299

An hour passes before Paido’s sharp eyes catch sight of a river barge in the distance. A team of bedraggled ghorkas are hauling the vessel upstream, seemingly unaffected by the storm-strengthened flow. Eventually it arrives at the jetty and stops to allow a motley assortment of peasants and travellers to disembark.

‘You two goin’ to Tharro?’ shouts the barge captain. ‘The fare’s 40 Lune apiece, an’ that includes y’horses.’

If you wish to board the barge, pay the captain 40 Lune (or 10 Gold Crowns) and turn to 266.

If you do not want to board the barge, or if you cannot afford the fare, turn to 348.