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Shoulders　hunched；　brow　sweaty；　he　stared　at　the　board　as　if　the　fate　of　his　soul　were　being　decided　thereupon。　A　truly　petent　player　would　have　recognized　almost　instantly　that　there　was　only　one　move　he　could　make。　Indeed；　he　would　have　foreseen　the　inevitable　mate　just　three　moves　hence　and　resigned。
Mindful　of　his　true　purpose　for　visiting　the　Jewel　Box；　Ryld；　doing　his　best　to　sound　only　casually　interested；　took　up　the　thread　of　the　conversation　that　he　and　the　slightly　tipsy　trader　had　been　carrying　on　in　fits　and　starts。
〃Did　your　cousin　give　you　any　warning　that　he　was　going　to　run　away？〃
〃No；〃　the　clansman　answered　curtly。　〃Why　would　he？　We　despised　each　other。　Now　shut　up　You're　trying　to　break　my　concentration。〃
Ryld　sighed　and　settled　back　in　his　spindly；　flimsylooking　limestone　chair。　From　the　corner　of　his　eye　he　glimpsed　something　that　made　him　sit　up　straighter；　doublecheck　the　precise　position　of　Splitter　leaning　against　the　wall；　and　stealthily　loosen　his　short　sword　in　its　oiled　sheath　on　his　belt。
He　himself　didn't　quite　know　what　had　alerted　him。　These　weren't　the　first　circle　of　revelers　he'd　watched　rise　from　their　seats　and　draw　their　weapons；　either　to　play　at　fencing　or　to　settle　a　quarrel　that　had　nothing　at　all　to　do　with　the　hooded　male　defeating　all　ers　at　sava。　Indeed；　within　the　confines　of　the　Jewel　Box；　blades　rasped　from　their　scabbards　with　a　certain　regularity。　Superficially；　this　new　quartet　was　no　different；　but　somehow　Ryld　knew　that　they　were。　Sure　enough；　they　stalked　straight　toward　him　and　his　oblivious　opponent　through　the　fragrant　haze　of　incense。　Other　patrons；　likewise　sensing　the　swordsmen's　intent；　made　haste　to　clear　the　way。
A　blade　with　a　glowing　redness—an　imprisoned　spirit　perhaps—oozing　inside　the　adamantine；　flicked　in　a　horizontal　sweep　at　the　tabletop。　Ryld　caught　the　weapon　and　pushed　it　away　before　it　could　upset　the　sava　pieces　or　his　neatly　stacked　winnings。　The　long　sword　was　as　sharp　as　only　an　enchanted　weapon　could　be；　but　he　managed　the　grab　without　cutting　his　hand。　Finally　startled　from　his　reverie；　the　scrawny　boy　looked　wildly　about。
〃May　we　help　you？〃　asked　Ryld。
〃We've　been　listening　to　you；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　long　sword。
Though　not　so　big　as　Ryld；　he　was　nonetheless　husky　and　tall　for　a　drow　male；　and　the　points　of　his　prominent　ears　seemed　to　reach　above　the　top　of　his　head　like　a　bat's。　He　was　the　best　dressed　and　plainly　the　leader　of　the　foursome；　even　though　his　broad；　sullen　face　bore　the　mottled　bruises　of　a　beating。　The　weapons　master　assumed　that　some　noble　female　must　have　seen　fit　to　give　the　male　a　pummeling。　His　panions　would　think　none　the　less　of　him　for　that。
Especially　since；　Ryld　noted；　two　of　them　were　hurt　as　well；　moving　a　trifle　stiffly　or　slightly　favoring　one　leg。　Perhaps　they　were　all　kinsmen；　and　one　of　the　priestesses　in　their　House　had　gone　on　a　regular　tear。
〃You've　been　asking　a　lot　of　questions　about　runaways；〃　the　swordsman　continued　in　a　threatening　drawl。
〃Have　I？〃　Ryld　replied。
He　reflected　that　it　was　too　bad　the　three　musicians　had　left　the　stage　a　few　minutes　back。　He　doubted　that　anyone　had　managed　to　eavesdrop　on　his　conversations　while　the　longhorn　was　shrilling　away。
The　other　male　scowled　and　asked；　〃Why？〃
〃Just　making　conversation。　Do　you　know　something　about　the　rogues？〃
〃No；　but　I　know　that　in　the　Jewel　Box　we　don't　like　it　when　people　are　too　curious。　We　don't　like　them　hunting　runaways。　We　don't　like　them　listening　to　every　private　thing　we　say　and　reporting　back　to　the　Mothers。〃
〃I'm　not　a　spy。〃
Maybe　he　was；　but　he　had　no　intention　of　confessing　it　to　this　fool。
〃Ha〃　the　swordsman　scoffed。　〃If　you　were；　you　wouldn't　admit　it。〃
〃Be　that　as　it　may；　I　suggest　you　and　your　friends　return　to　your　table　and　let　this　boy　and　I　finish　our　game。〃
The　male　with　the　red　sword　swelled　like　an　inflated　bladder　on　the　verge　of　bursting。　〃You're　trying　to　dismiss　me　like　a　servant？　Do　you　have　any　idea　who　I　am？〃
〃Of　course；　Tathlyn　Godeep。　I　trained　you。　Do　you　remember　me？〃
Ryld　pushed　back　his　cowl；　exposing　his　hitherto　shadowed　features。
Tathlyn　and　his　friends　goggled　at　their　former　teacher　as　if　he　had　just　revealed　himself　to　be　some　ancient　and　legendary　dragon。
〃I　see　you　do。　So　I'll　bid　you　good　day。〃
Tathlyn　looked　as　if　he　was　groping　for　a　ment　that　would　allow　him　to　terminate　this　confrontation　with　his　dignity　intact；　but　the　onlookers　started　to　laugh。　His　fear　less　pelling　than　his　pride；　he　screwed　the　sneer　back　onto　his　face。
〃Yes；〃　he　said；　his　voice　raised　to　cut　through　the　laughter；　〃I　know　you；　Master　Argith；　but　you　don't　know　me；　not　the　person　I　have　bee。　Today　I　am　the　weapons　master　of　House　Godeep。〃
House　Godeep　was　one　of　the　petty　Houses　of　Narbondellyn；　whose　frantic　rivalries　on　the　very　bottom　rungs　of　the　ladder　of　status　were　almost　beneath　the　notice　of　the　nobles　farther　up。　Ryld　doubted　the　Godeeps　would　rise　much　higher　with　Tathlyn　leading　their　warriors。　During　his　training；　the　boy　had　learned　to　swing　a　sword　with　reasonable　skill；　but　he　had　always　demonstrated　extraordinary　recklessness　and　general　poor　judgment　when　placed　in　mand　of　a　squad。
〃Congratulations；〃　said　Ryld。
〃Perhaps　if　you'd　known　I　would　rise　to　such　an　eminence；　you　wouldn't　have　taken　such　delight　in　smashing　my　knuckles　and　beating　my　shoulder　to　pulp。〃
〃I　didn't　do　it　for　sport。　It　was　to　teach　you　to　close　the　outside　line　and　to　stand　up　straight。　I　tried　simply　telling　you　to　make　the　adjustments；　but　you　didn't　heed　me。
〃Now；〃　Ryld　continued；　〃I've　explained　I　have　no　intention　of　tattling　to　the　matrons　about　anything　I　might　happen　to　learn　in　this　place。　Is　my　word　good　enough　for　you？　If　so；　we　should　have　no　quarrel。〃
〃That's　what　you　say。〃
〃Lad—excuse　me　。　。　。　Weapons　Master；　pause；　breathe；　and　reflect。　I　sense　you're　feeling　angry　over　your　aches　and　bruises。　Perhaps　you　want　to　take　it　out　on　someone；　but　I'm　not　the　person　who　administered　the　beating。〃
Tathlyn　stood　silent　for　an　instant；　then　he　said；　〃No；　you're　not；　and　I　suppose　all　the　punishment　during　training　was　for　my　own　good。　No　hard　feelings；　Weapons　Master。　Enjoy　your　match。〃
He　started　to　turn　away；　then　whirled　back　around。　The　point　of　the　red　long　sword　streaked　at　Ryld's　neck。
Before　the　four　panions　had　even　reached　the　sava　table；　Ryld　had　inconspicuously　centered　his　weight　and　planted　his　feet　in　a　manner　that　would　allow　him　to　get　out　of　his　chair　quickly。　He　simultaneously　sprang　up　and　brushed　the　blade　aside　with　a　sweep　of　his　arm；　but　he　didn't　strike　it　at　quite　the　proper　angle。　The　wicked　edge　of　the　red　sword　drew　a　little　blood。
Ryld　realized　that　this　was　his　first　real　fight　in　the　better　part　of　a　year。　He'd　intended　to　go　out　with　one　of　the　panies　patrolling　Bauthwaf；　slaughter　himself　a　few　of　the　predators　that　were　always　wandering　in　from　the　caverns　farther　out；　but　somehow　he　had　never　bestirred　himself　to　do　it。
That　was　no　problem。　He　had　no　fear　that　he　was　rusty。　It　was　just　that；　looking　back；　he　was　surprised　at　his　lack　of　motivation。
All　these　thoughts　flashed　through　his　mind　in　an　instant　and　without　slowing　his　reactions　in　the　slightest。
Tathlyn　jumped　back　out　of　reach；　but　one　of　his　panions　was　lunging　at　Ryld。　It　looked　like　they　all　intended　to　fight；　which　probably　meant　they　were　all　the　weapons　master's　kin　and　subordinates。　Otherwise；　one　or　more　of　them　might　have　stayed　out　of　the　quarrel。
Ryld　twitched　himself　out　of　the　way　of　his　attacker's　wild　head　cut；　drew　his　leafbladed　short　sword；　and　thrust。　The　onrushing　Godeep's　momentum；　Ryld's　strength　and　skill；　and　the　magical　keenness　of　his　point　served　to　bury　the　weapon　deep　in　the　crook　of　his　assailant's　fighting　arm。　Though　not　his　favored　weapon；　the　short　sword—enchanted　to　wound　even　incorporeal　spirits—was　a　fine　blade。　Blood　started　from　the　puncture；　and；　staggering；　the　Godeep　dropped　his　falchion。　It　would　actually　have　been　easier　to　kill　the　dolt　than　merely　incapacitate　him；　but　Ryld　was　on　a　secret　mission；　and　outright　homicide　was　far　more　likely　to　attract　attention　than　a　simple　tavern　brawl。
Tathlyn　and　his　other　two　friends　saw　their　chance　and　ru