Silence. The thief glowered at him and said nothing else as the inn-girl came over to set cups on the table.
Vlandar waited until the girl was gone again. “You’reconsidering it, then?”
Malowan nodded. “I’m thinking it’s easier to reform yourselfif old temptations are out of reach.”
“’Ere!” Agya demanded. “Just what d’you think you’replotting? ’Cause, just maybe, I’m not for it!”
Malowan smiled vaguely and set his elbows on the table. Vlandar leaned toward him, and the two began talking in very low tones-and in alanguage that wasn’t Flan-it sounded half snarls and throat clearing to Lhors.Agya muttered something vile-sounding, then fixed angry brown eyes on Lhors. “You tell me, then-if y’know, that is!”
Lhors swallowed. “It’s my village. Giants killed everyone.Vlandar’s going to put together a force to go after the giants.”
“Wait,” Agya demanded. “That’s… it’s… Paladin, you’reflat mad!”
Malowan shrugged, but Agya wasn’t finished. “None o’ that forme. I’ll chance it rather agin th’ market guard and Dappney’s lads in th’ Sink!”
“You haven’t heard the offer yet,” Vlandar said.
“Giants.” Agya licked her lips. “D’you know what they do toyou? I’ve ’eard tales.”
“I saw,” Lhors broke in harshly. “I could tell you what’strue, but I won’t.”
“Well, then!” the urchin tugged at Malowans belt. “Want me togrow up honest-like? Not much chance of it, if we go where I’ll get killed andet, is there?”
“But someone with your talents-” Vlandar began.
“Which he says I gotta give up!”
“But there are ways for a thief to earn honor as a thief,”Vlandar countered. Malowan looked none too happy about that reasoning.
“If the thief lives long enough,” Agya spat back.
“Long enough to return home with wealth untold, treasurebeyond counting…?” Vlandar paused. Agya was speechless. “Any treasure youfind-if you help us-is yours… to share with your comrades, of course.But there won’t be more than ten of us.”
Vlandar waited. Malowan touched his friend’s arm and shookhis head. Agya was lost in rapt contemplation.
“Treasure,” the little thief breathed happily. “Agiants’ trove! Gems and gold, coins and jewels and amulets… a girl could setherself up proper with a store of that!”
Malowan and Vlandar exchanged amused glances. Lhors’ jawdropped and he stared. “A girl could… you’re a girl?”
Agya grinned at Malowan. “Fooled one, anyway,” she told thepaladin, who cast up his eyes. “Tell me ’bout this treasure.”
2
To Lhors’ surprise, Vlandar and Malowan sent word about thecity, not the lord or the king. The day after they were granted the king’sblessing, the two men planned to interview candidates in Vlandar’s barracks andthe nearby practice yard. Fortunately, Malowan was as willing as Vlandar to explain things to a village youth out of his element.
“The task has been passed on to Vlandar. Besides, some ofthose Vlandar would like to recruit are the kind who won’t want any part of an‘official’ company. On a journey like this, you want the toughest, and theyaren’t always law-abiding.”
Lhors had also assumed that by now he would be on his way back to High Haven, but when he had suggested as much, Vlandar waved it aside. “You have a right to be here to see us begin vengeance for your people.”
When the first two men-rough-looking fellows armed with netsand pikes and clad in hardened leathers-came looking for the warrior, Vlandarhad both Malowan and Lhors with him.
Vlandar talked to both men for some time-Sterich mercenaries,Malowan later confirmed. Lhors had seen such men once before but had never entertained the idea of working with them. After a short interview, Vlandar turned them down. Neither seemed particularly offended as they walked off.
Lhors shook his head. “They seemed very experienced to me.”
Vlandar laughed. “Yes, but not the kind of experience wewant. There’s a rumor those two men killed a companion a year ago so that theywouldn’t have to split a purse of gold with him.”
“It’s not rumor,” Malowan put in quietly. “I know theykilled him.”
Vlandar shrugged. “We don’t want swordsmen who can’t betrusted, but Olmic isn’t that good, anyway.” He dropped the subject as someoneelse came in and hesitated in the doorway, eyes searching the room.
“Nemis!” The paladin held out his hands, and the newcomertook them between his own dark-skinned, long fingers. “I thought you weren’tinterested!”
“I have changed my mind.” Dark brown eyes moved across theother two before fixing on Vlandar. One eyebrow went up.
Malowan smiled. “Vlandar’s in charge here. You know of him,don’t you? The young man is Lhors. The village was his. Lhors, Nemis is a mage.”
Lhors studied the newcomer with interest. The mage was tall and lean, and Lhors would have placed him in his mid to late thirties. His hair was long and curled, and his thin, sun-darkened face sported a narrow mustache and neat little beard. He wore dark green trousers tucked into soft brown boots and a long green tunic, held at the waist by a sword belt and a curious-looking woven sash. A brooch of leather at his breast was carved with a pattern of three diamonds. The sword belt held a plain rapier, and a matching poniard was stuck in the sash. The mage casually leaned against a walking stick that looked as if it might be a fighting staff.
“You’re a mage, so why carry those?” Vlandar’s eyes fixed onthe sword belt.
A corner of the dark man’s mouth quirked. His voice was lowand non-carrying. “I like blades, but only a fool depends on one strength.”
“I can vouch for him. He knows which end of a sword goes inand which you hold,” Malowan said with a sudden grin, “even if he’s not muchbetter than that with them.”
Vlandar nodded. “I trust Mal, and I’ve heard of you, Nemis.But why did you change your mind? Mal said-”
The mage shrugged. “Malowan hadn’t told me you were ridingagainst the Steading, against the giants. If you do, you’ll need me.”
“Oh? Why?” the warrior returned sharply.
“I have battled giants before. I know spells that workagainst them. I’m good at what I do.”
Before Vlandar could reply, Malowan tapped him on the arm and drew him into the far corner of the barracks room, where they talked quietly but intensely for some moments.
When they came back, Vlandar held out his hands, palm up. Nemis placed his hands on the warrior’s, palm down.
“Mal’s word is good for me, Nemis, but if there’s anythingyou’d like to tell me before we leave Cryllor, I would appreciate it. An oldwarrior like me doesn’t appreciate surprises, you know.” He turned to Malowan.“Will we need another magician for healing spells, or can you manage that?”
“Malowan and I have worked together before,” the mage saidquietly, “and I will procure a few specialized charms before we leave.”
“Find whatever you need. The king and the Lord Mebree aregood for it. We’ll leave here as soon as we can. Stay nearby, or let me knowwhere you’ll be tomorrow and the day after. If there’s any special gear or othersupplies you need, let me know.”
The mage merely shook his head, turned, and left.
Over the next two days, Lhors watched in fascinated silenceas Vlandar interviewed a number of would-be giant-slayers and heroes. Malowan was sometimes there but was often acting as go-between with the lord’s steward.The paladin went back and forth-sometimes hourly as yet another list ofnecessary supplies was worked up.
Most of the time, Malowan’s young companion was elsewhere,much to the relief of Lhors. Agya teased or mocked him incessantly when Malowan wasn’t around. He still found it hard to believe when the girl admitted tofourteen years, but Malowan assured him she was at least that old. Even cleaned up and clad more like a girl, she still looked no more than a skinny ten or so to his eyes. Probably she had found her size and shape useful. Lhors couldn’timagine a girl thief surviving long in the bad parts of the city.