The Hidden City

everybody else.’
    ‘I wonder if they stayed in No-Time or just merged into Scarpa’s army.’
    ‘It’s hard to say. Maybe I should have checked before Xanetia left.’ Then they heard several men talking on the road. Sparhawk crept closer, with Aphrael just behind him.
    ‘Because I don’t trust these soldiers, Col,’ a rough-looking fellow was saying to a blond Elene.
    ‘It’s daytime, Senga. Nobody’s going to ambush your beer wagons in broad daylight.’
    ‘You can’t be too careful. Money’s running short here in Natayos, and that beer’s the life-blood of my business. A thirsty man who’s running short of money might do anything.’
    ‘Have you considered lowering your prices?’ an evil-looking fellow with a black eye-patch asked.
    ‘Bite your tongue, Shallag,’ Senga replied.
    ‘Just a suggestion,’ the patch-eyed man shrugged.
    The dozen or so heavily armed men moved on out of earshot.
    ‘You recognized them, of course,’ Aphrael murmured to Sparhawk.
    ‘Kalten and Bevier, yes. I didn’t see Caalador, though.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Will you be all right here? Alone, I mean?’
    ‘Well, it’s awfully dangerous, Sparhawk—lions and tigers and bears, you know.’
    ‘It was a silly question, wasn’t it?’
    ‘I’d say so, yes. What have you got in mind?’
    ‘Kalten and Bevier are obviously working for that fellow they called Senga. I think I can get them to vouch for me. They seem to have the run of Natayos, so hiring on as a beer-guard would give me a way to get into the city without attracting attention.’
    ‘Will you be able to restrain yourself when you’re that close to Mother?’
    ‘I’m not going to do anything foolish, Aphrael.’
    ‘Well, I suppose it’s all right. You have my permission.’
    ‘Oh, thank you, Divine Aphrael,’ he said. ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.’
    ‘You have a very clever mouth, Sparhawk,’ she said tartly.
    ‘It’s probably the clever company I’ve been keeping lately,’ he shrugged.
    ‘I have to run back to Sama for a little while,’ Aphrael told him. ‘Try to stay out of trouble when you get into the city.’
    ‘I’ll miss you desperately.’ He grinned.
    ‘You’re in an odd humor today.’
    ‘I feel good. If all goes well, I’ll have your mother out of there before the sun goes down.’
    ‘We’ll see.’
    They waited as the sun crept further up in the eastern sky. Then from off to the north they heard the approach of several heavily laden wagons. ‘I’ll keep you posted,’ Sparhawk promised, and he stepped out of the bushes to stand at the side of the muddy road.
    The first wagon, drawn by four patient oxen, came creaking around a bend. The wagon-bed was piled high with barrels, and the one known as Senga sat on the seat beside the villainous-looking driver. Kalten, his expression oddly familiar on his altered face, was perched on top of the barrels.
    ‘Nor Col,’ Sparhawk called from the roadside. ‘I thought I recognized your voice when you passed here a little while ago.’
    ‘Well, strike me blind if it isn’t From!’ Kalten exclaimed with a broad grin. Sparhawk suddenly wondered what might have happened if Kalten hadn’t recognized him. Kalten was laughing now with genuine delight. ‘We all thought you’d run away to sea when things came apart on us back in Matherion.’
    ‘It didn’t work out,’ Sparhawk shrugged. ‘There was a bo’sun on board who was a little too free with his whip. He decided to swim for shore one dark night. I can’t imagine what came over him. We were twenty leagues out to sea when I helped him over the side.’
    ‘People do strange things sometimes. What are you doing here?’
    ‘I heard about this army, and I thought it might be a good place to hide. Word’s going about that this Scarpa fellow plans to attack Matherion. I’ve got a few old scores to settle there, so I decided to tag along for fun and profit.’
    ‘I think we can find a better spot for you than back in the rear ranks of Scarpa’s army.’ Kalten nudged Senga’s shoulder with his foot. ‘The fellow standing ankle-deep in the mud there is an old friend of ours from Matherion,’ he told the tavern-keeper. ‘His name’s From, and he’s a very good man in a fight. When the police jumped on us back in Matherion, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Shallag, holding them off while the rest of us got away. Do you think there might be a spot for him in your operation here in