afterward； our visitor came to us。 Two guards escorted a man into the chamber。 He was not tall； but very bulky and misshapen； shambling like a half man； half beast。 The guards bellowed for a prisoner； who grunted in surprise； then made his way to the bars。 I saw gold glint； and the guards left。 The misshapen one said a few words to the prisoner and then the man…a thug who'd been imprisoned for a particularly barbaric murder for hire…came over to us。
〃You。 He's for you。〃 I gasped； and then both Janos and I recognized the man outside the bars。 I should have known him earlier。 It was Greif； my nightmare warden and Janos' real…life procurer of sorcerous matter。 Again I heard that mellow bass voice curl out from the broken face。
〃Lord Antero。 Cap'n Greycloak。 Looks like th' wheel's e round 'gain； don't it？〃
〃How did you know that we were…〃 Janos began。
〃Seal it；〃 Greif said impatiently。 〃Greif gets all that's worth knowin' in Lycanth。 I heard； an' bought in； 'cause I know Rolfe； there； so there'll be no s'spicion a'terward。〃
〃Afterward？〃 I asked。
〃You too；〃 he said。 〃Keep it shut！ There ain't time！ Don't need t' be here； i' one a' th' Archons' Evocators has a spirit look…roun' down here。 An' I s'spec' Symeon's got his own wizards castin' warnin' spells aroun' you two； makin' sure you stay where b' put〃。
〃You can get us out？〃 Janos had figured out what Greif meant。 Greif smiled that twisted smile and nodded。
〃I can。 An' it'll cost； cost dear。 I know an Evocator a' my own。 Works th' dark side a' th' street； an' got read out for so doin'。 I'll need gold 。。。 gold eno' t' move me leagues beyond Lycanth； an' beyond th' reach a' th' wrath a' Symeon an' the Archons。〃
〃You'll have it；〃 I said。 〃And you'll have a new life。 In Orissa or wherever。 How much gold？〃
〃Half；〃 Greif announced firmly。 〃Half of all th' Antero gold。 Figure that for a headprice is cheap； there bein' no Antero's but th' sister with no interest in birthin'； an' brothers whose spawn won't stretch beyond th' countin' room。〃
〃You know a great deal about my family；〃 I said。
〃This'll be th' one chance I'll have；〃 Greif said。 〃Enough gold so there won't be no slut； nor boy neither； say nay t' what I pr'pose。 Gold so I can tell any watch officer t' shit in his hat； an' he'll do it； clap it on his head； claim it th' latest style； an' parade away with a smile！ Knowin' that； I done my studyin' afore I e to see you。〃
〃I have gold 。。。 a great deal of gold not far from Lycanth；〃 I said。 〃But it would take much time to convert half my holdings to cash； and then have the gold taken to where you want it。〃
〃And we don't have time either；〃 Janos put in。 〃The patience of the Archons is not known for being great。〃
〃Fact is；〃 Greif assented； 〃y're for th' Question； I heard； in a few days。 First over there…〃 And he nodded toward the closed doors to the torture chamber； and I realized he did； indeed； know a vast amount about this prison and our dilemma。 〃…then i' front a three Evocators； in triad。 Wi' th' Archons' full powers behin' them。 You'll break 。。。 an' there'll be nothin' left but a couple burned husks fitten for no more'n beggin' in th' streets after； assumin' they'll let you loose someyear。〃
〃So how do I make you rich； then？〃 I continued。 〃I don't expect you to trust me to make payment after we're out。 Speaking of that； just how will you be able to get us out； anyway？〃
〃You don't need t' be knowin' that；〃 Greif said。 〃As t' th' first； I do trust you。 Ain't never heard tale of any Antero breakin' his bond。 But I'll have gifts of y' both； t' ensure。 A bit a' blood； a bit a' hair； a bit a' skin； a bit a' y'r juices。 F'r insurance。〃
I looked at Janos。 He was expressionless。 What choice did we have？ Even if the escape attempt failed； what could be done to us？ They wouldn't kill 〃us； not until they found what they wanted。 So we'd most likely get no more than a beating； be returned to the cell； and our appointment with the inquisitors moved closer。 I stuck my hands through the bars； and Greif and I touched palms。
〃May m' eyes be stricken； may m' mouth be burned out； may m' ears seal'd； may m' life ended if I break this oath that I'll see y' both beyond this cell； an' walkin' free in th' world；〃 he said。 I repeated his oath； changing the last to 〃if I fail to reward this man as he deserves and heap him with the honor he shall have earned。〃
〃Now。 You wait。 You just wait；〃 and Greif went back down the corridor； shouting for the guards。
We did。 One bowl of gruel 。。。 another 。。。 and yet a third。 Janos stalked back and forth； unable to eat； unable to sleep。 I pretended calm； but wanted to follow his lead。
I woke to the sound of windroar； snapped awake； and saw Greif； pacing into the chamber。 He held； level with the ground； a staff of some sort。 I could hear him muttering as he approached。 The muttering…and windroar…stopped。 He whispered； and the bars slid open； the ancient rusted iron moving as smoothly as new…cast； greased steel。 Instantly Janos and I were out of the cell。 None of the other prisoners seemed to notice either the door opening； our exit； or the door closing。 Greif set the staff down； and took two hooded cloaks from the small pack he was wearing。 He motioned us to pull them on； then handed us each a scrap of paper。 On mine was scrawled： SAE NUTHING。 FOLOW ME。 WISPER WORDS ALOTHEM； BERENTA； ALOTHEM。 He picked Up the Staff； and； again holding it level； paced away； toward the stairs and the guardroom； muttering his spell。 The windroar began once more。 I saw sweat was rolling down Greif' s face in spite of the dank cold。 We followed him； obeying instructions； whispering the two words of what must have been the spell he'd gotten from the 〃criminal〃 Evocator。 We passed the guardroom。 Half the guards snored； but five or six appeared awake。 They did not see us。 We started up the stairs。 As we approached each of the sealed doors； Greif would touch them with first one； then the other end of his staff； and they would spring open。
We reached the main floor of the castle。 Here there were pacing guards； but none of them saw us。 I realized Janos had stopped and turned。 He was stretching up； reaching to where a pitch…soaked torch flared。 He touched it for a moment； then dropped his hand； as Greif turned and impatiently beckoned。 Then we were outside the sea castle； in the courtyard； where rain roared and smashed against the stone。 I tasted its sweetness and heard the splashing； something I never had expected to taste or hear again。 There was a carriage waiting； with four horses； a coachman； and four outriders beside it。 It looked as if it might belong to a rich man； just the man who might have very private business with the Archons or their priests at this hour。 Greif motioned us inside。 He stopped his spell。
〃Now。 You stay in。 Don't look out。 This'll take us to th' next step。 Then we'll get out of the city。 Start thinkin'； Antero； how quick you can scrape me up m' gold。〃 He slammed the coach door。 The blinds were drawn tight； and it was almost dark inside the carriage。 We could see nothing through the blinds。 The coach swayed on its springs as Greif climbed up on the step； and then we were moving。 I breathed relief。
〃Not yet；〃 Janos said。 〃When we are beyond where their wall once stretched； beyond that and their patrols。〃
I brought myself back to alertness。 〃What were you doing； back there with the torch？〃
〃No bowman carries but one string；〃 Janos said obliquely； 〃I felt I might need some pitch。〃 He held his fingers up； and began whispering；
〃Fire my friend
〃Fire you hear
〃Fire my friend
〃Fire you hear
〃Fire you remember
〃Fire you hear 。。 。〃
There were other words； in a tongue I did not know。 I had no idea what he was preparing； or why。 So I concentrated on the sounds outside； the crash of the wheels against cobbled streets； the shouted challenges from patrols or watchmen； Greif bellowing the password； the crack of the whip； the clatter of hooves。 The carriage swayed as we turned corners。 I tried to figure where we were going； but gave it up； being almost pletely unfamiliar with the streets of Lycanth。 I asked Janos if he could tell； and he waved me to silence； never stopping his whisper。
I heard