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He could even live with the knowledge of his best friend's death. His only
friend's death. Probably he should be mourning Jason; perhaps Lou Riccetti
would be going over all his contacts with Jason, dredging up pleasure and pain
from their friendship, regretting that Jason was gone.
But he couldn't do it. Not with his power wrapping him, keeping him warm. The
death of one powerless human just didn't seem significant. Now, the loss of
the spell books, that hurt.
Which makes me a small person, perhaps
?
If that was so, then so be it. He
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"Are you falling asleep?" Andrea asked, nudging him. "Standing up?"
He opened his eyes regretfully, the warm glow of his power overwhelmed by the
bright sunlight. "No."
"Well, Ahira says to keep an eye out for anybody who looks official since the
soldiers chasing Hakim didn't come back, the locals may be looking for him.
And I don't think that would be very healthy for the rest of us."
"Very well." Although Aristobulus didn't see why he had to be the
lookout probably there was something interesting going on at the boat. Keeping
an eye on the shoreside crowd, he moved closer to where Hakim was haggling
with the captain.
Avair Ganness tapped bare toes on the wood, his heavy calluses clicking like
dice. "Well then, make up your mind. It hardly matters to me. I can make a
profit of five, perhaps six gold by carrying good
Lundess wine, instead of you." He spoke Erendra in a pleasant rhythm, his r's
rolling melodiously. Huge shoulders shrugged inside his sweat-stained
sailcloth tunic, belted at the waist with a length of rope. The tunic stopped
abruptly at midthigh; below, his thick legs projected like treestumps.
Hakim smiled, raising an eyebrow, "There would be advantages to carrying us,
instead."
Ganness nodded. "That is so." He sighed. "I do have this problem happens to
many a man my age. It would cost me much to have it cured in Pandathaway.
Perhaps even more than your passages will cost me, all things considered. But
only perhaps."
Problem? He looked healthy enough.
"That wasn't what I meant." Hakim gestured at the crewmen swarming around the
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sloop, checking lines, stowing cargo, pausing occasionally to leer at Doria
and Andrea. "I have been watching the way they check their bows, their arrows.
There are few spots on deck that don't have a weapon within reach. You are
concerned about pirates, no?"
"Not concerned. Properly cautious. I've sailed the Cirric for... forty years,
man and boy. Only run into pirates seven, eight times." He grinned, a
gap-toothed smile that was not at all friendly, "And I have managed to give a
good account of myself, those few times." He tossed his head, his waist-length
pigtail curling around his torso like a snake. "So I have no need of wizards
or warriors to protect me. But" he extended his arm toward Doria, frowning as
Hakim moved between them "I do require a cleric's help."
His face went blank. "But that can wait until we dock in Pandathaway. I won't
need... I won't have any use for it until then. I don't bugger my seamen." He
smiled at Doria.
Well, that explained what his "problem" was a case of impotence, eh? And just
perhaps Avair Ganness was a bit more eager to have her cure it than he
appeared to be otherwise, he might well have set his price for passage at
enough money to overcompensate the loss of cargo space.
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Aristobulus nodded to himself. Yes, that made sense but best to whisper it
quietly to Ahira or Hakim, rather than confront Ganness. The trouble with most
people was that they weren't rational; the captain might refuse to carry them,
just out of stubbornness.
He took a few steps closer, and called to the dwarf.
"What is it?" Ahira snapped, "We're talking, here and I thought you were told
to " He cut himself off, his eyes going wide, as he looked past Aristobulus'
shoulder.
The wizard turned. A troop of ten no, twelve soldiers were working their way
toward the pier, stopping and questioning passersby as they came. He moved
toward the end of the pier, trying to carry his rucksack casually.
"We had best conclude this quickly, no?" he said, careful to speak in English
rather than Erendra.
Ahira turned to the thief, "Hakim?"
Hakim shrugged m the loose tunic. "I don't think they'll recognize me, not
unless cancel that. The one with the longbow is Marik he'll know me, if he
sees me. Maybe."
"Then turn around
."
Ganness frowned. "What tongue was that?"
Barak took a step toward him, smiling faintly. "I don't think that is any of
your concern, is it?" He switched to English. "Better agree to something
, folks other than her Heal Disease spell, the only decent one she's got left
is for Minor Wounds. And she's only got one of those left. If we get in a
fight..."
Doria spoke up, "I don't remember anyone asking me if I wanted to cure him,
and then... prove that I
have."
Aristobulus sneaked a glance over his shoulder. The soldiers were still
working their way toward the end of the pier, where the
Ganness' Pride was tied up. But unless the one that knew Hakim recognized him
at a distance, they still had a few minutes; the soldiers were a few hundred
yards away on the crowded pier.
Barak shrugged. "I don't see what your problem is. After all, you've always
been willing to make it with practically any "
Her hand struck Barak's face with a loud whack
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! It probably wasn't the force of the blow that staggered him, it was the
surprise.
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