Стража! Стража!

           "Don’tjuststandthereopeningandshuttingyourmouth.Whatd’youwant?"

           "LadySybilRamkin?"saidtheguard,notinthepolitewayofsomeoneseekingmereconfirmationbutintheincreduloustonesofsomeonewhofounditveryhardtobelievetheanswercouldbe’yes’.

           "Useyoureyes,youngman.Whod’youthinkIam?"

           Theguardpulledhimselftogether.

           "OnlyI’vegotasummonsforLadySybilRamkin,"hesaiduncertainly.

           Hervoicewaswithering."Whatdoyoumean,asummons?"

           "Toattenduponthepalace,yousee."

           "Ican’timaginewhythatisnecessaryatthistimeinthemorning,"shesaid,andmadetoslamthedoor.Itwouldn’tshut,though,becauseoftheswordpointjammedintoitatthelastmoment.

           "Ifyoudon’tcome,"saidtheguard,"Ihavebeenorderedtotakesteps."

           Thedoorshotbackandherfacepressedagainsthis,almostknockinghimunconsciouswiththescentofrottingrosepetals.

           "Ifyouthinkyou’lllayahandonme-"shebegan.

           Theguard’sglancedartedsideways,justforamoment,tothedragonkennels.SybilRamkin’sfacewentpale.

           "Youwouldn’t!"shehissed.

           Heswallowed.Fearsomethoughshewas,shewasonlyhuman.Shecouldonlybiteyourheadoffmetaphorically.Therewere,hetoldhimself,farworsethingsthanLadyRamkinalthough,admittedly,theyweren’tthreeinchesfromhisnoseatthispointintime.

           "Takesteps,"herepeated,inacroak.

           Shestraightenedup,andeyedtherowofguardsbehindhim.

           "Isee,"shesaidcoldly.