[genrex]

"The important thing," I said, "is that Aphris is back and safe." We rode on for a while more. Then I asked, "By the way, what did you pay for her?"

Kamchak's face was black with rage. He looked at Harold, who smiled innocently and questioningly, and then at me, who was only honestly curious. Kamchak's hands were like white clubs knotted on the reins of the kaiila. "Ten thousand bars of gold," he said.

I stopped the kaiila and regarded him, astounded. Harold began to pound his saddle and howl with laughter.

Kamchak's eyes, had they been jets of fire, would have frizzled the young, blond Tuchuk in his saddle.

"Well, well," I said, a certain regrettable malicious elation perhaps unfortunately detectable in my voice.

Now Kamchak's eyes would have frizzled me as well.

Then a wry glint of amusement sparkled in the Tuchuk's eyes and the furrowed face wrinkled into a sheepish grin. "Yes," he said, "Tarl Cabot, I did not know until then that I was a fool.”