He gasps in pain and I push his body against the assailant on my left. Simultaneously I raise my sword, blocking the attacker on my right. As his blade is diverted towards the ground I raise mine and plant it firmly through his shoulder. He cries out, and drops his sword. I have time to kick him firmly in the legs for good measure, and he falls to the ground. The attacker on my left, undaunted, mounts a furious attack. I black his blade easily enough and when he draws it back to strike again, he leaves himself wide open. I plant my blade in his chest and it slices easily thought his leather jerkin and into his heart. He falls down dead at my feet. I turn, with my sword and dagger at the ready, but by now the man with the helmet has fled, still clutching the wound in his arm. The other thug picks himself up and runs after him along the alleyway.
I turn angrily to Lisutaris. "What was that?" I demand.
"What do you mean?" says Lisutaris.
"Why didn't you help me?"
"I wanted to see how well you fought these days," says Lisutaris.
"What?"
"You're always going on about sword-fighting, and Makri's technique, and how good you were. I just wanted to see if you still had it."
"I could have been killed!"
"I'd have stepped in if you needed me."
I'm not finding this entirely satisfactory. "You can't just leave someone to fight three people because you're curious about their fighting technique! That's not what comrades do!"
"Are we comrades?" says Lisutaris.
"I thought we were."
"Really Thraxas, I think you're making too much of a fuss. Particularly as you did fight so well. I was impressed. Should we move on? Probably it wouldn't be good for my reputation to be discovered in this alleyway with a dead man at my feet."
I glare at her, exasperated. Before leaving I removed the assailant's scarf. It's no one I recognise, and there's nothing in his pockets to identify him. Even so, I'm fairly sure he was working for Big Bixo's business partner. That might even have been the man in the helmet, he looked of similar build. We hurry along, emerging from the alley into a broad thoroughfare that leads up to Arichdamis house. I'm still angry at Lisutaris for not helping me. This woman can bring down war dragons from the sky. She could have dealt with three armed thugs easily enough.
"Are you still in a bad mood?" asks Lisutaris, airily.
"Yes."
"I really don't see why. I was there if you needed me."
"What's the idea of saying you wanted to see what my sword-fighting technique was like? It makes it sound like I might have been lying about it."
"I wouldn't put it quite like that. Exaggerating, maybe. You are prone to that. Anyway, weren't you pleased to get some practice?"
"Practice? I had to kill a man!"
"Does that bother you?"
"No," I admit. "Not when he was trying to kill me."
We walk on in silence. We're almost at Arichdamis's house when Lisutaris next speaks. "I like the idea of being a comrade."
"What?"
"Comrade. We don't use that word in the Sorcerers Guild. I rather like it. All in the struggle together. Would Makri count as a comrade as well?'
"I suppose so."
"Good. I must tell her what splendid technique you displayed. Really, none of your attackers came close to harming you." Lisutaris reaches inside her magic purse and, to my surprise, brings out a large bottle of ale.
"Where did you get that?"
"I used a spell to whisk it out of the Jolly Bandit."
I open the bottle immediately and take a drink. "I'm still not pleased with you."
"You will be when you've finished it," says Lisutaris.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Inside Arichdamis's house, I finish my beer, and I think. Mainly, I think I'd like another beer, but I give some consideration to Demelzos's daughter. Why is she in danger? She's been sitting around at home, being a dutiful daughter as far as anyone knows, without an enemy in the world. Suddenly her best friend is killed, and she's in danger. There's no reason for it. My enquiries have failed to come up with so much as a hint that she's involved in anything unusual. No disreputable lover. No secret business interest. No secrets at all, as far as I can learn.
My thoughts turn to her family. I've only briefly encountered her brother. From all accounts he's a decent young man. He's about to marry well. Though perhaps not as well as he imagines, I reflect,