Free The Phoenix Guards by Steven Brust

forward and picked up the body. Khaavren found the purse that Frai had received from the Jhereg, and drew a single gold coin from it, which he presented to the healer. “For your trouble,” he explained, and, with a last glance at the Athyra, he led the way out of the inn.

Chapter the Sixth

    In Which the Results of the First Patrol are Discussed At some Length with the Captain , Who is Less than Pleased

    T HEY WALKED BACK TO THE Dragon Gate, and into the sub-wing of the Imperial Guards, where Khaavren paid each of the four two orbs from the same purse. They left the body in Captain G’aereth’s antechamber, and told the attendant that he wished to see the Captain. This worthy looked at the body and went to give the message. He returned at once, and signed that Khaavren should enter at once.
    “Well, my good Tiassa,” said the Captain, motioning Khaavren to a chair. “It seems that something has happened. I am anxious to hear the details.”
    “My lord,” said Khaavren, “I will tell you of the entire affair.”
    “That is precisely what I wish to hear,” said the Captain.
    “That is well. Here it is, then.” And he explained exactly what had occurred, with the precision of detail only a Tiassa is capable of. As he spoke, G’aereth’s eyes became hard. When he had finished, the Captain opened his mouth to speak, but they were interrupted by the attendant, who said that the Cavalier Pel wished to be admitted.
    The Captain shrugged, and signed to Khaavren that he should be patient. “Very well,” G’aereth said to the attendant. “Send him in.”
    Pel bowed to the pair of them.
    “Well?” said the Captain.
    “There has been a small misadventure, my lord,” said Pel.
    “A misadventure?”
    “Precisely.”
    “Of what kind?”
    “On the part of my partner.”
    “Your partner?”
    “Yes.”
    “She is hurt?”
    “Ah! You say, hurt.”
    “That is to say, injured.”
    “It seems likely.”
    “But not badly?” asked G’aereth hopefully.
    “On the contrary, my lord.”
    “On the contrary?”
    “Yes. It is very bad.”
    “But, she still lives, does she not?”
    “Oh, as to that … .”
    “Well?”
    “I regret to inform your lordship—”
    “Lords of Judgement! She is dead, then?”
    “It is my sorrowful duty to say it, my Captain.”
    “But how did it happen?”
    “Oh, it was a strange thing.”
    “Well?”
    “Well, as we walked along the perimeters of Castlegate, where the revelries of the season were just beginning, my partner and I were discoursing on some subject—”
    “On what subject?”
    “That is to say … on the subject of …”
    “Of dalliance, Cavalier?”
    “Oh, certainly not, my Captain!”
    As he said this, Khaavren noticed a flush on the pale features of the Yendi, and wondered if the Captain had seen it, too. Pel continued, “It was on the subject of sorcery, my lord.”
    “Of sorcery?”
    “Yes. She pretended that no one who was not an accomplished sorcerer could have a place in the Imperial Guard.”
    “Well, and?”
    “I had the honor to inform her that the reign of the Athyra had ended fifteen days ago.”
    “Ah.”
    “I feel she took my words amiss, for she raised her hands, as if she would cast a spell upon me.”
    “Ah! And you?”
    “Well, your lordship must understand that I could hardly permit a spell of an unknown sort to take effect on my person. It could have harmful effects. I had no choice but to draw my sword.”
    “Oh, but you stopped with drawing it, I hope.”
    “Most certainly, my Captain. I recovered myself, and I pleaded with her, as eloquently as I could, not to set out on this hasty course, from which no good could possibly occur.”
    “And she? Was she convinced?”
    “Entirely.”
    “Well?”
    “Well, upon seeing the wisdom of my words, she rushed to embrace me, and, in so doing, spitted herself upon my sword.”
    “My good Pel!”
    “It is as I have the honor to inform you, my Captain.”
    “And yet—”
    “We were