survive -- shock -- successfully.'
'When we knew that the packtrain had been taken, we sent agents to comb the slave markets. They returned empty-handed,' he replied with as much stoicism as he could muster. 'We will not ask the impossible of you; we knew when we sent for you there was no hope for them. No, we ask only that you wipe out this viper's den, to insure that this can never happen to us again -- that you make such an example of them that no one dares try this again -- and that you grant us revenge for what they have done to us!' There -- that was his full hand. Would it be enough?
His words -- and more, the tight control of his voice -- struck echoes from Tarma's own heart. And she did not need to see her partner to know her feelings in the matter.
'You will have that, merchant-lord,' she grated, giving him the title of respect. 'We accept your job -- but there are conditions.'
'Swordlady, any conditions you would set, I would gladly meet. Who am I to contest the judgment of those who destroyed Tha -- '
'Hush!' Kethry interrupted him swiftly, and cast a wary glance over her shoulder. 'The less that is said on that subject, the better. I am still not altogether certain that what you were about to name was truly destroyed. It may have been merely banished, and perhaps for no great span of time. It is hardly wise if the second case is true to call attention to oneself by speaking Its name.'
'Our conditions, merchant, are simple,' Tarma continued, outwardly unperturbed. Inwardly she had uneasy feelings about Thalhkarsh, feelings that had her ready to throw herself between Kethry and anything that even looked like a demon. 'We will, to all appearances, leave on the morrow. You will tell all, including your fellow merchants, that you could not convince us to remain. Tomorrow night, you -- and you alone, mind -- will bring us, at a meeting place of your choosing, a cart and horse....'
Now she raised an inquiring eyebrow at Kethry.
'And the kind of clothing and gear a lady of wealth and blood would be likely to have when traveling. The clothing should fit me. I will be weaving some complicated illusions, and anything I do not have to counterfeit will be of aid to me and make the rest stronger. You might include lots of empty bags and boxes,' Kethry finished thoughtfully.
Tarma continued; 'The following morning a fine lady will ride in and order you to include her with your next packtrain. You, naturally, will do your best to dissuade her, as loudly and publicly as possible. Now your next scheduled trip was -- ?'
'Coincidentally enough, for the day after tomorrow.' Grumio was plainly impressed. It looked as though he'd decided that Tarma and her partner were even cleverer than he'd thought.
'Good. The less time we lose, the better off we are. Remember, only you are to be aware that the lady and the packtrain are not exactly what they seem to be. If you say one word otherwise to anyone -- '
The merchant suddenly found himself staring at the tip of a very sharp dagger held a scant inch away from his nose.
' -- I will personally remove enough of your hide to make both of us slippers.' The dagger disappeared from Tarma's hand as mysteriously as it had appeared.
Grumio had been startled, but had not been particularly intimidated; Tarma gave him high marks for that.
'I do not instruct the weaver in her trade,' he replied with a certain dignity, 'nor do I dictate the setting of a horseshoe to a smith. There is no reason why I should presume to instruct you in your trade either.'
'Then you are a rare beast indeed, merchant,' Tarma graced him with one of her infrequent smiles. 'Most men -- oh, not fellow mercenaries, they know better; but most men we deal with -- seem to think they know our business better than we simply by virtue of their sex.'
The smile softened her harsh expression, and made it less intimidating, and the merchant found himself smiling back. 'You are not the only female hire-swords I have dealt with.' he replied. 'Many of my trade allies have them as personal retainers. It has often seemed to me that many of those I met have had to be twice as skilled as their male counterparts to receive half the credit.'
'A hit, merchant-lord,' Kethry acknowledged with open amusement. 'And a shrewd one at that. Now, where are we to meet you tomorrow night?'
Grumio paused to think. 'I have a farmstead. It's deserted now that the harvest is in. It's just outside of town, at the first lane past the crossroad at the South Trade Road. No one would think it odd for me to pay a visit to it, and the barn is a good place to hide horses and gear.'
'Well enough,' Tarma replied.
All three rose as one, and Grumio caught the faint clink of brigandine mail from Tarma's direction, though there was no outward sign that she wore any such thing beneath her worn leather tunic, brown shirt and darker
