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weight of his body into it, which slammed with a sickening thud into
Mange's groin.
The bounty hunter screamed in surprise and pain, and fell to the
ground, rolling in agony and clutching at his crotch.
Wik grabbed hold of Keldrick and lifted the boy high into the air,
shaking him. Speido sprang forward and backhanded Mariat across the
face, knocking her to the ground. Then he scooped up Darseeya and
Timock into his lanky arms.
Suddenly, the feathered shafts of two darts sprouted from Wik's right
shoulder. The big oaf bellowed and dropped Keldrick to the ground.
Then Wik spun around tugging at the hated sting in his back.
Sinn came roaring out of the night like a demon released from hell.
Behind him ran the street urchin to whom, two days before, he had given
a silver bit in the Bazaar. The boy, named Jakar, had seen Smn wander-
ing lost in the Maze and had returned the bard's generosity by leading
him out of the tangled streets and to the Warm Kettle.
Speido dropped the children he was holding and pulled his dagger.
Mariat staggered to her feet and screamed.
"Murder! Murder! Help!!" She prayed desperately for the watch to
hear and answer her cry.
Sinn pulled up short and drew his weapon on Speido. When the snivel-
ing youth saw that his dagger was facing a short sword, he lost all heart
for the fight and tried to turn tail and run for it.
Speido only made it a few feet before Keldrick threw himself across the
thief's path. Speido tripped and sprawled headlong on the ground, and
476 STEALERS' SKY
Jakar leapt immediately on his back and battered the thief into uncon-
sciousness with a small cudgel.
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Mange was still lying on the ground clutching himself and watching
the world spin around. But Wik, having pulled the darts from his shoul-
der, roared like a bull as he plowed into Sinn, bowling the minstrel over
with the sheer bulk of his weight.
As the giant pinned Sinn to the ground, the bard felt his breath quickly
leaving him. He worked his sword arm free and slammed the flat of the
blade against the big man's skull. Had he known Wik any better, he
would have aimed for a more vital part of the man's anatomy.
Wik rose from the ground like the personification of wrath. In his
upraised hands, he lifted the man who had interrupted a simple, uncom-
plicated assignment. The big brute ignored the old woman and children
clinging to his massive frame who were trying to deflect him from his
purpose. He hurled the minstrel at the nearest wall with all the force he
could muster.
Sinn felt some of his ribs crack and give way as he slammed into the
building. As he crumpled to the ground in a mangled heap, he strove to
fight off the darkness which was insisting on overwhelming him. He
could not leave Mariat and the children undefended-
But as he lost his grip on the conscious world, he heard at last the
unmistakable voice of the watch.
"Halt in the name of the prince!!" they cried.
Then oblivion took him.
Bakarat shifted his massive bulk uncomfortably in his seat. He looked
disdainfully at his five fellow merchants seated in the common room of
the Warm Kettle. The chairs Shamut had provided for the meeting were
quite comfortable for them, but a man of the Toad's prestigious girth
needed something more accommodating to his size.
He was about to call for Shamut to give him something more comfort-
able, when Mariat made her entrance into the room.
The fat merchant regarded her with hate. Somehow, she had made his
plans last night go awry. He had learned from his underground network
of informants that Mange and his cohorts had failed in their task.
Bakarat did not worry about them implicating him. He had too many
friends in high places. But he was exceedingly aggravated at having to
enter this meeting without leverage over the woman Mariat.
The Rankan widow cleared her throat and called the meeting to order.
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"Gentlemen," she began. "My thanks to you for taking time out of
your busy and pressing schedules to come to this little get-together. I
promise you I will make it worth your while."
OUR VINTAGE YEARS 477
Bakarat smiled to himself as he glanced at his business associates and
saw the skeptical looks on their faces. Although none of them would ever
sink to the depths of criminal intrigue at which the Toad operated, they
were all shrewd businessmen who looked cynical of the fact that a
woman could have something of interest for them to consider, other than
her body-
"First," Mariat continued, "allow me to make two special introduc-
tions."
As she spoke, a young boy in his early teens entered the room. He
brought with him a clean slate upon which he began to draw a map.
"This is my grandson Keldrick, who has recently proved himself man
enough to take part in this assembly."
The merchants shifted uncomfortably, not quite understanding what
she meant. Bakarat was becoming more and more agitated as the scene
developed according to Mariat's plan.
"And may I also introduce Lord Molm Torchholder, who has come to
hear and appraise our proposal as well."
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