Maia полностью

As Maia, only half-comprehending, looked into the familiar, dark, slightly bloodshot eyes under their silvered lids, she added, "Of course you know everythin' now, doan' you? Pretty well everythin', anyway."

"You mean, what you did-that night-Sencho-"

"Of course."

"Yes, I think so. But Occula, was it planned-well, right from the start? From the Lily Pool?"

"Never you mind about the Lily Pool, banzi. That's neither here nor there. Less you know, less risk you run, right?"

"But you couldn't have known we were going to be sold to Sencho-"

"No, I didn'," replied Occula. "Unless there's somethin' I doan' know about, that was just a bit of luck. Lalloc's no heldro, you can be sure of that: he sold us to Sencho in the way of business. Still-" she grinned-"it wasn' entirely unlikely, was it? Couple of nice girls like us, and old Piggy's well-known tastes."

"But you knew about Zirek, the pedlar?"

"Not a thing, until he started talkin' about Cat Colonna. But after that, of course, and once word had got back where we'd landed up, banzi-"

"Got back? To whom?"

"Why, toUantil, of course."

Maia, lying in her friend's arms, was silent, reflecting. A great many things were becoming clear in retrospect. At last she said, "So it was Meris with Zirek that day, by the Peacock Gate."

She felt Occula nod, and went on, "Where's the two of them got to now, then?"

"I doan' know," said the black girl grimly. "I only hope they're better off than I am, that's all. But I've got another job to do, banzi, you see, before Zai's souFll be at peace. Why d'you think I stayed in the boat when I could have bunked with them? I've not finished yet-not finished the goddess's work."

The next instant she had burst out laughing, rolling over on her back and tugging at Maia's dress. "Come on, sweetheart, let's have a look at you! That Ashaktis woman told

me you'd been ripped from head to foot in the Valderra. Were you?" She pulled the dress over Maia's head, followed by her shift. "Oh, Shakkarn, not a bit of it! Just one or two nice, honorable scars, enough to make a few jolly lads want to kiss 'em better, eh? That's my banzi! What you goin' to be, now you're back? Remember what we used to say at old Piggy's-thousand meld a bounce!"

"I know: but somehow I just don't fancy it, Occula. Anyway I don't need money-not at the moment, any road."

"Doan' talk so wet-headed, banzi. A girl can always do with twice the money she's got: firs' law of the universe. Think of your old age."

"Well, 'tain't just exactly that-" Maia, half-way through dressing again, hesitated. She longed to pour out to Occula the whole story of Suba, to tell her of Zen-Kurel and ask her advice. But was there time? Soon Zuno would return: soon she must be gone.

"No, why the hell should you?" said Occula unexpectedly. "You saved the city, didn' you? Why not stick to your dancin'-for a bit, anyway? You can well afford to."

"But Occula, dearest, how can you be so pleased that I saved the city? If only Karnat had got here-"

"Karnat, banzi? No, 'course we doan' want Karnat takin' Bekla. Santit's goin' to take Bekla-Santil and no one else."

"But what's it to you either way? You're not Beklan."

"No, no. But you know me, banzi; girl on the make- always was. Karnat-I doan' know Karnat an' he doesn' know me. But Santil-I'm one of his most successful agents, aren' I? If only I'm still alive when Santil takes Bekla, he might give me a nice, big piece of thrilsa for helpin' him, doan' you think? A bigger piece than ever Karnat would. Or a pottery cat, even. Pottery cat? Oh, Cran, I almost forgot! Banzi, can you do somethin'; without fail? I was goin' to try and do it some other way, but now you're here it seems providential. Tell me, d'you often go into the lower city?"

"No, not often, but I can do."

"Do you remember the old woman in the sweet-shop, that day you were with Eud-Ecachlon? Well, go down there and tell her to clear out; now, at once! Tell her I said to get out like shit from a goose, right? This last lot

of arrests in Tonilda-oh, never mind. But you must do it tomorrow, banzi! Promise me!"

"But the people, Occula! They always crowd me so. Couldn't I send Ogma? She's with me in my house now, you know."

"Ogma's not the girl to let in on a thing like this: it wouldn' be safe. But if it's not done before this time tomorrow, it'll be too late. It was only the purest stroke of luck I found out myself. Fornis doesn' always keep her mouth shut, thank Cran: 'specially when she's enjoyin' the prospect of a little cruelty. It's not just her life-the-old woman's, I mean-it's a hell of a lot of other people's, too, believe me."

"I'll do it, darling," said Maia.

There was a tap at the door and Zuno returned.

"Precious banzi," said Occula, embracing her, "come again if you can-it's like a drink of water in the desert-but be very careful. Zuno'U let you know when it's safe-" she turned to him-"woan' you?"

"Yes, I will," he said. "But now she must go, and quickly too. The queen's due back any minute."