Free The Reign of Wizardry by Jack Williamson

quarter.”
    He quickened his pace, but Theseus stopped him.
    “Give me the money.”
    Reluctantly, Snish surrendered the little handful of tiny dump-shaped silver shekels. Theseus began buying the stocks of astonished hucksters, passing out datesand honey cakes to beggars and shrieking children. Intelligence of this incredible bounty spread swiftly, and soon the narrow street was packed. Snish tugged fearfully at the arm of Theseus.
    “Caution, Gothung!” he croaked faintly. “Men with prices on their heads should not gather mobs about them. Come—”
    A horn snarled, and his voice died. A hush fell upon the street, disturbed only by gaspsand fearful murmurs. The silent mob began to melt past corners and into doorways. A woman slipped to the side of Theseus.
    “Come with me,” she whispered. “Hide in my room until the Etruscan guards are gone. I want a strong, brave man again. Once I was in the temple of Cybele. But the high priestess turned me out, because men said that I was more beautiful than Ariadne!”
    Theseus looked at her.She was bent a little, and the white-powdered shoulders revealed by her open bodice were thin with years; the rouged face was holloweyed and haggard.
    “Here is money.” He dropped the rest of the rough silver coins into her lean hand. “But I am seeking Ariadne herself.”
    “You think I am too old.” Bitterness cracked her voice, and her fingers closed like brown claws on the silver. “But Ariadne isten times my age, and more! It is only sorcery that gives her the look of youth and beauty.” She tugged at his arm. “But come,” she urged, “before the goddess overhears our blasphemy. For here she is!”
    Then the horn sounded again. The woman fled, lifting her flounced skirt from the splashing mud. Magically, the street had cleared. There was only a lame, naked child, that the rush had pushed intothe gutter. It tried to run, fell, lay still, as if too frightened even to scream.
    “Come, Gothung!” The voice of Snish was a husky rasp, and his face had turned yellow-green. “This street is no place for us.”
    Theseus shrugged off his clutching arm, strode back toward the silently sobbing child. But the horn blared again, and two black stallions came prancing around a bend in the street.
    Theyfilled the narrow way, and the bronze greaves of their riders brushed against the walls on either side.
    “Make way!” an angry voice barked above the jingle of spurs and bits. “Make way for the white palanquin of Ariadne!”
    “Run!” Snish overtook Theseus. “The Etruscans—”
    “But the child!”
    Theseus ran back, toward the brown, naked infant, lying petrified with fear on the edge of the gutter. Hewas too late. It shrieked once, under the great hoofs, and lay still again.
    Trembling, Theseus snatched the bits and stopped the horse. He looked up at the swart, helmeted rider. Dark with anger, the Etruscan dropped the silver horn to its thong, tugged furiously at a long bronze sword.
    “Wait,” Theseus said softly. “Let the people get out of the way.”
    “Loose my bits, gutter rat!” roared theEtruscan. “For this outrage, you will be flung into the games.”
    “Probably,” said Theseus. “But there is no haste.”
    The other horseman, meantime, had cleared his own saber. He swung down with it, savagely, at the bare, magically blond head of Theseus. But Theseus leaned under the neck of the horse he held. And the dark-stained Falling Star, whipping up, slashed the Etruscan’s fingers and sentthe bronze blade rattling into the gutter.
    The wounded Etruscan made a bellow of rage and pain. The other jerked and spurred his mount, attempting to ride down Theseus. But Theseus clung to the bits, swung clear of the pawing hoofs. And the steel sword, with two swift strokes, severed girth and reins.
    The saddle slid down the back of the rearing horse. The Etruscan sat down upon it, violently,in the open sewer. There was an unpleasant splash and a louder buzzing of flies. In a