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that you'd have to offer me infornotmation of some significance； and frankly； I'm not sure you've delivered。 I really know little more than I did before。〃
〃Do it； or I'll tell every soul who es into this cell that you're looknoting for the runaways。 Perhaps that will have some 'significance' for your mission。 I assume it is supposed to be a secret。 Things usually are where you're involved； and you haven't mentioned a legion of assistants following you about。〃
Pharaun laughed。 〃Well played。 I surrender。 How shall we do this？〃
〃I don't care。 Burn me with your magic。 Stick a dagger in me。 Break my neck with those long； clever fingers。〃
〃Interesting suggestions all； but I'd just as soon that Nym didn't bill me for your demise。 If we can make it look as if your heart just stopped of its own accord sometime after I look my leave； I'll have a chance。〃
He cast about； noticed the thick； fluffy pillow on the bed； picked it up； and experimentally gripped it at both ends。 It felt good in his hands。
〃This ought to work；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps you could oblige me by lying down？〃
C h a p t e r
F I V E
Ryld sipped his chilled； tart wine with a sense of satisfaction； secure in the knowledge that the game； though technically still in progress； was already won。 In three more moves； his onyx wizard and orc would trap and mate his opponent's carnelian mother。
As usual； he had acplished his victory without recourse to the dice。 Truth to tell； those clattering ivory cubes with the magically warmed images incised on the faces were the one aspect of suva he didn't like。 They interjected blind luck into what should be a contest of pure cunning。
Ryld's adversary； a scrawny young merchant clansman with an uncouth habit of letting drops of liquor slide from the corners of his mouth as he guzzled； had thrown the dice early on and gloated when chance allowed him to eliminate one of the older male's priestesses。
Shoulders hunched； brow sweaty； he stared at the board as if the fate of his soul were being decided thereupon。 A truly petent player would have recognized almost instantly that there was only one move he could make。 Indeed； he would have foreseen the inevitable mate just three moves hence and resigned。
Mindful of his true purpose for visiting the Jewel Box； Ryld； doing his best to sound only casually interested； took up the thread of the conversanottion that he and the slightly tipsy trader had been carrying on in fits and starts。
〃Did your cousin give you any warning that he was going to run away？〃
〃No；〃 the clansman answered curtly。 〃Why would he？ We despised each other。 Now shut up！ You're trying to break my concentration。〃
Ryld sighed and settled back in his spindly； flimsy…looking limestone chair。 From the corner of his eye he glimpsed something that made him sit up straighter； double…check the precise position of Splitter leaning against the wall； and stealthily loosen his short sword in its oiled sheath on his belt。
He himself didn't quite know what had alerted him。 These weren't the first circle of revelers he'd watched rise from their seats