Robbing Kadakithis, however, had been his goal before he met that cupidinousconcubine. So long as she helped, he was quite willing to let her think he washer dupe. He wanted to be their tool, then - insofar as it aided him to gaineasy entry to the palace. Forewarned and all that. There was definitelypotential here for a clever man, and Hanse deemed himself twice as clever as hewas, which was considerably. Finally, being made the tool of plotting tools wasfar too demeaning for the Hansean ego to accept.

Yes. He would gain the wand. Trade it to the Prince-Governor for gold - no,better make it the less intimidating silver - and freedom. From Suma or Mrsevadaor some place, he'd send a message back, anonymously informing Kadakithis thatLirain was a traitor. Hanse smiled at that pleasant thought. Perhaps he'd justgo up to Ranke and tell the Emperor what a pair of incompetent agents he haddown in Sanctuary. Hanse saw himself richly rewarded, an intimate of the Emperor...

And so he and Lirain met again, and made their agreement and plan.

A gate was indeed left open. A guard did indeed quit his post before a door ofthe palace. It did indeed prove to be unlatched. Hanse locked it after him. Thusa rather thick-waisted Shadow-spawn gained entry to the palatial home of thegovernor of Sanctuary. Dark corridors led him to the appointed chamber. As theprince was not in it, it was not specifically guarded. The ivory rod, carved toresemble rough-barked wood, was indeed there. So, unexpectedly enjoying theroyal couch in its owner's absence, was Lirain's sister concubine. She provednot to have been drugged. She woke and opened her mouth to yell. Hanse reducedthat to a squeak by punching her in the belly, which was shockingly convex andsoft, considering her youth. He held a pillow over her face, sustaining a coupleof scratches and a bruised shin. She became still. He made sure that she waslimp but quite alive, and bound her with a gaiter off her own sandal. The otherhe pulled around so as to hold in place the silken garment he stuffed into hermouth, and tied behind her head. He removed the pendant from one ear. All indarkness. He hurried to wrap the rod of authority in the drape off a low table.Hitching up his tunic, he began drawing from around his waist the thirty feet ofknotted rope he had deemed wise. Lirain had assured him that a sedative would beadministered to the Hell Hounds' evening libation. Hanse had no way of knowingthat to be the truth; that not only had one of those big burly five done theadministering, he had drunk no less than the others. Bourne and company sleptmost soundly. The plan was that Hanse would leave the same way he had entered.Because he knew he was a tool and was suspicious unto caution, Hanse had decidedto effect a different exit.

One end of the rope he secured to the table whose drape he'd stolen. The otherhe tossed out the window. Crosswise, the table would hold the rope withoutfollowing him through the window.

It proved true. Hanse went out, and down. Slipping out westwards to wend his wayamong the brothels, he was aware of a number of scorpions scuttling up and downhis back, tails poised. Evidently the bound occupant of His Highness's bed wasnot found. Dawn was still only a promise when Hanse reached his second-floorroom in the Maze.

He was a long time wakeful. Admiring the symbol of Rankan authority, named forthe god they claimed had given it them. Marvelling at its unimposing aspect. Atwig-like wand not two feet long, of yellowing ivory. He had done it!

Shortly after noon next day, Hanse had a talk with babbly old Hakiem, who hadlately done much babbling about what a fine fellow His handsome Highness was,and how he had even spoken with Hakiem, giving him two pieces of good silver aswell! Today Hakiem listened to Hanse, and he swallowed often. What could he dosave agree?

Carrying a pretty pendant off a woman's earring, Hakiem hied him to the palace.Gained the Presence by sending in one word to the Prince, with the pendant.Assured him he had nothing to do with the theft. Most privily Hakiem stated whathe'd been told, and the thief's terms. Ransom.

The Prince-Governor had to pay, and knew it. If he could get the damned Savankhback, he'd never have to let out that it had been stolen in the first place.Taya, who had spent a night in his bed less comfortable than she had expected,had no notion what had been taken. Too, she seemed to believe his promise tostretch or excise various parts of her anatomy should she flap her mouth toanyone at all.

Meanwhile the concubine Lirain and Hell Hound Bourne were jubilant. Plotting.Grinning. Planning the Revelation that would destroy their employer. Indeed,they lost no time in dispatching a message to their other employers, back inRanke. That was premature, unwise, and downright stupid.

Next came the coincidence, though it wasn't all that much one. Zaibar and Quagwere sword-happy hotheads. Razkuli complained of fire in the gut and had theruns besides. That left only two Hell Hounds; whom else would the prince entrustwith this mission? After a short testing conference, he chose Bourne toimplement the transaction with the thief. Bourne's instructions were detailedand unequivocal: all was to be effected precisely as the thief, through Hakiem,had specified. Bourne would, of course, receive a nice bonus. He was made tounderstand that it was also to serve as a gag. Bourne agreed, promised, saluted,louted, departed.

Once the villa had commanded a fine view of the sea and naturally terracedlandscape flowing a league along the coast to Sanctuary. Once a merchant hadlived here with his family, a couple of concubines who counted themselves lucky,servants, and a small army or defence force. The merchant was wealthy. He wasnot liked and did not care that many did not care for the way he had achievedwealth and waxed richer. One day a pirate attack began. Two days later the gorgethat marked the beginning of rough country disgorged barbarians. They alsoattacked. The merchant's small army proved too small. He and his armed force andservants and unlucky concubines and family were wiped out. The manse he hadcalled Eaglenest was looted and burned. The pirates had not been pirates and thebarbarians had not been barbarians -technically, at least: they weremercenaries. Thus, forty years ago, had some redistribution of wealth beenachieved by that clandestine alliance of Sanctuarite nobles and merchants.Others had called Eaglenest 'Eaglebeak' then and still did, though now thetumbled ruins were occupied only by spiders, snakes, lizards, scorpions, andsnails. As Eaglebeak was said to be haunted, it was avoided.

It was a fine plan for a night meeting and transfer of goods, and to Eaglebeakcame Bourne, alone, on a good big prancing horse that swished its tail for thesheer joy and pride of it. The horse bore Bourne and a set of soft saddlebags,weighty and jingling.

Near the scrubby acacia specified, he drew rein and glanced about at a drearpile and scatter of building stones and their broken or crumbled pieces. Hislong cloak he doffed before he dismounted. Sliding off his horse, he stood clearwhile he unbuckled his big weapons belt. The belt, with sheathed sword anddagger, he hung on his saddle-horn. He removed the laden bags. Made them jingle.Laid them on the ground. Stepping clear of horse and ransom, he held his armswell out from his body while he turned, slowly.

He had shown the ransom and shown himself unarmed. Now a pebble flew fromsomewhere to whack a big chunk of granite and go skittering. At that signal.Bourne squatted and, on clear ground in the moonlight, emptied both saddlebagsin a clinking, chiming, shimmering, glinting pile of silver coinage amid whichgleamed a few gold disks. Laboriously and without happiness, Bourne clinked themall back into the pouches of soft leather, each the size of a nice cushion. Hepaced forward to lay them, clinking, atop a huge square stone against whichleaned another. All as specified.