wounded?" Tansen asked Koroll.
"According to rumors, yes."
Tansen said nothing. The rumors that people chose to share with Outlookers were not to be credited. "And he's definitely still alive?"
"Alive?" Koroll slammed his fist down on the table. " Alive , you ask? The fatherless son of a whore is wreaking havoc throughout my district! By the Sign of the Three, I wish his insides would rot and consume him!"
"Do go on," Tansen urged blandly.
Koroll glared at him. "He has looted an Outlooker outpost. He burned down another outpost. He incited villagers to kill two tribute collectors, urging them to see for themselves that Valdani die as easily as shallaheen do." Koroll rose to pace before the window in agitation. "He defiled a Shrine of the Three less than four leagues from Cavasar!"
"He's not Valdani," Tan pointed out reasonably, "so he doesn't worship the Three."
"Don't push me, shatai ," Koroll snapped. "I could still have you tortured to death in the main square."
"Yes, you could," Tan agreed. "But you won't. You're afraid no one but me can kill him."
"Some of the peasants are already saying he can't be killed." Koroll's expression was grim. "Frankly, enough of my men are provincial bumpkins that this kind of rumor could be dangerous if it starts passing among the ranks."
"You really think they could become frightened of a shallah ?" Tansen asked, letting contempt creep into his voice.
"This one..." Koroll nodded and slumped back down into his chair. "This one is different. He's very dangerous. Cunning. Bold. He strikes as fast as a serpent, then disappears just as quickly. I've had patrols searching for him for almost two twin-moons, and we still haven't captured him! Neither bribes nor threats get us any useful information, but everyone knows who he is and what he's doing."
Which, of course, explained how Koroll himself had learned Josarian's name. "Does he have a family?"
"Don't they all?" Koroll said wearily. "Only a wizard could untangle the net of a shallah 's blood and bloodpact relations, let alone his enemies."
"Where does he live when he's not hiding in the mountains and tormenting Outlookers?"
"The village of Emeldar. But he won't be there."
"Perhaps not," Tansen agreed politely. "But it may be a place to start." He suspected that Josarian could sneak home every night without the Outlookers being any the wiser. If he had eluded pursuit for this long, then the locals were loyal to him. "I need a lead, a starting place. I can't look behind every gossamer tree in the mountains, after all."
"I suggest you begin your search in the Orban Pass, just a hard day's ride from here," Koroll snapped.
"Why?"
"Because I received word this morning that Josarian attacked four of my men there."
"How?"
"Bow and arrow." He scowled. "This is the thanks we get for allowing hunting weapons."
"Were the arrow tips poisoned?"
"Yes. The poison was Valdani. Stolen, of course."
"And?" Tansen prodded.
"They're all dead."
"How do you know it was Josarian?"
"This is Sileria, not Kinto or the Moorlands!" Koroll thundered. "Bandits here don't attack armed Outlookers!"
"Those men were a patrol looking for Josarian?" Tansen guessed.
"He found them first." Koroll's voice was bitter.
"Four Outlookers," Tansen mused.
"We're keeping this as quiet as possible."
"Word will spread."
"I know." Koroll's fair Valdani complexion was chalk white now. "And the gods will grow thirsty."
The following day, Koroll and four Outlookers escorted Tansen beyond the city walls. His belongings had already been returned to him, bundled up in his worn satchel and strapped to the back of the saddle he now sat in. He'd also been given enough coin to live modestly until the next dark-moon; a shatai , Koroll had asserted, didn't need money for bribes, since only a fool would refuse to cooperate with him. His swords, however, remained firmly strapped to Koroll's saddle as they rode away from Cavasar. Tansen would not be trusted with those
"According to rumors, yes."
Tansen said nothing. The rumors that people chose to share with Outlookers were not to be credited. "And he's definitely still alive?"
"Alive?" Koroll slammed his fist down on the table. " Alive , you ask? The fatherless son of a whore is wreaking havoc throughout my district! By the Sign of the Three, I wish his insides would rot and consume him!"
"Do go on," Tansen urged blandly.
Koroll glared at him. "He has looted an Outlooker outpost. He burned down another outpost. He incited villagers to kill two tribute collectors, urging them to see for themselves that Valdani die as easily as shallaheen do." Koroll rose to pace before the window in agitation. "He defiled a Shrine of the Three less than four leagues from Cavasar!"
"He's not Valdani," Tan pointed out reasonably, "so he doesn't worship the Three."
"Don't push me, shatai ," Koroll snapped. "I could still have you tortured to death in the main square."
"Yes, you could," Tan agreed. "But you won't. You're afraid no one but me can kill him."
"Some of the peasants are already saying he can't be killed." Koroll's expression was grim. "Frankly, enough of my men are provincial bumpkins that this kind of rumor could be dangerous if it starts passing among the ranks."
"You really think they could become frightened of a shallah ?" Tansen asked, letting contempt creep into his voice.
"This one..." Koroll nodded and slumped back down into his chair. "This one is different. He's very dangerous. Cunning. Bold. He strikes as fast as a serpent, then disappears just as quickly. I've had patrols searching for him for almost two twin-moons, and we still haven't captured him! Neither bribes nor threats get us any useful information, but everyone knows who he is and what he's doing."
Which, of course, explained how Koroll himself had learned Josarian's name. "Does he have a family?"
"Don't they all?" Koroll said wearily. "Only a wizard could untangle the net of a shallah 's blood and bloodpact relations, let alone his enemies."
"Where does he live when he's not hiding in the mountains and tormenting Outlookers?"
"The village of Emeldar. But he won't be there."
"Perhaps not," Tansen agreed politely. "But it may be a place to start." He suspected that Josarian could sneak home every night without the Outlookers being any the wiser. If he had eluded pursuit for this long, then the locals were loyal to him. "I need a lead, a starting place. I can't look behind every gossamer tree in the mountains, after all."
"I suggest you begin your search in the Orban Pass, just a hard day's ride from here," Koroll snapped.
"Why?"
"Because I received word this morning that Josarian attacked four of my men there."
"How?"
"Bow and arrow." He scowled. "This is the thanks we get for allowing hunting weapons."
"Were the arrow tips poisoned?"
"Yes. The poison was Valdani. Stolen, of course."
"And?" Tansen prodded.
"They're all dead."
"How do you know it was Josarian?"
"This is Sileria, not Kinto or the Moorlands!" Koroll thundered. "Bandits here don't attack armed Outlookers!"
"Those men were a patrol looking for Josarian?" Tansen guessed.
"He found them first." Koroll's voice was bitter.
"Four Outlookers," Tansen mused.
"We're keeping this as quiet as possible."
"Word will spread."
"I know." Koroll's fair Valdani complexion was chalk white now. "And the gods will grow thirsty."
The following day, Koroll and four Outlookers escorted Tansen beyond the city walls. His belongings had already been returned to him, bundled up in his worn satchel and strapped to the back of the saddle he now sat in. He'd also been given enough coin to live modestly until the next dark-moon; a shatai , Koroll had asserted, didn't need money for bribes, since only a fool would refuse to cooperate with him. His swords, however, remained firmly strapped to Koroll's saddle as they rode away from Cavasar. Tansen would not be trusted with those
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