away as
the trylon called, hoarsely:  Let us pass. This mad leem means me ill.
 Right, trylon, I said.  Absolutely right!
 You will spare me my life? I can give you wealth 
 A voller is all I need. And, Trylon Nath Orscop, I may return your voller to you, one day, and play
another game of Vajikry with you. It is, I own, infuriating and fascinating.
A thought struck me. They had in the nature of these things stripped my splendid mesh steel from me and
taken my weapons away. I am so used to padding about in the old scarlet breechclout I d clean forgot I
owned a pretty little arsenal, and fine armor.
 Oh, trylon. Bid your people bring my belongings. All of them. And the bright curved kalider twitched
against his skin.
 You heard! shrieked Nath Orscop.  Run, you nulshes! Fetch this  this man s armor and weapons!
So, as we emerged onto a flat roof between two spires and I fastened my gaze on a chunky little voller,
retainers ran up bearing the mesh steel and the armory.  Into the voller with them! I snapped it out, and
they obeyed. I wondered why no one had challenged that dagger at the throat of the lord. Surely, some
one of all these folk would wish to see the trylon dead?
But I climbed into the voller gripping Orscop by the neck.
He slumped down and his gaunt face turned up, pleadingly.
 You said...
I looked over the side. The landing chains were cast off. I moved the control levers and the voller lifted a
couple of feet into the air. I nodded, satisfied.
 Over you go, Orscop. And thank whatever gods you pray to that I spare you your miserable hide.
He clawed up, gibbering, and as he went over the side I assisted him with an ungentle foot.
Then, roaring with laughter, I sent the voller skimming into the night sky, racing away under the Moons
of Kregen.
Chapter twelve
Of an Invitation at the Golden Prychan
Why is the air of one continent or island so different from that of any other? Each country s air holds its
own essences and aromas. Does the air over Valka smell sweeter than the air over any other part of
Vallia? I believe so  but to ask me to explain it  ah, there you should better question the
Todalpheme, the wise mathematicians and meteorologists of Kregen.
I know that as I breathed in the air of the island of Pandahem, I tasted the difference, and vivid
memories of Pando and Tilda rose up to torment me. Yes, at that time on Kregen I still owed dues to
many people. I gave thanks that Deb-Lu-Quienyin had eased my mind on the score of Que-si-Rening.
But, when I went to Hyrklana this time, I vowed, as well as seeking out Balass the Hawk, Oby, and Tilly,
I would make more strenuous efforts to discover what had befallen the Princess Lilah. All the agents I [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]