Raj cursed, did an about-face, nearly knocking over a man and woman. d.a.m.n! d.a.m.n! They"re blocking the way to Boregy. His eyes scanned the people around him, alert for other suspicious figures.

Now he was headed the wrong way on White, toward Junction Bridge that spanned the Grand, the Signeury on one hand and Borg on the other. Raj considered his options. Safety ... he had to get to some place where he could hide out.

The second bridge on Borg"s south side led to Gantry; he need only make it across diNero to Gallandry"s. Once there, he would have to answer innumerable questions, but the grilling would be small price to pay.

Raj was trotting so fast now, he was near a lope. A quick glance behind: the two men who had started following him on Bucher had joined the two loiterers who had blocked his way on White. Raj cursed again and kept his eyes forward. The twilight was deepening around him.

He dodged left and onto the Cantry Bridge, aware that he NIGHT RIDE.

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was now quite visible as he loped along through the lessening crowd. The shadows of the bridge might hide his face from pa.s.sers-by, make his Oriental features hard to recall. He glanced ahead toward the Cantry-diNero Bridge.

Two more men stood by the edge of the bridge, equally as sinister looking as the four who followed.

Sweat chilled Raj"s forehead: his armpits were already slick. The way across diNero to Gallandry"s was blocked, and he had four men coming straight at his back.

The only escape was the Gantry-French Bridge, and that led him off from any protection he might have sought. He considered going ca.n.a.lside but gave that idea up, imagining more men intent on stopping him waiting below. Where could he go? French led to Bent, and Bent led to- Justice! Bent led to Ka.s.s and Justice had given his address as Hilda"s boarding house which lay on the back side of Ka.s.s. Raj cursed as he darted aside onto the Gantry-French Bridge. Seeking refuge with Justice was something he would never have considered if he had anywhere else to go.

He did not. There was no choice. Besides, the traffic around Ka.s.s and the other islands known for their student population would be heavier than elsewhere.

Heedless of the attention he drew, Raj ran through the crowds on French, seeking to lose himself from sight of his pursuers. Sidestepping a fellow homeward bound from market. Raj crossed the bridge to Bent. He still sensed the men who chased him behind, but not as close as before. A small hope flared in his heart-perhaps he could outdistance them after all.

Feet pounding on the wooden bridge, Raj crossed from Bent over to Ka.s.s. Hilda"s Tavern. He had never been there before, but he knew where it was. Luck, for the first time since he had left Spellbridge, seemed to be with Raj: the Ka.s.s walkway was full of students. He slowed his pace a bit, darted in and out between them, his eyes fixed ahead, searching for Hilda"s sign.

There! Hilda"s lay only a short way ahead. Raj took one last glance over his shoulder, and this time he did not see the 166.

Asire men who foliowed. Certain now that he had momentarily lost his pursuers. Raj brushed aside two students, offering hasty apologies, and entered the tavem.

To stand panting in the doorway, his eyes adjusting to the lamplight. He looked from table to table, seeking the only face he was sure he would recognize. Few people had looked up when he entered . . . another stroke of unforeseen luck. A surge of panic started to well up in Raj"s heart. What if Justice was not here? If the men who followed were persistent {and having chased him across half of Merovingen they must be) they would search any public place they could find.

Then, from across the room, Raj saw Justice lift his head and stare. Murmuring a prayer of thanks to whoever had guided him here, Raj took a deep breath, tried to a.s.sume a normal expression, and walked across the crowded room to where Justice sat.

Justice met Raj"s eyes across the room and sat up straighter, awakening Sunny who had been asleep on his lap. Gone was the young man he had eaten lunch with-now the black eyes looked haunted in a face unnaturally pale.

"Raj," he said softly, indicating the chair next to him and waiting until Raj had sat down. "What brings you here? I thought you had something to do tonight."

Raj licked his lips. "1 did. I-Justice, can we go to your room. 1 need to talk to you."

A chill ran up Justice"s spine, a feeling he tried to ignore. "Sure. Have a beer first?"

"Now, Justice," Raj said, and darted a glance toward the doorway leading outside. "Please."

Justice lifted one eyebrow, nodded, and lifted the sleepy cat from his lap. Standing, he gestured for Raj to follow, and started off to the door that led back to the boarding house.

"1 haven"t made you miss dinner, have I?" Raj asked at his elbow.

Out of place, that comment, from a person so obviously upset, unless Raj was trying to cover his unease, and confuse anyone who might overhear. "No. I usually don"t eat until NIGHT RIDE.

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later." Justice walked down the hall, turned left at an alcove, and-juggling Sunny on one arm-slipped his key into the lock. "Come on in, Raj."

"Justice went first, knowing the way, and lit a large lantern. The room was small; against one wall stood Justice"s narrow bed, cluttered with books and papers, an old wooden standing closet at one end. The table across the room was heaped high with sketches and drawings nearing completion. Other artwork hung on the walls, some pen and ink, and some oils. Justice pointed Raj toward the chair in front of the table, shut the door, threw the lock, and sat down on the bed. Sunny yawned, jumped down from Justice"s arm and curled up on the pillow, determined to finish his nap.

"What"s the matter, Raj?" Justice asked, leaning back on his elbows.

Raj swallowed. "I was supposed to take some papers somewhere for a friend of mine who"s ill. 1 was followed by six men. They cut me off from where I was going and started to chase me. I wouldn"t have come here, but I had no other place to go." Raj leaned forward on the chair. "On my honor, Justice . . . they didn"t see me come into the tavern."

But why were they after you in the first place? Justice silently asked. His mind sorted through everything Raj had told him. Adding the fight in the cut and the way Raj had acted at lunch, Justice felt certain now that Raj was caught up in something ominous . . . something better left unknown.

"And. . . ?"

Raj met Justice"s eyes squarely. "I can"t go out again. Those men aren"t going to give up easily. And Denny and-" He shook his head."I"ve got to get these papers back to my friend, along with the message that I"m all right or they"ll think I"ve been dumped in the ca.n.a.l."

Or worse. "Fife"s a long ways from here," Justice said aloud. "And I"d have to take a boat. I wouldn"t want to be walking the bridges at this hour."

Another uncomfortable silence. "Denny"s not on Fife. He"s staying with my friend."

"Where?"

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Nflitcy Asire "Petrescu," Raj said and gave an address.

Justice hitched himself forward, sat with his elbows on his knees and stared at Raj. "I don"t want to know anything more about this. In fact, I think 1 might know too much as it is."

Raj"s black eyes glittered in the lamplight. "It"s not what you suppose, Justice. Believe me."

And what is it you think I suppose? Some crazy cult? Is that it. Raj? Could you be caught up with them? You say you"re from Nev Hettek. and Adventist. And what did those men who followed you want? You or the papers you carry? O Lord and Ancestors! I hope I"m wrong! Justice matched Raj stare for stare. "Don"t tell me any more, Raj. Just give me the message."

"Then you"ll go?"

"Yes." Idiot! I"m an idiot! "Petrescu isn"t all that far away. I know a couple of honest boatmen who"ll take me there."

Raj started digging in his shirt pocket. "At least let me-"

"No. 1 can afford it better than you can. Now what"s the message?"

"Justice." Raj leaned forward in the chair. "You do realize this could be dangerous, don"t you? Very dangerous."

"The thought crossed my mind," Justice replied, somewhat amazed at his own calm.

"Then for Lord"s sake, go armed. You"re no mean swordsman from what Denny says. And tell the boatman to take the most direct route."

Justice visualized the ways to Petrescu. "Down Archangel to the Grand, I"d think."

"Go past Foundry, then up Fishmarket." Raj"s face tightened. "And when you get to Petrescu Cut, be especially wary of the Hagen Cut opposite."

"Ambush?"

"It"s a possible place for one."

"You think I"ll be followed?"

"I"m not sure. d.a.m.n! I wish you had some kind of cover. Then you"d-"

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A sudden inspiration. "I"ve got one." Justice said, and smiled slightly at Raj"s expression. He pointed to his desk and the packet of medicine Raj had given him at lunch. "Your friend"s sick. I could be making an after-hours delivery-"

Raj shook his head."No. You said you don"t want to know anything more about all this, but you"ve got to understand . . . such a delivery wouldn"t do my friend any good. In fact-"

"So he"s being watched too?"

Raj shifted in his chair. "Possibly."

Possibly? What the h.e.l.l am I getting into? "d.a.m.n. Then what could I be taking?" Justice looked around the room, seeking anything that could make his trip seem legitimate. "Got it!" he said, and pointed to the floor beside the desk. "Books."

"Books?"

"How many people would pay attention to some student out making a book delivery from the College?"

Raj nodded slowly. "I see what you mean. Now if you were carrying something that looked like drugs or food-"

"I"d be prime target for anyone to take on."

"But books are so expensive. I can"t imagine you taking some out on the ca.n.a.ls at night."

"Those books cost me next to nothing," Justice explained. "They"re old, dog-eared, and thoroughly marked up. And, if necessary, I can always get more."

"All right," Raj said. "Books it is. I can put the papers inside one of them."

"What"s your message?"

"Once you get to Petrescu, you"ll have to give a pa.s.sword to Denny, or he"ll never let you in the door. It"s simple: Rif just sings cute little ballads. Have you got that?"

Justice" stomach had knotted at the mention of a pa.s.sword. Now, he was sure he was into something he very much did not want to know about. "Rif just sings cute little ballads," he repeated. "I"ve got it."

"Good. When Denny lets you in, you"ll meet another one 170.

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of my friends, Altair Jones, she"s a ca.n.a.ler . . . operates a skip. She and my friend are-" He waved his right hand and looked somewhat uncomfortable. "You know. . . ."

Justice kept silent, waiting for Raj to go on. A ca.n.a.ler, a message runner, an accountant who longed to be a doctor. What Raj"s other friend was, Justice did not want to know.

"Anyway . . . tell Denny and Jones that 1 couldn"t get the papers through and that I"m holing up here for the night." Raj stopped suddenly. "That is all right with you, isn"t it? If not, I"ll try leaving sometime around third watch."

"You can stay here. Don"t worry about it."

Grat.i.tude showed in every line of Raj"s face. "1 owe you again, Justice."

"Anything else?"

After a prolonged silence. Raj nodded. "Tell Denny and Jones that a.s.sa.s.sins might be loose and may try to make a move tonight, or very soon."

Justice stared. a.s.sa.s.sins? He had second and third thoughts about the trip to Petrescu and nearly voiced them. But Raj needed help and, for good or ill, Justice could not ignore such a request.

"Don"t ask," Raj said. "If you don"t want to know any more about things . . . don"t ask."

"You needn"t worry. Now, tetl me if I"ve got it straight," Justice repeated Raj"s message and the young man nodded at the end.

"You"ve got it. And for Lord"s sake be careful, Justice."

"Huhn." Justice stood, reached out and scratched the sleeping cat, then walked to the standing closet. He took out a heavy black sweater, pulled it over his head, then sought his sword. Buckling the swordbelt around his waist, he considered taking his dagger, rejected the thought, then- remembering the fight in the cut-picked the dagger up from the floor by the head of his bed.

"Here." Raj stood and picked up the pile of five tattered books, handling them as if they were gold. He opened the book halfway down the pile, reached inside his shirt, and pulled out a rumpled sheaf of papers. Glancing once up at Justice, Raj slipped the papers into the middle of the book. "You might want to tie the books together," he said, "to keep the papers from falling out."

"Justice nodded, shoved the dagger into the swordbelt at his left side, took a heavy poncho down from the hook behind the door and wormed into it. He knelt, reached under his bed, and pulled out a ball of twine. With Raj"s help, he tied the pile of books firmly together. "If 1 were you, Raj," he said, standing, "1 wouldn"t go out into the common room. I"ll have Hilda bring you something to eat."

"I can"t let you-"

"You can pay me back later." Justice walked to the door, unlocked and opened it, then turned to face Raj. "Now stay put."

"Justice," Raj said, as Justice turned to go. "If anything happens ... if you are attacked, throw those books in the ca.n.a.l and go in after them!"

It was not fully dark yet when Justice left the stairs leading down from second level front-side Ka.s.s to ca.n.a.lside. Across the way, hidden now in the fog, the Signeury loomed up, looking ominous in the gloom. Poleboats always gathered at the landing: traffic here, as in other student areas, was good and frequent. Justice scanned the three boats that had tied up to the pilings of the landing, and breathed a sigh of relief as he spotted the boat tied at the far end. Sergei.

The small, compact poleboatman looked up as Justice walked out to the end of the landing. "Good evening, m"ser," he said, his white-toothed grin visible in the fading light. "Chilly night, no? Might snow soon, I"m thinking."

Justice lifted his head and sniffed the air. Sergei could be right: there was a change coming and the air smelled of it. Thankful that he wore his heaviest socks with his soft-soled shoes, Justice nodded.

"Don"t like to think about snow," he said, "but if it comes, it comes."

"Where ye be going?"

His heart pounding, Justice flourished the books so that 172.

Nancy Asire NIGHT RIDE.

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anyone watching could see. "Making a delivery from Father Rhajmurti-semi-official College duty." Lord! If Rhajmurti finds out I"ve used his name, he"ll skin me alive! He grinned at Sergei. "A little extra money never hurt anyone."