Master and Fool Read Online Free PDF

and bottled
by now."
    "No one's
gonna bottle Big Tom," said Crope, lifting the boy higher into the air.
    "If you don't
put me down this instant, Crope, I'll personally see to it that old Thornypurse
is rubbing Big Tom's oily remains into her wrinkles before the day is
through."
    "Put him
down, Crope," ordered Baralis. "But master-"
    "Down, Crope.
" The tone of Baralis' voice killed all protest instantly and Crope
lowered the boy to the ground. "Leave us now," said Baralis.
    Crope flashed
Nabber an evil look, muttered something comforting to the large and rat-shaped
bulge in his tunic, and then backed away.
    Baralis turned to
the boy. "So, Nabber, what brings you here? Come to turn your friend the
knight in?" He stretched a smile designed only to show the sharpness of
tooth. "He's wanted for murder, you know."
    The boy looked a
lot more scared now than he did when he was in Crope's clutches. He was trying
to cover it, though, smoothing down his collar with a nonchalant air, and then
raising his fingernails to the light to check for dirt. Baralis was extremely
pleased by this surprise visit. If one waited in one's web long enough, the
prey would always come. "You've been wading, I take it?" Baralis
indicated the boy's britches, which were soaked to the knee. "I must say,
it's just the day for it."
    The boy looked
most indignant. "What about you, Baralis? Attracted any new crawling
insects lately?"
    "Come
inside," hissed Baralis, annoyed at himself for stooping to trade insults
with a mere boy.
    Nabber looked
quickly to his left and right. "I'm not sure that I want to."
    "Aah,"
Baralis said slowly, in the manner of one about to draw a logical conclusion.
"Then you're afraid."
    "I am not!
Let me past." The boy stomped into the room. Baralis smiled behind his
back.
    The boy made a
quick survey of the room. Once satisfied that they were alone, he pulled a
sheet of sealed and folded paper from his tunic. Before he handed it to
Baralis, he said, "I'll be wanting an answer straightaway."
    Baralis snatched
it from him. The bloodred seal was Maybor's: the swan and the double-edged
sword. Like the man himself, it took quite a breaking. Quickly, Baralis read
the spidery, uncultivated script. Once finished he turned to the boy. "Why
does he want to meet me?"
    Nabber shrugged.
"Don't ask me. I'm just the messenger." Baralis took a thinking
breath. The boy was a liar-and not a bad one at that. "Am I to understand
that I am to come with you now?"
    "Yes. Here
and now. No henchmen, no weapons, no chance to warn the guard."
    "How do I
know this is not a trap?"
    Nabber smiled
sweetly. "Who's afraid now, Baralis?" Baralis curbed his desire to
strike the boy. "And what if I refuse and send for the guard anyway? I
could have your secrets out of you on your very first scream." As he
spoke, Baralis noticed that Nabber was edging, none too discreetly, toward the
door.
    "Ah well, my
friend," said Nabber, hand upon the latch, "you'd have to catch me
first."
    The boy was young
and therefore could be excused his stupidity. "Do you really think I would
let you out the door?" The latch was up, but Baralis' hand was faster.
"Nay, boy. Leave it be! I will agree to come with you." Baralis found
himself breathless. There had been a brief instant when he had considered
drawing power against the boy, but curiosity overcame caution. He wanted to see
Maybor. He wanted to hear what the great lord had to say. Maybor had taken
quite a risk sending a boy who could disclose his own whereabouts, and
presumably his daughter's, straight into the heart of the palace. There must be
a good reason behind it. Oh, Baralis knew he could seize the boy and scrape the
truth right off his plump, youthful tongue, but his love of intrigue had been
sparked. There was a game to be played here, and after all, what good was power
without the thrill of power games? "Take me to him," he said.
    Maybor ordered a
second mug of ale, then settled back in his chair. He was not exactly drunk,
but he