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that s something that I ll just have to see about. What about you?
I ve got another three years. Then, I ll see about working full wage. She
smiled at Rahl. Unless someone wants to consort, but he d have to be handsome
and wealthy. As handsome as you.
Rahl managed to keep a pleasant smile on his face. As pretty as you are, you
might not have to work at all.
She laughed softly, and for a moment, the hardness left her face. You re
kind. I m Thanyra. She smiled again. You can ask for me whenever you come.
It s nice to serve someone who isn t old enough to be my uncle.
That s good to know. Rahl returned the smile.
In the end, he left a silver and a copper. He hoped that Thanyra got to keep
the extra two coppers. She d worked hard enough for them.
The greeter nodded almost indifferently as Rahl left.
The guard outside the same one as when he d entered offered a cheerful, Good
evening, ser.
The same to you.
Outside, the misty fog had lifted, and the early evening was almost
uncomfortably warm and damp. The infrequent sound of hoofs on stone echoed out
over a low insect chorus. Rahl had no more than walked away from Hakkyl s and
crossed the street, following the avenue, than he sensed the two men waiting
around the corner of the building ahead to his right, lurking in the alleyway.
He pivoted, deciding to head back the other way suggested by the mage-guard
earlier, when another man walked down the side street from the south toward
him.
Rahl could sense chaos-forces building, and his hand went to the truncheon as
he tried to strengthen his order shields.
Whhst!
The white chaos-flame flared around him, but his shields held. The chaos-bolt
didn t seem as strong as those of the mage-guards he had met, but he didn t
want to see if the man could do worse. Rahl pulled out the truncheon and
sprinted toward the chaos-wielder.
Another chaos-flare enveloped him, harmlessly.
The small squat man turned to run.
WHHSSTT! Ashes and flame swirled and then began to settle.
Rahl stopped in his tracks and began to search for another white wizard.
The mage-guard he had met earlier appeared, standing next to the wall of the
building, smiling. I thought you might come back for an early dinner. Hakkyl
makes a little extra this way, but we ve never been able to prove it.
Rahl replaced the truncheon and shrugged helplessly. I didn t know what else
to do. There were two of them waiting in the alley ahead off the avenue, and I
was trying to stay out of trouble.
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She frowned. They re gone now. Long gone. Then she shook her head. You ll
never avoid trouble here. Not unless you become a mage-guard. You carry enough
order to draw anyone who s got order- or chaos-senses, and you re handsome as
well. She laughed softly, but not derisively. If you were a mage-guard, and
if I were younger, I d enjoy working with you, I think.
Can outlanders become mage-guards?
It doesn t matter so long as you can speak both Temple and Hamorian.
Oh& ! -
You might think about it. She inclined her head toward the ashes and metal
on the stone. It s late enough that the sweepers will get most of it, but you
might heed the coins, and you deserve them.
Are you sure& you&
You defended yourself. Your shields wouldn t stand against a real
chaos-master, but you won t run into one of those except in the services of
the Emperor. Have a pleasant evening, Rahl. She turned and walked in the
direction of Hakkyl s.
Rahl watched her for a moment. She d made the effort to recall his name from
when she d studied his registry bracelet. That didn t bode well. Finally, he
picked up the coins from detritus left from the attacker destroyed by the
mage-guard. This time, he found two silvers and six coppers. After slipping
them into his wallet, he was far better off than when he d awakened that
morning. He was also far more concerned about his future in Hamor, but he
didn t like the idea of being a mage-guard, not and being what amounted to a
high-level servant.
Finally, he started back toward the Association.
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