Tales From the Vulgar Unicorn by Robert Asprin

Author:Robert Asprin [Asprin, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Anthologies (Multiple Authors), Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, General, Collections & Anthologies
ISBN: 9780441805907
Publisher: Ace
Published: 1986-12-15T02:55:12+00:00

His special nightmare. It had come out of that shaded part of his brain where he

kept his one dark memory. Never a clear recall. Perhaps not even real. But it

was all he had from the night three years and four moons ago when his father's

death cry had come to him in his sleep.

He was sitting up, now, balancing himself on the side of the couch. And thinking

once more, guiltily: if only that first time I had gone to his room to find out.

Instead, it was morning before he had discovered the dead body with its slit

throat and its horrifying grimace. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. Which

was odd. Because his father at fifty was physically a good example of the

healer's art he anc" Alten both practised. Lying there in the light of day after

his death, his sprawled body looked as powerful and strong as that of his son at

thirty.

The vivid images of that past disaster faded. Stulwig sank back and down onto

the sheep fur. Covered himself. Listened in the continuing dark to the sound of

wind against a corner of his greenhouse. It was a strong wind; he could feel the

bedroom tremble. Moments later, he was still awake when he heard a faraway

muffled cry - someone being murdered out there in the Maze?

Oddly, that was the final steadying thought. It brought his inner world into

balance with the outer reality. After all, this was Sanctuary where, every hour

of each night, a life ended violently like a candle snuffed out.

At this time of early, early morning he could think of no purpose that he could

have about anything. Not with those dark, dirty, dusty, windblown streets. Nor

in relation to the sad dream that had brought him to shocked awareness. Nothing

for him to do, actually, but turn over, and-

He woke with a start. It was daylight. And someone was knocking at his outer

door two rooms away.

'One moment!' he called out.

Naturally, it required several moments. A few to tumble out of his night robe.

And even more to slip into the tunic, healer's gown, and slippers. Then he was

hurrying through the bright sunlight of the greenhouse. And on into the dimness

of the hallway beyond, with its solid door. Solid, that was, except for the vent

at mouth level. Stulwig placed his lips at his end of the slanted vent, and

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