He pretended not to notice the men, though they did nothing to remain anonymous. Did she know and just want to scare him away from his contacts? Maybe. Maybe it did not matter if he betrayed them.

He started walking.

His shadows followed.

He tried to elude them, relying on a superior knowledge of the city. He had haunted the shadows and alleys and-hidden ways all his life. As he knew the palace better than anyone living, so he knew Taglios. He gave it his best. And when ne stepped out of a shanty warren where he got lost twice himself trying to get back out, one of his stalkers was waiting, leaning against a building.

The man grinned.

Longshadow filled Smokes mind. The Shadowmaster was angry. His patience was failing.

Smoke stamped across the street. How the hell do you keep track of me?

The man spat to one side, smiled again. You cant evade the eye of Kina, wizard.

Kina! Another terror to pile atop his fear of Longshadow.

You can run but you cant hide. You can twist and wiggle but you cant get off the hook. You can skulk and whisper in locked rooms but you cant keep secrets. Each breath you draw is numbered.

The fear deepened.

And always has been.

Smoke turned to run.

Theres a way out.

What?

Theres a way out. Look at you. Maintain your allegiance to the Shadowmaster and youre dead if your Taglian friends find out. If they dont kill you, he will when hes done with you. But you can get out. You can come home. You can shake the terror thats like a beast starving for your soul.

Smoke was too frightened to wonder why the thug did not talk like a street creature. How? He would try anything to get out from under the Shadowmasters thumb.

Come to Kina.

Oh. No! He nearly shrieked. The only escape was to yield himself to a greater horror? No!

Up to you, wizard. But life isnt going to get any better.

This time Smoke did run. He did not care if he was followed. Exercise reduced panic. As he neared his destination he realized that he had not seen any bats since leaving the palace. That was new. Where were the Shadowmasters messengers?

He bustled into a tall slum tenement, hurried upstairs, pounded on a door. A voice said, Enter.

He froze two steps inside the doorway.

The man he had been talking to leaned against the opposite wall. There were eight corpses in the room, all strangled. The man said, The goddess doesnt want your master to know her daughter is here.

Smoke squeaked like a stomped rat. He fled. The man laughed.

The man amongst the corpses shrank. He became the imp Frogface, who chuckled, then faded away.