'won't happen, and what if it did? they couldn't be worse.'

tehol studied hejun briefly, then he shrugged. 'all of this awaits resolution. in the meantime, remain vigilant. there are still things that need doing. what happened to that nerek mother and her children i sent you?'

'we shipped them to the islands,' shand said. 'they ate more than she cooked. started getting fat. it was all very sad.'

'well, it's late and i'm hungry, so i will take my leave now.'

'what about ublala?' rissarh demanded.

'what about him?'

'we want him back.'

'too late, i'm afraid. that's what happens when you won't commit.'

tehol quickly made his way out.

walking the quiet streets back to his abode, tehol considered his earlier words. he had to admit to himself that he was troubled. there was sufficient mystery in some of the rumours to suggest that the impending war would not be like all the others letherii had waged. a collision of wills and desires, and beneath it a host of dubious assumptions and suspect sentiments. in that alone, no different from any other war. but in this case, the outcome was far from certain, and even the notion of victory seemed confused and elusive.

he passed through burl square and came to the entrance to the warehouse storage area, beyond which was the alley leading to his home. pausing to push up his lopsided sleeves and cinch tight his trousers, he frowned. was he losing weight? hard to know. wool stretched, after all.

a figure stepped from the nearby shadows of an alley mouth. 'you're late.'

tehol started, then said, 'for what?'

shurq elalle came to within two paces of him. 'i've been waiting. bugg made soup. where have you been?'

'what are you doing out?' tehol asked. 'you're supposed to be holed up right now. this is dangerous-'

'i needed to talk to you,' she cut in. 'it's about harlest.'

'what about him?'

'he wants his sharp teeth and talons. it's all we ever hear. fangs and talons, fangs and talons. we're sick of it. where's selush? why haven't you made arrangements? you're treating us like corpses, but even the dead have needs, you know.'

'well, no, i didn't know that. in any case, tell harlest that selush is working on this, probably right now in fact. sharp solutions are forthcoming.'

'don't make me laugh.'

'sorry. are you in need of a refill?'

'a what?'

'well, uh, more herbs and stuff, i mean.'

'i don't know. am i? do i smell or something?'

'no. only of sweet things, shurq. i assure you.'

'i am less inspired by your assurances as time goes on, tehol beddict.'

'what a terrible thing to say! have we stumbled yet?'

'when is gerun eberict returning?'

'soon, it turns out. things should get exciting then.'

'i am capable of excitement regarding one thing and one thing only, and that has nothing to do with gerun eberict. however, i want to steal again. anything, from whomever. point me in a direction. any direction.'

'well, there is of course the tolls repository. but that's impregnable, obviously. or, let's see, the royal vaults, but again, impossible.'

'the tolls. yes, that sounds challenging.'

'you won't succeed, shurq. no-one ever has, and that includes green pig who was a sorceror nearly to rival the ceda himself-'

'i knew green pig. he suffered from overconfidence.'

'and was torn limb from limb as a result.'

'what do you want stolen from the tolls repository?'

'shurq-'

'what?'

tehol glanced round. 'all right. i want to find out which lender holds the largest royal debt. the king has been borrowing prodigiously, and not just to finance the eternal domicile. so, who and how much. same for queen janall. and whatever she's done in her son's name.'

'is that all? no gold? no diamonds?'

'that's right. no gold, no diamonds, and no evidence left behind that anyone was ever in there.'

'i can do that.'

'no you can't. you'll get caught. and dismembered.'

'oh, that will hurt.'

'maybe not, but it'll prove inconvenient.'

'i won't get caught, tehol beddict. now, what did you want from the royal vaults?'