"We could be seen lifting off," Greystone cautioned.
"I intend operating on the assumption that we will be," Rider replied. "But we'll feint to the east, up the Bridge. In any event, the ship can outrun any messenger."
The airship came out of the east, with the rising sun. It hurtled over the marshes so low the belly of the gondola whispered to the touch of tall reeds. Below, waterbears squeaked in sudden fright. Yawning marsh crocodiles bellowed in amazement and slithered into the safety of their deep pools.
Startled Emerald-like sentries gawked, then shouted warnings that were far too late.
The hulk loomed ahead. Rider lifted the airship a dozen feet and slowed it. His men sent cannisters tumbling down ...
A noxious violet miasma enveloped the decaying ship.
Su-Cha, who had wakened only moments before, put into words what only Rider had noticed. "The boat. It's gone."
Sullen grumbles greeted the news.
Rider backed and lowered the airship, dropped Chaz and Preacher. The purple fog had dissipated already.
The two were back in minutes. "Nobody there," Chaz reported as he clambered aboard.
Rider nodded as he began making altitude, looking for a boat. The stones Su-Cha had planted were still alive. And still aboard the hulk. Shai Khe had detected their emanations and had known his hideout stood betrayed.
No suspicious boat plied the river. Shai Khe could not have gone far, for he hadn't had time.
Rider doubted he could have reached the hulk long before the airship's arrival.
The eastern sorcerer had a sixth sense for peril, that was certain. He hadn't bothered wasting time setting booby traps. He had gotten while a chance to get remained.
"Back to square one again," Greystone said.
"Hardly," Preacher countered. "Hardly at all." He handed Rider a sheet of paper.
Rider moved nearer a window and stared at the sheet a long time. Finally, he handed it to Greystone.
The scholar grunted. "Il Diavolo. From the nether shore."
Chaz looked over Greystone's shoulder. "Looks like Shroud's Head to me. Pretty good drawing, for charcoal."
"It is Shroud's Head. But when King Shroud had it sculpted, the slaves who did the work called it II Diavolo. The Devil. The island sea peoples, they gave Shroud that name after he beat them off Klotus, then made them commemorate the defeat by carving the cliff into a face that would watch them forever."
Chaz said, "That means that fishing boat was going somewhere after all."
Rider nodded. "That's possible."
Shroud's Head had been carved from a two-hundred-foot-high promontory just miles down the Bridge from where Rider had had the guardship intercept the boat that had carried away Soup and Spud.
"The Devil's Eyes," Spud mused. "One of them is a cave, isn't it?"
Rider nodded. "Big enough to conceal a small airship."
"What're we waiting for?" Chaz demanded. "Let's go get them."
"Haste is not indicated," Greystone scolded.
"He's right," Rider said. "A clue like this is almost too sweet a find. For the moment we'd better assume it was left deliberately. Instead of rushing into a trap, let's see if we can't entangle Shai Khe in his own snare. In any event, we can close that door when we want. For now we'll concentrate on thwarting his assassins."
Rider started the airship down river in a not very hopeful search, leaving the hulk burning behind. After a few minutes, he said, "We've won one victory, of sorts. We've forced him to abandon his designs on the City. To lower himself to the spiteful murder of fancied enemies."
"Kind of understating there," Greystone observed.
"Possibly. Our job now is to take away his killing game. To compel him to come at us head to head."
"Wonderful," Chaz said. "That's what I've been waiting for all my life. A chance to go one on one with a guy so bad he scares himself when he walks past a mirror."
"We can handle him," Rider promised. "And while he's preoccupied with us he won't have time for anybody else."
Chaz grumbled a lot.
As Rider expected, they found no sign of Shai Khe's boat.
XXVI
Between them, Rider and his men had hundreds of friends and acquaintances in all walks of life and at every stratum of society. Most notably at the lowest stratum, where the dark deeds and secret things are known, and the wicked deeds are done. Rider had the word go out at all levels, with a promise of a substantial reward where that might count: the Protector's son wanted information about certain easterners who might have been involved in his father's murder.
The Protector's death was a secret no more. And much of the City was aware that strange doings were afoot. The news of the murder had come out slowly, to a populace already certain something bad had occurred. There was tension and apprehension, but no panic.
Most people believed Rider could assume the Protector's mantle. He was Jehrke's son and Jehrke had trained his boy to step into his shoes. This crisis would test the temper of the sword that Jehrke had forged.
Chaz thought the whole business had turned hilarious. "Those guys are the ones on the spot now," he crowed. "They stick their heads out anywhere and they're had."
Rider watched the woman Caracene hover around the barbarian. "I'm uncomfortable being dependent on the help of others. We have to remain self-sufficient. There will be many times, in years to come, when we will have no other resources."
Greystone countered, "Your father himself said to use the tools at hand. In this case I think the threat justifies an appeal to the people."
The others were a bit puzzled. They were not used to seeing Rider doubt himself.
Rider said, "I expect Shai Khe to make a gesture before long. A show of force, if you will, to demonstrate that he can move at will even in reduced circumstances. Chaz, you'd better go back to General Procopio." He also assigned men to Soup, Spud, and Su-Cha.
"What about me and Greystone?" Preacher complained. "Are you cutting us out?"
"You hold the fort. Keep track of whatever reports come in. If anything comes in that looks especially good, investigate if you like. Don't start anything with Shai Khe. Just keep an eye on him."
Looking at Caracene with an odd glint in his eye, Chaz smacked a fist into a palm and said,
"I'd like to lay something more than an eye on that wheezer."
"Where are you going to be?" Su-Cha asked. Already Rider was adopting one of his many disguises.
As he often did when he did not wish to answer a direct question, Rider developed a sudden deafness.
Those who were to go out on guard duty began collecting items they might need. No one pressed Rider when he did not want to talk.
They watched in awe as he prepared himself. It was amazing just how much he could secrete about his person.
XXVII
Rider and the others had not been gone twenty minutes when there was a pounding at the door.
Trusting no one, Preacher concealed himself within the device of mirrors and covered Greystone.
Greystone looked through the periscope peephole. "It's an officer of the King's bodyguard." He unlocked the door "What can I do for you?"
The officer looked embarrassed. "The King insists you guys should take charge of the prisoner Polybos House. His Majesty isn't up to all the fuss and bother."
Greystone scowled. There were moments when he was not too fond of his sovereign. "I guess we can throw him in with the others. Which reminds me. They're overdue to be fed."