Limits by Larry Niven (tohfa e dulha read online TXT) 📗

the Regent’s soldiers found the cave, it must have got the first ones in. Then the rest piled in and pounded it into mush. Conjured beasts like that are practically impossible to kill, but did you notice the scars on the muzzle and forelegs? It hasn’t forgotten.”

“I feel sorry for it,” Sparthera said. Then the truth came home to her and she said, “I feel sorry for us! The treasure must have been gone for years. Except—the talisman led us here!”

Sung walked forward, following the talisman. He stopped above the skeleton with the flattened skull. “‘Ta netyillo—’ Yes.”

He reached into the rib cage and came up with a mass of color flickering in his hands. Sparthera reached into it and found a large ruby. There were three others besides, and two good-sized emeralds.

Sung laughed long and hard. “So, we have a greedy soldier to thank. He ran in, saw a pile of jewels, snatched up a fistful and swallowed them. He must have thought it would come out all right in the end. Instead, Gar’s pet got him.” Sung wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Fate is a wonderful thing. Here, give me those.”

She did, and Sung began tracing the curve on the talisman, one jewel at a time. She said, “They wouldn’t have left a talisman of levitation.”

“No, they wouldn’t.”

“And this stuff isn’t worth nearly my weight in gold.”

Sung stiffened, “The pointer! It’s pointing into the wall itself!” He got up and began moving along the wall.

Sparthera grimaced but said nothing.

Sung called, “Either it’s cursed deep in there, or there’s another cave, or…why do I bother? It’s pointing to Rynildissen.”

“Maybe other places too. There was a war with Sarpuree, seventy years ago. We lost, so there was tribute to pay. I don’t even have to guess where the Regent got the money to pay for it all. He may have sold most of the treasure.”

“Humph. Yes. And if there were any decorative items left, they could be spread all through the palace. And some of the soldiers probably hid a few little things like that diamond bird. Even if we were crazy enough to rob the Regent’s palace, we’d never get it all. It’s the end of our treasure hunt, girl.”

“But you said…Sung! How can I ever win my freedom if we don’t go on?”

“Oh, we’ll go on. But not looking for Gar’s treasure.” Sung scooped the jewels into his pocket and handed her the little diamond bird. “Keep this as a memento. The rest…well, I’ve thought of opening a toy shop. In Rynildissen, maybe.”

“A toy shop?”

Sung frowned. “You don’t like toys, do you?”

“Everybody likes toys. But we’re adults, Sung!”

“Girl, don’t you know that human beings are natural magicians? I think it’s hereditary. The magic was always there to be used…but now it isn’t. And we still want magic. Especially children.”

“Those toys aren’t—”

“No, of course not, but they’re as close as you’re likely to get these days, especially in a city. Toys from far places might sell very well.”

She was still angry. Sung reached to run his fingers over the tawny stubble on her head. “We’ll live well enough. Come kiss me, little thief. Seven years isn’t such a long time.”

Sparthera kissed him; she couldn’t help it. Then she said, “I wondered if a diamond bird could be your talisman of levitation.”

Sung’s eyes widened. “I wonder…it’s worth a try. Not in here, though.” He took the bird and scrambled up scree toward the cave entrance.

Sparthera started after him. Then, holding her torch high, she looked up. The rock tapered to a high natural vault. It looked unstable, dangerous. Something…a bright point?

Compelled, she continued climbing after Sung. But the diamond trinket (she told herself) was no flying spell. She’d been wrong: no soldier would have stolen that. It would be treason. By staying here she would be working in Sung’s best interests (she told herself, scrambling up the rocks). There was no point in shouting after him. If she were wrong, at least he wouldn’t be disappointed (she told herself, and at last the pull of her oath lost its grip).

Sung was out of sight. Sparthera scrambled back down and set to work.

The soldiers had taken all of their equipment before they turned the cave into a crypt for their brethren by pulling down the entrance. They had taken armor, but left the crushed helmet that was part of one corpse. They had taken the metal point from a snapped spear; but a three-pace length of shaft remained.

Sparthera dipped a piece of cloth into the stream, then into some of the mouldy flour scattered on the rock floor. She kneaded the cloth until it had turned gooey, then wrapped it around the broken tip of the spear. She climbed scree to get closer to the ceiling, and reached up with the spear, toward a bright point on the cave roof.

It stuck. She pulled it down: thin gold filigree carved into a pair of bird’s wings, about the size of her two hands. It tugged upward against her fingers.

“Lift me,” she whispered. And she rose until her head bumped rock.

“Set me down,” she whispered, and drifted back to earth.

No castle in the world held a room so high that she could not rob it, with this. And she waited for the impulse that would send her scrambling out to give it to Sung.

Sung was bounding downhill with his arms flapping, one hand clutching the diamond bauble, looking very like a little boy at play. He turned in fury at the sound of Sparthera’s laughter.

“I’ve found it!” she called, holding the golden talisman high.

And as Sung ran toward her, beaming delight, Sparthera gloated.

For the instant in which she flew, Sparthera’s weight in gold had been far less than the value of the paltry treasure they had found.

She might stay with Sung long enough to take back the jewels, or at least the wings. She might even stay longer. If he were right about the toy shop…perhaps he need never