"And killing them would so infuriate the Brotherhood that they'd never surrender," added Shan Kar.
Sloan nodded. "Besides, you said the old Guardian and his daughter know the safe way into that cavern where the platinum is. No, we don't want to kill them."
Shan Kar continued rapidly, "A few of us, only a handful, could penetrate Vruun secretly by night and seize Kree and Nsharra. We could make Tark himself lead us secretly and safely into the city!"
"You mean that the wolf will do that if we threaten to kill him?" Li Kin asked, his spectacled eyes wondering.
Shan Kar laughed mirthlessly. "The Hairy One isn't afraid of death. But he doesn't want us to kill Barin, the Guardian's son.
"We'll offer him Barin's life if he guides us into Vruun, supposedly to liberate a Humanite prisoner. Tark may accept."
"It sounds to me like a cursedly complicated and dangerous plan," Sloan commented bluntly.
"But if it succeeded, it would clear the way for a quick blitz against the whole Brotherhood," Nelson said thoughtfully. "I'll lead the attempt if the wolf can be talked into guiding us."
"Have the guards bring Tark back in," Shan Kar told Diril.
The great wolf stalked back into the black hall, his chains held carefully taut by the sword-armed guards who walked on either side of him.