（外文电子版资料）Bailey, Robin W. - Frost - SkullGate.docVIP

ROBIN W.BAILEY SKULL GATE CONTENT HYPERLINK \l map Map HYPERLINK \l chapter_1 Chapter One HYPERLINK \l chapter_2 Chapter Two HYPERLINK \l chapter_3 Chapter Three HYPERLINK \l chapter_4 Chapter Four HYPERLINK \l chapter_5 Chapter Five HYPERLINK \l chapter_6 Chapter Six HYPERLINK \l chapter_7 Chapter Seven HYPERLINK \l chapter_8 Chapter Eight HYPERLINK \l chapter_9 Chapter Nine HYPERLINK \l chapter_10 Chapter Ten HYPERLINK \l chapter_11 Chapter Eleven HYPERLINK \l chapter_12 Chapter Twelve HYPERLINK \l chapter_13 Chapter Thirteen HYPERLINK \l chapter_14 Chapter Fourteen HYPERLINK \l chapter_15 Chapter Fifteen HYPERLINK \l chapter_16 Chapter Sixteen HYPERLINK \l chapter_17 Chapter Seventeen HYPERLINK \l chapter_18 Chapter Eighteen   Chapter One The barest sliver of a crescent moon floated peacefully over the sleeping city of Mirashai. Soft golden was its color, but it shed no light on the broad, paved streets or gloomy alleys that laced Korkyras ancient capital. An enigmatic smile in the dark sky, it captured the eyes and imaginations of the usually alert palace sentries. They leaned on their pikes, inhaled the gentle salt breeze that blew inland from the Calendi Sea, and composed poems for each other. They did not see the shadow that slipped over the palace walls. It dropped soundlessly into the royal courtyard and crouched behind the queens favorite roses. It studied the garden, noting where the guards were, where a patch of gravel might turn noisily underfoot, where a tree or bush or shadow might provide cover as it made its way to the gardens far side. It started off, moving phantomlike among the unwary sentries. As it ran, a stray moonbeam fell upon its face, lending glitter to dark eyes. A black mask hid any other features. A guard coughed. The intruder snuggled in the shadow of an orange tree and peered around. He had not been spotted. He moved on, swiftly, silently, and came to a door. Its cracked wooden