Oh Powers, they’re going to rob the temple, I know it. How can I possibly stop them before—
But Lydia strode boldly down the length of the vast inner chamber without pause, her boot heels clicking on the smooth stone floor Ignoring the busy religious murals on walls and columns (at least Kevin assumed they were religious murals), ignoring the few worshippers and the gaudy gilded shrine (the bardling still couldn’t figure out to whom the temple was sacred), she pulled aside a curtain shrouding the far wall. revealing a tiny door. The woman rapped on it three times, then two, then three again, and Kevin cried in sudden comprehension:
“You’ve been here before!”
Lydia grinned. “The boy’s a genius! How do you think I found the livery stable and Grakka’s shop so easily?”
“Oh.” Feeling exceedingly stupid, the bardling muttered, “Of course.”
The door swung open soundlessly. “Come on, kid,” Lydia said—”Churches are always where the money is. Let’s go.”
Kevin warily followed her down a short flight of stairs. He paused halfway down, glancing about.
The room at the bottom of the steps was small and windowless, but elegant enough, with walls and tables of sleekly polished wood. It was full of people sitting at or standing around those tables, some of them so richly —or gaudily—clad the bardling’s eyebrows rose in surprise. The only sounds were the faint rustle of cards, the clink of coins, and an occasional sigh or smothered oath.
“This is a gambling house!” Kevin exclaimed, feeling a wicked little thrill of excitement run through him. They hardly had this sort of thing back in Bracklin! “Lydia, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Earning us some funds.”
“B-but those are the only coins we’ve got left! If you lose them ...”
Lydia shrugged. “Whatever the Fates decree.” As a man threw down his hand and stalked off in disgust, the woman flopped down onto the vacant chair. “What’s the game?”
No one even glanced up. “Five-card Tarot,” someone muttered. “Pentacles wild.”
“Fine.” To Kevin’s horror, she dumped all his coins out on the table in front other. “I’m in.”
The bardling had no idea what the rules of Five-card Tarot might be. He’d never even heard of the game before! Chewing anxiously on his lower lip, he watched as Lydia thoughtfully kept or discarded the brightly colored cards, or glanced every now and then at her equally pensive fellow players: three middle-aged human men and an elven half-blood of indeterminate age and gender. With each round, the bardling saw with a shudder, more and more of his precious coins were added to the pot.
“I’m out,” one of the humans muttered suddenly, throwing down his cards and leaving. The others never even noticed. After another hand:
“Me, too,” said the half-elf with a shrug, vanishing into the crowd.
Lydia and the two remaining men never flickered an eyelash. One of the men, Kevin noted, was a bushy- bearded fellow in somber red robes, while the other was a thin, clean-shaven man, smooth of skin and dressed in an elegant tunic of blue velvet, but they were alike in their impassive concentration. The game went on, cards being selected, discarded. The pile of coins in the center of the table grew ever larger.
If she loses now, the bardling thought with a shudder, we’ll have nothing left!
But without warning, Lydia threw down her hand with a cry of triumph.
“There! Be at that!”
Kevin saw that the cards she’d been holding were the King, Queen, Knight and Page of Swords, and the Five of Wands. It was obviously a good hand, because Bushy Beard and Smooth Skin threw down their cards in disgust. Smiling sweetly, Lydia raked in the pot
“Come on!” Kevin whispered. “We’ve got our money back. Let’s get out of here!”
“Are you joking?” she whispered back. “That’s not enough to bribe anyone! Besides, I’ve just begun.”
“What do you mean? Lydia, if you lose—”
“I’m not going to lose—All right, gentlemen,” the woman added in a bright voice. “Shall we try one more time?”
