not to be communicable like measles or the pox, no one believed him.
"Take your time getting into position," Rider told the others. "Don't attract attention. I’ll touch you through the web when I'm ready." He sent them off in pairs, ringing their warning bells.
He let a half hour pass. He spent that time touching the neighborhood through the web. There was a disconcerting quiet about it, as though people had sensed Odehnal's presence and knew it augured explosion and terror.
Odehnal was not difficult to locate, this close. The woman Caracene made an outstanding marker. From her Rider caught hints of turmoil, from the dwarf a glowing calm.
There were others in the place. At least four more men, none of whom Rider gave any special attention. They would be the dwarf's hirelings.
He tugged that part of the web which allowed him to touch his associates. I am going in now, he sent. Be alert.
He moved into the filthy street, stooped, tinkling his shantor's bell. Through a gap between drunkenly leaning tenements he glimpsed the brown dirtiness of the river. Here the old wooden buildings stood with their tails over the water, supported by pilings rising from the bottom mud.
These places were always collapsing into the flood, drowning their occupants, and being rebuilt as slovenly as before.
The suspect structure was identical to its neighbors. Rider tinkled from door to door, pausing before each as if begging. When he reached his destination, though, he flicked a finger. A soft click sounded behind the door, a bolt snapping open. There was no guard.
He stepped inside. Behind him one of his men rang his bell.
The darkness within was asphalt thick. He drew a gem-like crystal from a pocket, whispered to it. It began to glow, no more brilliant than a lightning bug. He did not go on till his eyes adjusted.
Odehnal was too confident, Rider thought. No guard, no spell to alert him to intruders. As a soldier Rider had learned that one must always expect the worst in enemy territory.
Eyes adapted, he touched his men again. I am going upstairs now. Odehnal was above somewhere.
Caracene and the others were in the rear, also upstairs.
Odehnal was not as lax as first glance suggested. Two thirds of the way up, Rider froze.
Something was wrong. He allowed his senses free rein, not moving a muscle. His attention focused upon a stairstep a couple above that where his feet rested.
Even knowing where to look it was a moment before he spied the black thread stretched taut an inch above the worn and grimy tread.
Tricky, setting the trap for a point where an intruder would begin worrying more about what lay ahead. He examined the steps above with even more care. He would have set a back-up.
There it was. A step set to trigger an alarm when weight fell upon it.
He stepped over both carefully.
The stair ended on a balcony which ran athwart the building and L-ed to his right. Several doors along the back leaked light beneath them. But Odehnal waited out along the L.
He paused to scatter pop seeds at the elbow of the L, then moved to Odehnal’s door. He listened, sensed. The dwarf seemed to be sleeping.
He examined the doorknob minutely. The crystal's light revealed no trap.
Below, he heard the slightest breath of sound. Sunlight poured inside. He saw a shape the size of Chaz slip inside, followed by one of Su-Cha's slightness. He frowned. It was too soon for them to come.
Move quickly!
He turned the doorknob, passed through the doorway swiftly ... and stopped, startled, awed.
The room was as opulent as an eastern potentate's private quarters. Odehnal lounged upon huge down-stuffed pillows, face asmile and dreamy. Burnt opium embittered the air.
Quickly, now! Before Chaz or Su-Cha called attention to their presence.
He cast a small spell which sealed Odehnal’s lips. He used a modified form of the same spell to join the dwarf's ankles, then his wrists, and even his fingers one to another.
Odehnal stirred once, but only to make
"Take your time getting into position," Rider told the others. "Don't attract attention. I’ll touch you through the web when I'm ready." He sent them off in pairs, ringing their warning bells.
He let a half hour pass. He spent that time touching the neighborhood through the web. There was a disconcerting quiet about it, as though people had sensed Odehnal's presence and knew it augured explosion and terror.
Odehnal was not difficult to locate, this close. The woman Caracene made an outstanding marker. From her Rider caught hints of turmoil, from the dwarf a glowing calm.
There were others in the place. At least four more men, none of whom Rider gave any special attention. They would be the dwarf's hirelings.
He tugged that part of the web which allowed him to touch his associates. I am going in now, he sent. Be alert.
He moved into the filthy street, stooped, tinkling his shantor's bell. Through a gap between drunkenly leaning tenements he glimpsed the brown dirtiness of the river. Here the old wooden buildings stood with their tails over the water, supported by pilings rising from the bottom mud.
These places were always collapsing into the flood, drowning their occupants, and being rebuilt as slovenly as before.
The suspect structure was identical to its neighbors. Rider tinkled from door to door, pausing before each as if begging. When he reached his destination, though, he flicked a finger. A soft click sounded behind the door, a bolt snapping open. There was no guard.
He stepped inside. Behind him one of his men rang his bell.
The darkness within was asphalt thick. He drew a gem-like crystal from a pocket, whispered to it. It began to glow, no more brilliant than a lightning bug. He did not go on till his eyes adjusted.
Odehnal was too confident, Rider thought. No guard, no spell to alert him to intruders. As a soldier Rider had learned that one must always expect the worst in enemy territory.
Eyes adapted, he touched his men again. I am going upstairs now. Odehnal was above somewhere.
Caracene and the others were in the rear, also upstairs.
Odehnal was not as lax as first glance suggested. Two thirds of the way up, Rider froze.
Something was wrong. He allowed his senses free rein, not moving a muscle. His attention focused upon a stairstep a couple above that where his feet rested.
Even knowing where to look it was a moment before he spied the black thread stretched taut an inch above the worn and grimy tread.
Tricky, setting the trap for a point where an intruder would begin worrying more about what lay ahead. He examined the steps above with even more care. He would have set a back-up.
There it was. A step set to trigger an alarm when weight fell upon it.
He stepped over both carefully.
The stair ended on a balcony which ran athwart the building and L-ed to his right. Several doors along the back leaked light beneath them. But Odehnal waited out along the L.
He paused to scatter pop seeds at the elbow of the L, then moved to Odehnal’s door. He listened, sensed. The dwarf seemed to be sleeping.
He examined the doorknob minutely. The crystal's light revealed no trap.
Below, he heard the slightest breath of sound. Sunlight poured inside. He saw a shape the size of Chaz slip inside, followed by one of Su-Cha's slightness. He frowned. It was too soon for them to come.
Move quickly!
He turned the doorknob, passed through the doorway swiftly ... and stopped, startled, awed.
The room was as opulent as an eastern potentate's private quarters. Odehnal lounged upon huge down-stuffed pillows, face asmile and dreamy. Burnt opium embittered the air.
Quickly, now! Before Chaz or Su-Cha called attention to their presence.
He cast a small spell which sealed Odehnal’s lips. He used a modified form of the same spell to join the dwarf's ankles, then his wrists, and even his fingers one to another.
Odehnal stirred once, but only to make
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