The Hidden City

ancient street. ‘Last I heard, he was in Dirgis.’
    ‘The natcherl rules don’t seem t’ apply t’ ol’ Sporhawk,’ Tynian replied in a bad imitation of Caalador’s dialect. ‘What do you think? Should we slip back into real time? Or should we stay where we are?’
    ‘I think we’ll be more useful if we stay out of sight,’ Ulath replied.
    ‘That’s fine with me, but how are we going to get word to Sparhawk and the others that we’re here?’
    ‘I’ll slip a note in his pocket—or blow in his ear.’
    ‘That ought to get his attention.’
    Bllokw came shambling back up the street with a mournful expression on his ape-like face. ‘There are no dogs here,’ he reported in Trollish.
    ‘Soldiers don’t usually keep dogs, Bhlokw,’ Tynian explained.
    ‘I have hunger, Tin-in. Would the man-things here miss one of their herd—a small one?’
    ‘We might have a problem here,’ Tynian muttered to Ulath. ‘It’s definitely in our best interests to keep our friend here well-fed.’
    Ulath scratched at his now clean-shaven cheek. ‘We can’t just turn him loose,’ he noted. ‘He’ll attract attention if he starts stabbing people and jerking them into these broken moments.’
    ‘He’s invisible, Ulath.’
    ‘Yes, but if some Arjuni suddenly vanishes and his bones start getting tossed back out of nowhere, it’s bound to attract attention.’ He turned back to the Troll. ‘It is our thought that it would not be good for you to kill and eat the man-things here, Blokw. We hunt thought here, and if you kill and eat the man-things you will frighten the thought away.’
    ‘I do not like this hunting of thought, U-lat,’ Bhlokw complained. ‘It makes things not-simple.’
    ‘The forest is near, Bhlokw,’ Tynian said. ‘There must be many oLat things there.’
    ‘I am not an Ogre, Tin-in,’ Bhlokw protested in a slightly offended tone. ‘I do not eat trees.’
    ‘There should be creatures that are good-to-eat among the trees, Bhlokw,’ Ulath said. ‘That is what Tin-in was trying to say. It was not his thought to insult you.’
    Bhlokw glowered at Tynian for a moment. ‘I will go hunt now,’ he said abruptly. Then he turned and shambled off.
    ‘You have to be careful, Tynian,’ Ulath warned his friend. ‘If you want to get into a fight almost immediately, all you have to do is suggest to a Troll that he might be an Ogre.’
    ‘They’re actually prejudiced?’ Tynian asked in amazement.
    ‘You wouldn’t believe how prejudiced,’ Ulath replied. ‘Trolls and Ogres have hated each other since the beginning of time.’
    ‘I thought that prejudice was a human failing.’
    ‘Some things are just too good to stay private, I guess. Let’s follow Sparhawk and let him know that we’re here. He might have something for us to do.’
    They trailed along behind the beer caravan winding through the cleared streets toward that part of Natayos that was still choked in brush and vines. The wagons trundled along a recently cleared street and then went around behind a canvas-roofed building identified by a crudely lettered sign that read ‘Senga’s.
    ‘Trust Kalten to get close to the beer,’ Tynian said.
    ‘Truly,’ Ulath agreed. ‘Wait here. I’ll go let Sparhawk know that we’re in Natayos.’ He walked over to where Sparhawk, Kalten, and Bevier, looking strange with their altered features, stood off to one side while Senga supervised the unloading of the barrels. ‘Ramshorn,’ he said quietly. ‘Don’t get excited and start looking around,’ he added. ‘You won’t be able to see me.’
    ‘Ulath?’ Kalten asked incredulously.
    ‘Right. Tynian, Bhlokw and I got here yesterday. We’ve been nosing around.’
    ‘How have you managed to become invisible?’ the patch-eyed Bevier asked.
    ‘We aren’t, actually. Ghnomb’s breaking the seconds into two pieces. We’re only present during the smaller piece. That’s why you can’t see us.’
    ‘But you can see us?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Ulath, that’s logically inconsistent.’
    ‘I know, but Ghnomb believes that it works, and I guess his belief is strong enough to override logic. Tynian and I are here, and nobody can see us. Is there anything you want us to do?’
    ‘Can you get into that building near the gate?’ Sparhawk asked quickly. ‘The one with the barred windows?’
    ‘Not a chance. We already looked into the possibility. Too many guards on the doors. Bhlokw even tried going in through the roof, but it’s all