Вилорп

→Makri nods, and I return to the table and retake my chair. There are a few polite enquiries over Grax's health.

→"I don't know. Nothing, probably. I'm just mentioning it in case anything happens."

→"So what do you want to do?" says Makri.

→"Just a feeling. I wonder if she might be a Niojan spy."

→"Why not?"

→Makri looks puzzled.

→"There's something not right about her. I don't believe a Niojan chorus girl would be so good with a pack of cards."

→"What?"

→"Moolifi is not quite what she says she is."

→Before I return to the table I draw Makri to one side and whisper in her ear.

→Dandelion nods. We're so used to this now that we take it in our stride. Grax is a tough old customer. A few days' rest and a good dose of the medicine and I've no doubt he'll be back on his feet.

→"You have more medicine?"

→I help Grax out of his chair. Makri comes to assist and we carry him back to the store room behind the bar, while Dandelion looks on with concern.

→"No need to panic," I say. "There's a lot of it around."

→I'm already on my feet.

→"He's got the malady!"

→Moolifi deals the cards quickly and skilfully. She seems to have dressed up a little for the occasion. She's wearing a long dress of dark red material, quite eyecatching in its way. It leaves her arms bare and I notice that though her limbs are slender, she's quite taut and muscled, rather like Makri. She's not soft, Moolifi. I'd guess she can take care of herself. As she deals out the next hand we're suddenly interrupted by a fit of coughing. Old Grax the wine merchant splutters violently then slumps in his chair, perspiration running down his forehead. Praetor Capatius, sitting next to him, draws himself back quite suddenly.

→There isn't a lot of action from anyone in the early hands. Everyone is treading cautiously. There's a long way to go and no one wants to find themselves financially crippled after only a few rounds. I sip my beer and study my opponents, looking, as always, for some telltale signs that might give me a clue as to their play.

→The first two cards Moolifi deals me are a green three and a red eight. It's a poor start and I fold immediately. The next five hands are no better and I don't place a single bet. I'm not averse to bluffing when necessary, in fact I'm a master of the art, but I generally don't like to do it too soon.

→There are several varieties of rak. Tonight we're playing palace rak, with the standard pack of forty-eight cards. Four suits, black, red, green and blue, cards numbered 1 to 8 followed by bishop, queen, king and dragon. Two cards are dealt to each player and if you like what you've got you make a bet. You get dealt another card and you can bet again. When your fourth and last card is dealt, if you still like what you've got, you can keep on betting. The highest hand you can have is four dragons. It doesn't happen that often.