Tanith Lee - These Beasts

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TANITH LEE

These Beasts

[29 dec 2001—proofed and reformatted for #bookz]

He was a tomb robber. Well, when you were dead, you were dead.

All came to it. The mighty in their gold and gems, the impoverished

unknown, wrapped in rags, their legs broken to fit the grave. And

even he, Carem, would one day die. He did not mind if someone

robbed him, after death. Welcome, my friend.

It was this life that counted.

Oh, he had been born as no one in the splendid city among the pink

rocks. Noom Dargh, once the seat of kings, but no longer. He had

been a whore's son, sold at three months to be another whore. At

ten, evading the man who was his owner—spuriously charming, as

Carem had learned to be, they all trusted him—he made off with

traders. He was quick as fire. Handsome too.

Among the traders he learned his profession.

The caravan routes went all ways. And in the yellow deserts, stood

up the strange bulbous stones, caught forever in mid-topple.

"What is that place?"

"Ah, we will show him." It was a place of tombs.

They went by night. No moon. Things howled in the desert, but he

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TANITH LEE

was not afraid. No, not until they breached the stinking hotness of

the rock and the bats, which laired there, poured outward—Then the

man who liked Carem consoled him. "There's nothing here to hurt

you. But look—what's that which shines?" What shone was gold,

contrary to so many proverbs.

By the time he was a man, Carem had gained much knowledge, and

some wealth. Let it be said, the wealth came from others and the

knowledge was all to do with thievery. But Carem did not harm the

living. No, he was kind to them. He gave to beggars in the street,

and was generous with the girls he dighted.

By his twenty-eighth year, he had a house on the edge of Noom

Dargh, a house with gardens and channels of water, a house with

courtyards and dove-cotes, and awnings embroidered by gold.

He had also two wives, Bisint, who was rich, and Zulmia, who was

beautiful.

In the city they spoke of him with respect. No one publicly

remembered anymore what he did. Indeed, he did not do it, for now

other men worked on his behalf, and brought him treasures by night

through a secret walk in the starry garden.

Lucky Carem. A life from death.

One sunset as, half a mile away below his mansion, the city turned

blood-red and the desert scarlet, someone came seeking Carem;

would speak only to him.

They met on a shady terrace and drank fig wine.

"I hurried straight to you, sir," said the visitor, a traveler from

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Tanith Lee - These Beasts

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