"Ho, there, come on out, friend! It's not a night to be staying in a place such as this. We'll be making a fire. Why not come with us and get yourself warm?"

The voice was bold and cheerful. He could almost believe the words were sincere. Then Travis saw a curve of metal gleaming bloodred in the lantern light.

"Don't fear, friend! Tell you what--if you come out now, we'll share our booty with you. The old countess here doesn't need her jewels anymore.

And she's got more than enough to make us all rich men. Come out and we'll give you more gold than you ever dreamed."

Along with a pick in the back of my head, Travis added to himself. If 261 he wasn't dead yet, he was certain that would do the trick. He backed away another step.

258 mark anthony the shout. "Let's just be gone from here, Kadeck. I don't like this place."

"Shut up, worm. Now follow after me. And when you see him, brain him with your shovel."

The red eye of the lantern drifted nearer. Then it blinked out of existence. Travis turned and ran. Energy coursed across the sky, and for a heartbeat light stilled motion."There he is!"

"Get him!"

Night constricted around Travis. He careened on, bare feet slipping on soaked grass. Then pain flashed through him, bright as lightning, as he struck the sharp corner of a grave marker. A grunt escaped his lungs. He stumbled, nearly dropped the bundle, then clutched it tighter and ran on.

"I heard him. This way!"

The shout was horribly close, but he didn't dare look over his shoulder. Rain pelted down, lashing his naked skin, and his breath came in sick gasps. Just a little longer and he would fall, unable to go on.

Just a little longer until sharp metal drove through his skull. You were wrong. Jack. I am dead.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the night. A black pit appeared in front of Travis: an open grave waiting for its fresh, new denizen.

There was no time to veer to either side. Travis cried out and flung his body forward. The ground yawned beneath him-- 262.

--then he struck the other side, fell to his stomach, slid through sheets of mud, and came to a rough halt against a tumbled chunk of marble. He looked up as the sky shattered into shards of silver fire and saw his pursuers bearing down on him, murder on their faces. Too late they saw the open pit in front of them. They flung their arms out, but their boots skidded on the /~}t lir T'Mn fi A o f}v^ a 4-M a /Trrt