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by my head。 Some of us they got； and some of us had and those they got were dead and those they missed went on； me among them。 Well； soon after we came upon a camp full of big men who took us in and gave us food； and seeing how shabby we were and in what bad health； gave us a chart to lead us out of trouble。 While they were at it； they gave me stuff to put on the eye which they said would fix it。 Came morning they went on away north to wherever they were going； and we took the chart to begin working our way back into civilized lands。
〃We were fools； Gamesman； fools。 Young and inexperienced and without the sense to save our necks。 The chart was false and the salve for my eye was false； and when we had done with both I was blind and we were lost in the Dorbor Range somewhere； so lost we thought we'd never e out again。 They'd been Gifters； you see。〃
〃Gifters？〃 I murmured。
〃Aye。 Gifters。 Devils in the guise of humankind； generous with gifts which lead only to destruction。 Well； we didn't want to die； not even me； blind as a cave newt。 So we worked our way south as best we could。 There was stuff to eat enough。 We killed mountain zeller and ate berries； and the cliffs were full of springs and streams； so it wasn't that we hungered。 Then we came upon a sizable river running away south。 We built ourselves a raft and let the few horses go…poor beasts； they might be living there yet if the pombis didn't get them…and floated away south。
〃Then it was hell； Gamesman； sheer hell for days on end。 There were rocks in the river； and falls； and taking the raft apart and hauling it around obstacles and putting it together again。 Once or twice my panions spotted smoke off in the woods； but we didn't dare see who was there for fear it might be Gifters again。 We just went on and went on until we came to a long； placid stretch of river； and then we curled up on the raft and slept。 I think we may have slept for some days； because when we came to ourselves we were ing to the town of Zebit； some ways south of here。〃
〃South of here；〃 I said； puzzled。 〃Bannerwell is south of here。〃
〃No； no； Gamesman。 Bannerwell is south and a little east。 If you go down the west side of the mountains； you'll e to Zebit； and it is south of here； right enough。 The river makes a long curve； so we had floated by Betand in the darkness。 The river I speak of flows just west of the city； here； over a low swell of hills。 〃Well； they had all had enough exploring to last them a time； and I wanted only to have a Healer do something with my eyes。 Those in Zebit said there was nothing they could do； but they remended a Healer here in Betand who was said to be very powerful。 So I bought a small pawnish boy to be my guide； and we crossed the river there at Zebit and found the trail into the mountains and then north to Betand。 It was all nonsense about the Healer。 She could do no more than the others。 So； here I've stayed since； evoking small visions in return for a place to sleep or a bite to eat。 The end of my great adventure； the only one I am ever to have。〃
I shook my head； musing； as he nodded； lost in memory and the flow of his own voice。 〃So；〃 I said at last； 〃you came here from the south。〃 That didn't help me at all。
〃Oh； you might say so； Gamesman。 But I came from the east； you know； and from the north as well。 Twas my whole adventure brought me to Betand； and it was in all directions from here。〃
〃Save west；〃 I said； suddenly enlightened。〃
〃True；〃 he murmured； saddened。 〃I slept in the west； but I did not see it。 Oh； I've seen it in visions； the sounds of metal； the green lights； the great defenders。〃
Would I had paid him more attention； but I did not。 My question had been answered； and I was on fire to be away。 So I pressed coins into his hands and left him without hearing what he was going on about。 He had e to Betand from every direction except the west； therefore west was the direction I should go。 I wondered briefly what guise Mavin had taken to hear the old man's tale。 She may have sat in the same place； buying beer as I had done and listening to him tell the well…rehearsed story。 Well。 Enough of that and time to be off。 I did not even really listen to his tale of the perfidious Gifters。 I left the city through the northern gate and would have ridden on at speed save for a voice hailing me from among tents and wains at the side of the road。
〃O； traveler。 And were you amused by the city of Betand？〃 It was that same wide…mouthed trader I had met in the tavern to the south of the city。 I remembered he had said he would meet me； but I had paid little attention。 Cursing silently； I reined in and waited for him to e up to me。
〃Was it interesting； Necromancer？〃
〃The city was not a bad city； Trader。〃
〃Nap； friend。 Laggy Nap。 Oh； yes； Betand is interesting；〃 he said and again came that lewd laughter I remembered。 〃Interesting to get for no cost what one must pay for in other places； hmmm？〃 When I did not reply； he went on； 〃Well； have you a story to tell？〃
〃None； Trader Nap。 I have acplished my business in Betand and now ride west of here。 Thank you for your interest。〃
〃Oh； more than interest； friend！ Much more。 Concern。 Yes； true concern。 We make it a practice； my fellows and I； to befriend any Gamesman traveling alone。 It is a wicked world； young sir； an unconscionable world。 It takes no account of youth or business。 No； only with numbers does protection e。 If you ride west； then you ride as we do。 e； let me introduce you to my people。〃
I should have ridden away； simply ignored the fellow and gone； but the habit of courtesy was still too fresh in me。 Fretting at the delay； I dismounted and walked with him to the line of wains at the roadside。
〃Izia；〃 he called。 〃e out and greet a Gamesman who travels alone。〃
She came from behind one of the wagons； came like a vision； a Priestess； a Princess； a Goddess。 I am sure my mouth dropped open。 We had statues in the public square in Schooltown which embodied the ideal of female grace and form。 If one of them had e to life and walked； thus was Izia's walk。 Her hair was black without any light in it at all。 Her eyes were smudged with deep shadow。 Her lips curved downward and upward in the center in that most sensuous of lines； that half smile which is a silent evocation of passion。 A few days before I would not have noticed。 Now I did。 So much had I learned in Betand。 She walked with grace； but with a slight 。。。 what was it？ A kind of hesitation； a tentative placement of her feet； as though she had some reluctance。 So she came beside the wide…mouthed man and said in a soft； neutral voice； 〃Wele； traveler。 Would you desire food or drink？〃
〃Not for me；〃 I said hastily。 I felt I had done nothing but eat and drink for several days。 〃Truly； and thank you。 I must ride on。
〃We will not hear of it。〃 The Trader had a firm arm about my shoulders； fingers dug into my upper arm in what might have been a friendly grip but felt like the talons of a bird of prey。 〃Never。 You will ride with us； and we with you； for our mutual protection。 If you need to go now； then so will we。〃 And with that he called instructions to some of the people in the shade of the wagons and provoked a swift turmoil of harnessing and packing。 I tried vainly to remonstrate with him； to no avail。 Each argument was met with firm； smiling denial； while all the time his eyes looked into my soul without smiling at all。 I had never before met one who would； on no acquaintance； call me friend so often in so insistent a voice。 Well； what could I do？ They were moving out onto the road； going in the way I intended to go。 It was with no good grace I acpanied them； but acpany them I did。 All the while the woman； Izia； moved among the horses； as I watched her broodingly。 clucking to them； speaking softly to them； fingers going to the harness as she murmured into their cocked ears； submitted to the nuzzling of their muzzles。 When Nap came near； the animals shied away； but they responded to her as though she had been one of them。 She was dressed in a swinging； wide skirt； a tightly…laced bodice over a wide…sleeved shirt； and high gray boots of some strange metallic weave。 From time to time she would bend to stroke the boots； or more…to stroke her legs through the boots； first one and then the other； almost without seeming to know she did it。 I wondered； once more； at the hesitancy in her step； then decided it must be a thing mon to her people； for several of those in the train walked in the same way。 Probably； I thought； it was a habit peculiar to whatever land they had e from。
I cast my mind back to the time when Silkhands the Healer had spent hours and days teaching me all the Gamesmen in the Index。 It had been boring at the time； but now I searched the memories to find what type of creature this Laggy Nap might be。 〃Trader〃 had been in the Index。 I recalled the Talents of a Trader； to hold power； some； and to have beguilement。 The dress of a Trader was leather boots； trousers of striped brown and red； wide…sleeved shirt； and over all loose cap and tunic embroidered with symbols of whatever stuff was traded。 Laggy Nap's tunic was covered with embroidered pictures of everything from pans and lids to horses' heads； tinner