Allan COLE - Wizard of the winds

"Acolyte Timura, the spymaster intoned, you are charged with conspiracy against the crown. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Safar was dazed by the beating. He tried to speak, but his tongue was thick and refused to work. Then he remembered Nerisa. His heart jumped and he turned his head to see where she was. But she was nowhere in sight. Relief flooded inthank the gods, somehow she'd managed to escape. Then another thought pierced the haze. Why hadn't Gundara warned him about Kalasariz approach?

The spymaster held a heavy purse over Safar's head. It was the purse of gold Olari had given him, minus the coins he'd shared out with Nerisa. Kalasariz shook the purse. What's this? he said. Then he opened it and spilled coins into his palm. This is a great deal of money for a poor student to have in his possession, he gloated.

Safar said nothing.

"Where did you get so much gold, Acolyte? the spymaster demanded. And what did you swear to do to earn it?"

Safar still said nothing. What was the point?

Kalasariz kicked him again. It will do you no good to hide in silence, Acolyte Timura, he said. Your fellow conspirators have already confessed."

Safar regained enough wit to say, Then you don't need to hear from me, do you, My Lord?"

The reply won him another kick, this time in the ribs. They hauled him to his feet, gasping for breath.

But he still had presence of mind to look over at the brazier where he'd last seen the stone idol.

It was gone.

The only thing he could think was, Nerisa must have it.

Then Kalasariz roared, Take him away! The sight of this heretic offends me!"

And they dragged him out the door.

"Hsst! Someone's coming!"

A dim light appeared and Nerisa dropped to the ground. She hugged the stone as a dark figure shuffled out of a corridor and headed her way. She was on the top floor of the Universityno more than a hundred feet, Gundara had informed her, from Umurhan's library. The Favorite was a flea speck on her sleevehe'd told her about Safar's method of carrying him about and she'd adopted it.

The shuffling figure was an old priest. He mumbled to himself, cursing the cold stone on his bare feet and muttering deprecations against the devils who had conspired to hide his sandals. He was carrying a small oil lamp with a nearly burned out wick that gave off just enough light to make her nervous. She flattened herself as he walked right up to her, then veered to the side to fumble at a door. He broke wind loudly and Nerisa guessed the door led to a privy. The priest went inside and shut the door.

Nerisa came up like a cat and ghosted down the corridor until Gundara told her to stop because she'd found the library. It was locked, but that only delayed her for a few seconds. She fished a narrow bar from her pocket, slipped it into the keyhole and forced the big tumbler back. In an instant she was inside, quietly closing the door behind her.

The library was a sealed room and so dark she couldn't make out even the largest objects. But she could smell the dusty odor of old books, just like the ones at the Foolsmire, except there was heavy sulfur smell of magic that made her throat feel raw.

"I can't see, she whispered to Gundara.

There was a sudden glow and the Favorite appeared before her full sizewhich meant he came up to about her knee. His body gave off a dim green light and she could see the hulking shadows of furniture and book shelves.

Gundara made a slow circle, sniffing the air. In her pocket she felt the stone idol become warm as the Favorite drew on its magical power.

Then he said, This way, and scampered off into the darkness.

Nerisa followed and they moved along the twisting aisles until they came to the far side of the room where tall bookcases lined the blank wall. Gundara hopped from shelf to shelf until he was eye-level with Nerisa.

"There it is, he said, pointing a glowing talon. Asper in the flesh. Gundara snickered. The book's bound in leather, he said. Get itflesh! Ha ha. I'm pretty funny tonight."

"It must be the sugar, Nerisa said through gritted teeth.

At first she'd thought the Favorite was a cute little thing. She felt sorry for him because he had to live in a hunk of stone. But after several hours in Gundara's company she just wanted to get the job over with and hand him back to Safar. Honestly, he asked such personal questions. Statements, actually. Like accusing her of being in love with Safar. Which was true, but it was none of his fiendish business.

Gundara gripped the edge of a slender book and heaved mightily. It came out so fast he lost his balance. He squealed as he fell, scaring Nerisa half to death. She caught him in midair, but the book slammed to the floor, echoing loudly.

"Be careful, she whispered. You'll wake them up!"

"Oh, piddle pooh, the Favorite saidalthough he did whisper. You could shout at the top of your voice and those old gas bags would never wake up."

"Just the same, Nerisa said, I wish you'd be more quiet. I'm used to working alone and loud sounds bother me."

"You're a pretty good little thief, dearie, Gundara said. But I bet you wish you had me around all the time. You'd be rich! We'd steal everything that wasn't nailed down."

"Riiight, Nerisa said, bending down to pick up the book.

It was thin and seemed to contain so few pages Nerisa feared Safar would be disappointed. The leather was cracked and old, but from the light Gundara gave off she could see the worn image of a four-headed serpent.

"That's Asper's book all right, Gundara said. There's probably not more than five or six in the whole world. He preened, proud of his work.

She started to fish a treat from her pocket to reward him, when he suddenly saidquite loud"You shut up, Gundaree. You couldn't of found it if it were on fire. So there. Don't you call me that! Shut up, you hear me? Shut up! Shut up! Shu"

Nerisa clamped a hand over his mouth, cutting off the rest.

"Stop that, she said. Or I'll wring your neck. I swear I will."

When she took her hand away Gundara hung his head. He kicked at the floor with his elegant little foot. I'm sorry, he said. He just gets me soooo mad, sometimes."

"Just don't do it anymore, Nerisa said. Then she gave him the treat.

Gundara grinned and gobbled it down. I like you, dearie, he said. I hope Safar gives you a nice little diddle after he gets the book."

"Don't talk like that, Nerisa said. It isn't nice."

"But it's what you want, isn't it? the Favorite teased. A big old sloppy kiss and then get diddled all night."

Nerisa tucked the book away with the stone idol. That's enough, she said. And if you say one word like that to Safar, I'll, I'll… never speak to you again. See if I don't."

Apparently this was a greater threat than a neck-wringing, for Gundara instantly apologized and said he'd never, ever do such a thing. Then he led the way back to the library door, shrunk down to flea size again and they slipped out into the corridor. After an hour of creeping about in the dark, Nerisa sprinted through the big main gate and headed down the broad avenueleap frogging from shadow to shadow as she made her way back to Safar's place.

She arrived just as Kalasariz and his men were dragging Safar down the stairs.

It was a night of terror in Walaria. Kalasariz men swept through the city, breaking down doors and hauling frightened young men into the streets where they were beaten and questioned under the shuttered windows of their families homes. Then they were taken to the spymaster's torture rooms where they were questioned further and forced to sign confessions. There were about fifty in all, although less than half were acquainted with Olari. The others were innocent, but had been marked for seizure by Kalasariz informers who did a record business that night collecting bribes from enemies of the young men and their families.