F O U R (16 page)

across.

vitals when he plunged ofWhen he reached the far edge, he discovered a rapier poised to

skewer him in the

f. The Godeep on the other end of the blade—the bolder

of  Tathlyn's  two  kinsmen—was  quick,  and  he'd  conceived  a

R                           pretty  good tactic. yld's  impetus was such that he probably  wouldn't have been able to stop himself

from  hurtling right onto the Godeep's  point.

But he could whirl Splitter through a sweeping low-line parry. The great sword clanked into the other m

ale's  lighter blade and snapped the last six inches off.

Ryld jumped down almost on top of the rapier fighter, so close it would require a

moment to bring Splitter's blade to bear,  a mome             i

turn to good advantage. Instead, the wea   nt that the other Godeeps m ght pons master bashed the great sword's heavy steel ball of a pom

mel into the center of the rapier-wielder's  forehead. The

impact thudded, and the male fell backward.

Something clacked hard but harmlessly against Ryld's

down and saw that one of the spectator         breastplate. He glanced s, someone who'd  bet on his opponents, perhaps, had shot a hand crossbow at  him

—but the weapons master didn't have

time to look for the culprit. He had to  pivot to  fend off his fellow  swordsmen.

Predictably, Tathlyn was in the lead. Ryld  cut at the weapons master'shi                                head, and

s  erstwhile  student  instantly  backpedaled,  retreating  just  far  enough  to  avoid  the

stroke. He'd  learned good footwork somewhere along the way,  better than Ryld

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War Of The Spider Queen

Book 1

Dissolution

remembered.

Slipping in and out of the distance, Tathlyn feinted and invited, putting on a show. Meanwhile, the other Godeep, the wary one, circled, trying to  get behind R

yld. The weapons m

aster allowed the boy to creep part way round to his flank, then he

sprang  at  Tathlyn  and  cut  wildly,  seemingly  off-balance  and  over  committed  to  the

attack.

The other Godeep had Ryld's back, at a  moment when the teacher looked entirely incapable of turning and defending. Reluctant or not, the boy  couldn'

t  pass  up  such

an opportunity. He charR         ged.

greatsword with its superior length struck yld whirled, bringing Splitter around in  a sweeping horizontal stroke. The one  step  before  the  Godeep  would have initiated his own attack. Thanks to R

yld'sblad                  deftness, the huge, preternaturally sharp

e  merely gashed  the  boy's wrist instead  of lopping of

dropped his broadsword, then had the b       f his hand. The petty noble ad judgment to reach for his dagger.  The

weapons master slashed his leg, tumbling him to the floor.R

T yld knew that by spinning to attack the  one Godeep, he had given his back to athlyn, who was surely driving in to  kill him.  The teacher  whirled back around.

Sure enough, TaR       thlyn had rushed into the distance and was cutting at his head.

yld parried with Splitter's edge, hoping to  snap the Godeep weapons master'slong sword as he had the rapier. The crimson blade struck the great sword on the

forte, just above the parrying hook, rang,  and rebounded, still in  one piece. It was

made of good metal, Ryld thought, well for               ents

woven in.                ged, with strengthening enchantm

But its virtues alone couldn't save its master. Ryld feinted low to draw the red

sword down, then cut high. Splitter sliced Tathlyn's brow, and blGodeep weapons m                   ood poured into the

aster's  eyes. He reeled backward.

Ryld could tell that none of his adversaries had any fight left in them. He turned

once more, surveying the room. Whoever had  shot  him,  the fellow  had  prudently

put his hand crossbow away. "Nicely done," said Pharaun, lounging, goblet in hand, by the bar

.

"How long have you been there?" Ryld replied, walking to retrieve his shortsword. Its victim  had pulled it free and left it on the floor. "Y

me."                        ou could have helped

losers dropped coins into it. "I knew you wouldn'"I was too busy wagering on you." The wizard held out his purse, and grumbling t need help against a couple drunks."

R

that red sword? It'yld grunted, wiped his weapons on  a handy bar rag, and asked, "Do  you want s  a good weapon.  Maybe a Godeep family heirloom."

Pharaun grinned. "Which would mean ththank you anyway, but what would a spell  ey acquired it when, caster do with it? B last tenday? No,

esides,  I wouldn't

want the weight to stretch and chafe my  clothes."

The Master of Sorcere saunt"Suit yourself."       ered up to Ryld, then spoke far more softly. "Are you

about ready to go? I'd just as soon take my  leave before Nym  wanders downstairs ".R

yld wondered what mischief his friend  had committed. "Almost," he said.  "GiveNym

something to pay for the cleanup."

retrieved Splitter's scabbard and his  ownwinnings, then looked around for the traderThe warrior walked to the sava tables,   . The boy had m

ade a hasty withdrawal

from  the  table  the  instant  the  fight  began, but  he  hadn't  gone far.  Most every drow

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War Of The Spider Queen

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Dissolution

had a taste for blood sport. R

yld tossed him a gold coin with the  Baenre emblem stamped on it. "Here areyour winnings."

The young merchant looked puzzled. Perhaps the drink was to blame. " If a player disturbs the arrangem

ent of the board, he loses," Ryld explained. "It's

in the rules."

*

"It was gratifying to comeinquiries with your usual light touch," Pharaun said. upstairs and observe you handling our confidential

He paused to let a float chest, attended by a dark elf merchant and six hulking bugbear slaves, drift across the lane.  The stone box looked like a sa

rc

Maybe it was. In the Bazaar, a shopper could purchase nearly an    ophagus.ything,  includincadavers and mummies once embalmed  with                g

mystic rites. Indeed, such wares were available either whole

strange  spices  and  laid  to  rest  with

piece.                         or by the desiccated "It wasn'

t  m

hesitated. "W y  fault," Ryld replied. "I  did nothing to provoke that fight." He

the table."   ell, perhaps I  was a bit brusque when the Godeeps first stalked up to

"You? Never!"

"Spare me  your japes. Why  do we have to question people anyway?" The Masterof Melee-Magthere ducked beneath the corner of a low-hanging rothe-hide awning

and added,  "You ought  to  be  able  to  look  in a sc

Pharaun smiled. "Where would be the fun in that? Now seriouslyrying pool and find the runaways." , why did  the

place? WGodeeps take exception to your no doubt impeccably subtle questions in the first e"I don' re they in league with the rogues?"  they were m

erely sympathetic to the

idea of eloping and generally in a foul mt think they knew anything. I think ood.  It looked as if one of the females in House Godeep had disciplined them  with  her fists or a cudgel, and they only

needed an excuse to try and take their resentment out on someone." "This hypothetical priestess beat the House w

eapons master as if he were a  thrallor at best, the least useful of her m                     ,

ale kin? Doesn't that strike you as odd?"

"Now that you mention it, somewhat."

Pharaun noticed a blindfolded ore jugg"The Jewel Box was unusually  crowded today as well." ling daggers for the amusement of the crowd and paused for a m

oment to watch the show. R

his im                     yld heaved a sigh, signaling

The wizard counted five sharp knives, whpatience at the interruption in their deliberations. ich the slave's scarred hands caught and tossed with flawless accuracy. A laudable performance, even if it l

acked a certain

elan. Pharaun tossed a coin to  the ore's owner,  then strolled on. Ryld tram

beside him                           ped along .

"So," said the weapons master, "Tglut of patrons, and you see a connection. What?" athlyn gets a thrashing, the brothel enjoys a

"What if all those boys endured a beating, or at least some  sort of un-pleasantness, at the hands of their female

flocked to their sad little sanctuary    relations? What if that's the reason they ,  to  lie low,  lick their wounds, and kick around

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