'Ranke and Sanctuary are not friends,' he said slowly, quietly. 'You are Ranke.I am of Sanctuary, and... more. Not, uh, noble.'

'Trusted friend of the governor? The thief Shadowspawn?'

Hanse caught himself about to say 'Thief? Who, me, Governor?' and stopped thewords. Kadakithis knew. Nor was he Moonflower or that melon-pedlar Irohunda, tobe taken in by Hanse's cultivated (and seldom used) boyish act. But.. .friendfIt was a frightening word, to Shadowspawn from Downwind and the Maze.

'Let's try to be bigger than Ranke and Sanctuary. Let's try, Hanse. I amreaching out. Speaking plainly: Tempus declared war on Jubal - not on my orders- and Jubal retaliated or tried to. You were there and you didn't run. Tempuslost a horse and gained a friend. You defended Tempus, helped him. MoreHawkmasks died. Are you in danger for that, from Jubal?'

'Probably. I've been trying not to think about that.'

'And me?'

'The Empire's governor in Sanctuary knows to go forth armed and with guards,because he is governor,' Hanse said, not so enigmatically.

'Diplomatic, careful words again! - And Tempus?'

It was then that Hanse knew why he was here. 'You ... you think Jubal hasTempus!'

The prince regarded him. 'Hanse, some people don't try to be particularlylikeable. Tempus seems to try not to be. I cannot imagine calling him friend.'Kadakithis paused to be certain Hanse grasped his implication. 'Still, Irepresent the Empire. I govern for Ranke, subject to the Emperor. Tempus servesand represents me, and Ranke. I do not have to love him, or like him. But! Howcan I tolerate anyone's taking action against any of my people?' Kadakithis madea two-handed gesture while Hanse thought: How strange that I think more ofTempus - Thales - than the Prince-Governor he serves! 'I cannot, Hanse! Nor canI use the Hell Hounds to investigate, not in a really sensitive matter such asthis. Nor can I launch attack on Jubal, or even arrest him - not and govern theway I wish to do.'

He really does want to do well, to be friends with Sanctuary! What a strangeRankanI 'You could call him in for questioning.' Hanse was hopeful.

'I had rather not.' The young Rankan called Kitty-Kat shot to his feet withadmirable use of legs alone, if not with a thief's sinuous grace. 'I had ratheracknowledge his existence, can you see that?' He waved a hand in a rustle ofaquamarine silk sleeve, took a pace, turned his earnest face on Hanse. 'I amgovernor here. I am Empire. He is -'

'Gods, Prince, I'm only a damned thief!'

Kadakithis frowned and glanced around, ignoring Hanse's look of horror at hisblurted words. 'Did you hear someone say something, just then?'

'No.'

'Neither did I. As I was saying, Tempus doesn't mean that much to me and I don'tmean that much to Tempus. Tempus, I fear, serves Tempus and whatever hefancies is his destiny. I might not even miss him. Still, there are some thingsI dare not allow, dare not tolerate. Oh how I wish you could understand a bitof how difficult it is, being bom royal, and holding this job!'

Hanse, who had never held any job, tried. And without trying, he looked earnestand sympathetic. With a prince!

'Now I think that you are Tempus's friend, Hanse. Would Jubal torture him?'

Hanse felt himself about to develop a taste for strong drink. Looking at theother very young man's sash - an Ilsigi sash - he nodded. Abruptly he wanted tocurse. Instead he felt an unwonted and unwanted prayer come cat-sidling into hismind: 0 Ils, god of my people and father ofShalpa my patron! It is true thatTempus-Thales serves Vashanka Tenslayer. But help us, help us both, Lord Ils,and I swear to do all I can to destroy Vashanka Sister-wifer or drive him hence,if only You will show me the way! . And Hanse blinked, and hurled thatridiculous and unwelcome thought bodily from his mind. Prayers indeed!

'Hanse... consider the limits to my power. I am not a man named Kadakithis; I amgovernor. I cannot do anything about it. I cannot.'

Hanse looked up to meet those cerulean eyes. 'Prince, if someone broke in hereto kill you right now, I'd probably defend you. But I would not try to sneakinto Jubal's keep for half your fortune and all your women.'

'Alone against Jubal? Lord, neither would I!' Kadakithis came to him then, andlaid hands on a thief's shoulders. His eyes were intense and large. 'My onlyrequest of you, Hanse, is... I just wish you'd agree to try to learn whereTempus is. That's all. Your way, Hanse, and for a lot less reward than half myfortune and the women I brought here.'

Hanse backed from under those hands, from those staring eyes so full ofsincerity. He paced to the bed, and the hooded robe of a blind beggar.

'I wish to leave by the fourth window down. Prince. That way I can let myself onto the roof of your smokehouse. If you were to call in your sentinels forreview, I'd be out of here by the time they reached your presence.'

Kadakithis nodded.'And?'

'And I -I don't want any reward but don't dare ever tell anyone I said that, orremind me! You'll hear from me -' he whirled and skewered the other very youngman with a gaze like an accusation - 'friend.'1

Kadakithis was wise enough to nod without smile or comment. Besides, he lookedmore as if he wanted to cry, or reach out.

'I understand your reason, Hanse. But, are you sure you can manage to break outof here ... the palaceT

Hanse turned away to roll his eyes. 'With your help. Prince, I may be able to doit. I'd hate to have to try to break in. though!'

3

It might have taken a trained investigator from Ranke a week, or a lifetime. Itmight have taken a Hell Hound a month or two lifetimes (a Tempus lifetime?), ora couple of days with the aid of shining ugly instruments of suasion. It took athief of Sanctuary less than a full day to collect the information. Had he hadletters, he'd have made a list.

Since he was unlettered, he must reckon and account in his head, once he hadtalked with this one and that one and some others. Only one realized that he wasactively seeking information, and that was because Hanse let her know. Now hemade his list, in his head, while he sprawled on his own bed and stared atnothing in particular.

Tempus did not get on with the other Hell Hounds.

Tempus waged private war on Jubal. It was his own decision. (Not a good one;Jubal's business profited Thieves' World and Empire as well.)

Jubal was a merchant who dealt in human merchandise. He provided some few tothat scrawny Kurd fellow of whom even hardened Sanctuarites spoke susurrantlyand with glances cast uncomfortably this way and that.

In the barracks, Tempus had had serious trouble with Razkuli and that snarlygrowly Zaibar. (Quag had mentioned that to a certain woman under the mostintimate of circumstances. A bad but common time for the imparting ofconfidences.)

Stulwig Northbom had spent a shining coin bearing the Emperor's likeness. Suchcoinage was not all that common here, although it was welcome. People of thegovernor's staff occasionally spent such coins. Likely then someone had boughtsomething off Stulwig; someone from the palace. Stulwig dealt in potions anddrugs and worse.

Harmocohl Dripnose had most recently seen two men conveying a sizeable burden tothe lovely gardened home of Kurd. Harmocohl's impression was that the two werehood-cloaked Hell Hounds.

Hell Hounds were elite Imperial guardsmen and did not deal with such as Stulwigor Kurd. Indeed, at least one of them hated Kurd. Hardly likely that Hell Houndswould deliver a human package to him. Unless there was someone they hated morethan the dark experimenter.