been eyes blinked. A limb of shadow moved. Rider whipped back, into the laboratory an instant before something tickled against the window frame. "Light," he said. "Get lamps in here." And, "We have to get that pane replaced." He moved to the library door behind Chaz, blocked that against the rush of his men.
"Whatever it was, it shot something at me. It ricocheted off the window frame into the laboratory. Watch where you step. Find it." He took an oil lamp from Preacher, cautiously returned to the window. He leaned out and dropped the lamp.
Down it plunged to smash on the foot of the Rock. He caught one glimpse of something scuttling into darkness. "What was it? A demon?" Chaz asked. "No. It was mortal. There was no strain on the web. But exactly what manner of mortal I don't know." "Here," Soup called.
Rider joined him, looked where he pointed. "A dart. Get tongs. Handle it with care. Let's see if we can't find another around Odehnal."
"This Shai Khe is some nice fellow," Chaz observed. "Kills anybody ... Caracene. Where did that woman get to?"
"I think Odehnal getting got got her moving," Greystone said. He indicated the exit door. It stood open a crack.
"Su-Cha," Rider said. "You follow her. I'll keep in touch through the web."
"Thought you had her on the web," Chaz said. "Not anymore. She figured she was marked and negated it. Su-Cha."
"Yes sir, boss, sir." The imp dived out the window. This time he did not howl on the way down.
Rider moved back to Kralj Odehnal. In a moment he found the lethal dart. "The bodies pile up. And still we make no progress."
"At least they aren't our bodies," Chaz said. "That thing could have gotten one of us as easily as it got Odehnal."
"A point we were meant to take, I'm sure," Rider observed. "A bit more caution from now on, friends. Omar. I want you to fix that window. Soon."
"What do we do now?" Preacher asked.
"We find a place called Polybos House and something called the Devil's Eyes. We stay in touch with the web. And we wait for something to happen."
In the other room the dead eyes of Jehrke Victorious seemed to gleam with approval.
XIV
Su-Cha returned soon after daybreak. He wore a chagrined look. "She shook me in the Protte rookery. I figured she'd cross to Henchelside, so I staked out King's Ferry. She never showed."
Soup snickered. Spud said, "We'll hear from her again. How can she resist that great chunk of beef?" He indicated Chaz, snoring in a chair.
Rider returned from setting Preacher and Greystone to searching land titles for a place called Polybos House. "Soup, you and Omar head down to the Golden Crescent . Look at ships recently in from the east. Find ships that carried unusual cargoes or passengers."
"Why?" Soup asked.
"Shai Khe's airship is a small one. He may have brought more men and equipment than it could have carried. He strikes me as careful and methodical. He would not have come unprepared for a difficult campaign."
Soup and Spud departed. They returned that evening with nothing to report. Preacher and Greystone had no luck either. Greystone said, "If a Polybos House exists it has to be outside the Wall." By that he meant outside the legal corporate limits. The city wall proper lay well inside those, and had been in decay for a century.
"Try again tomorrow," Rider said.
"What're you doing?" Preacher asked.
"Trying to analyze the poison on these darts. It's eluded me so far. Looks like something drawn from an insect, though."
Spud said, "The jungles of Maijan fester with poisonous bugs. And lizards and snakes and bats."
"I'll remember that next time I'm in the far east," Chaz grumbled. He was in a sour mood. He had spent the day washing alembics and retorts under the dead, cold eyes of Jehrke.
"Patience, friend," Rider chided. "Our turn will come."
"Soon, I hope." Chaz tested the window Spud had installed, for the hundredth time. "My nerves are getting me."
Soon did not come for four days.
It began with Soup and Spud. They
"Whatever it was, it shot something at me. It ricocheted off the window frame into the laboratory. Watch where you step. Find it." He took an oil lamp from Preacher, cautiously returned to the window. He leaned out and dropped the lamp.
Down it plunged to smash on the foot of the Rock. He caught one glimpse of something scuttling into darkness. "What was it? A demon?" Chaz asked. "No. It was mortal. There was no strain on the web. But exactly what manner of mortal I don't know." "Here," Soup called.
Rider joined him, looked where he pointed. "A dart. Get tongs. Handle it with care. Let's see if we can't find another around Odehnal."
"This Shai Khe is some nice fellow," Chaz observed. "Kills anybody ... Caracene. Where did that woman get to?"
"I think Odehnal getting got got her moving," Greystone said. He indicated the exit door. It stood open a crack.
"Su-Cha," Rider said. "You follow her. I'll keep in touch through the web."
"Thought you had her on the web," Chaz said. "Not anymore. She figured she was marked and negated it. Su-Cha."
"Yes sir, boss, sir." The imp dived out the window. This time he did not howl on the way down.
Rider moved back to Kralj Odehnal. In a moment he found the lethal dart. "The bodies pile up. And still we make no progress."
"At least they aren't our bodies," Chaz said. "That thing could have gotten one of us as easily as it got Odehnal."
"A point we were meant to take, I'm sure," Rider observed. "A bit more caution from now on, friends. Omar. I want you to fix that window. Soon."
"What do we do now?" Preacher asked.
"We find a place called Polybos House and something called the Devil's Eyes. We stay in touch with the web. And we wait for something to happen."
In the other room the dead eyes of Jehrke Victorious seemed to gleam with approval.
XIV
Su-Cha returned soon after daybreak. He wore a chagrined look. "She shook me in the Protte rookery. I figured she'd cross to Henchelside, so I staked out King's Ferry. She never showed."
Soup snickered. Spud said, "We'll hear from her again. How can she resist that great chunk of beef?" He indicated Chaz, snoring in a chair.
Rider returned from setting Preacher and Greystone to searching land titles for a place called Polybos House. "Soup, you and Omar head down to the Golden Crescent . Look at ships recently in from the east. Find ships that carried unusual cargoes or passengers."
"Why?" Soup asked.
"Shai Khe's airship is a small one. He may have brought more men and equipment than it could have carried. He strikes me as careful and methodical. He would not have come unprepared for a difficult campaign."
Soup and Spud departed. They returned that evening with nothing to report. Preacher and Greystone had no luck either. Greystone said, "If a Polybos House exists it has to be outside the Wall." By that he meant outside the legal corporate limits. The city wall proper lay well inside those, and had been in decay for a century.
"Try again tomorrow," Rider said.
"What're you doing?" Preacher asked.
"Trying to analyze the poison on these darts. It's eluded me so far. Looks like something drawn from an insect, though."
Spud said, "The jungles of Maijan fester with poisonous bugs. And lizards and snakes and bats."
"I'll remember that next time I'm in the far east," Chaz grumbled. He was in a sour mood. He had spent the day washing alembics and retorts under the dead, cold eyes of Jehrke.
"Patience, friend," Rider chided. "Our turn will come."
"Soon, I hope." Chaz tested the window Spud had installed, for the hundredth time. "My nerves are getting me."
Soon did not come for four days.
It began with Soup and Spud. They
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