CHAPTER 51
Tak Tuzap brazenly drove his buckboard right through the market square, past the temple school with its clean walls. He followed the morning traffic like any delivery vehicle, and no one gave him a second look.
His goal was one of his uncle’s warehouses at the edge of town, his warehouse now, which stood full of non-perishable goods in these bad times, awaiting its new master’s attention and a more favorable market. He used his uncle’s agents to do most of his trades, fearing that his youth would earn him no respect.
This warehouse was staffed only with a watchman who lived in a small cottage on the site with his widowed daughter. It was the safest place Tak could think of, north of the bridge.
When he swung the buckboard under the covered loading shelter, the noise brought
