“Now!” said Aliera.
There was a wrenching in my bowels, and Castle Black vanished.
* * *
The first thing that hit me was the heat—an agony of flames. I started to scream, but the pain went away before I had the chance. We seemed to be standing in the heart of a fire. From somewhere off to my left I heard a dry voice say, “Quick work, Aliera.”
I recognized the voice as belonging to the Sorceress in Green. She continued: “You may as well dispense with your teleport block; I’m not going anywhere.”
It occurred to me that she must have prepared herself while teleporting, then brought us into a furnace. Apparently, Aliera had figured it out and put a protection spell around us before we had time to be incinerated.
“You all right, Loiosh?”
“Fine, boss.”
Then the flames surged around us and went out. We were in a room, about twenty feet on a side, with blackened walls. We were standing in ash that came above our ankles. The Sorceress in Green stood before us, her eyes as cold as the fires had been hot. In her hand was a plain wooden staff.
“You had best leave,” she said coolly. “I am surrounded by my own people, and you can hardly do anything to me before they get here.”
I glanced at Aliera.
The Sorceress in Green gestured with her staff, and the wall behind her collapsed upon itself. On the other side of it, I could see about thirty Dragaerans, all armed.
“Last chance,” said the sorceress, smiling.
I coughed. “Are all Yendi so melodramatic?” I inquired.
The sorceress gave a signal, and they stepped onto the ash.
Aliera gestured, and we were surrounded by flames again for a moment; then they died.
“Nice try, my dear,” said the sorceress. “But I’d thought of that already.”
“So I see,” said Aliera. She turned to Morrolan. “Do you want her, or the troops?”
“It is your choice.”
“I’ll take her, then.”
“Very well,” said Morrolan, and drew Blackflame. I saw the faces of the men and women facing us as they realized that he was holding a Morganti blade, and one of power that, beyond doubt, none of them had encountered before. Morrolan calmly walked up to them.
“Remember,” I told Cawti, “we’re just here to watch.”
She flashed me a nervous smile.
Then there was a flicker of motion to my side, and I saw Norathar charge for the sorceress, blade swinging. Aliera hissed and leapt after her. A spell of some kind must have gone off behind me, because I heard a dull boom and smoke came billowing past.
The sorceress slipped past the front line of her troops and raised her staff. Fires leapt from it toward Norathar and Aliera, but Aliera held her hand up and they fizzled out.
Morrolan, Norathar, and Aliera hit the front line at the same instant. Blackwand cut a throat, swept across the chest of the next guard, and, with the same motion, buried itself high in the side of a third. Morrolan slipped to his right like a cat before anyone even struck at him, withdrawing Blackwand, then sliced open two bellies. He parried a cut and impaled the attacker’s throat, then stepped back, facing full forward, slightly on his toes, blade held at head height and pointing toward his enemies. In his left hand was a long dagger. The room was filled with the sound of screams, and those who’d been watching Morrolan turned pale.
I saw three more guards at Norathar’s feet. Aliera, meanwhile, was wielding her eight-foot greatsword like a toy, flipping it back and forth amid their ranks. She had accounted for five so far.
Then, incredibly, the dead guards began to stand up—even the ones slain by Blackwand. I looked at the sorceress, and saw a look of profound concentration on her face.
“Hold them!” cried Aliera. She stepped back a pace, held her blade with her right hand, and stabbed the air with her left. The corpses who’d been trying to rise stopped. The sorceress gestured with her staff. They continued. Aliera stabbed the air. They stopped. They started again.
Then Aliera did something else, and the sorceress cried out as a blue glow began in front of her. After a moment it went away, but I could see perspiration rolling down her face.
Morrolan and Norathar had ignored all of this, and by now more than half of the enemy had fallen.
I spoke to Cawti out of the corner of my mouth. “Should we do something?”
“Why? They’re Dragonlords; they enjoy this kind of thing. Let them do it.”
“There is one thing I’m going to have to do, though. And pretty soon, it looks like.”
“What?”
About then Norathar broke through the line. The sorceress cried out and swung her staff, and Norathar fell over, clutching the air.
Cawti moved before I could do anything. She got through to her friend, somehow, and knelt by her side.
The ones who’d been fighting Norathar turned to Aliera, and she had to defend herself again. I took out a pair of throwing knives and, just to test, threw them at the sorceress. Naturally, they veered away from her when they got close.
I heard Morrolan curse and saw that his left arm hung uselessly at his side, and that there was red over the black of his cloak.
Aliera was still locked in some kind of struggle with the sorceress while holding off three guards. There was a sudden flurry near her as two more of them came at her. There was an impossible tangle of metal, and three of the guards were down. Aliera was still up, but there was a knife sticking out of her low on her back, and a broadsword actually through her body, just to the right of the spine, front to back, above the waist. She seemed to be ignoring it; I guess sorcery is also good for overcoming shock. But no matter how skilled a sorceress she was, her gown was ruined.
Norathar seemed to be alive, but dazed. This, it appeared, would be the best chance I had. I drew two fighting knives, then ran forward as fast as I could through ash up to my calves. When I reached the fighters, I watched Aliera closely, then ducked under a swing. I left the knives in the stomachs of two fighters who had no ability to deal with an Easterner rolling past them; then I was beyond the line, about four feet from the sorceress. Spellbreaker was in my hand before I stood up, and I swung it in front of me.
She had seen me, of course, and greeted me with a gesture of her staff. I felt a tingling in my arm. I screamed, and fell over backward.
“Vladimir!”
“Stay there!”
I opened my eyes and saw that the sorceress had turned away. I smoothly got to my feet, drew the Morganti dagger Morrolan had lent me, came up behind her, and brought Spellbreaker crashing down on the back of her head.
The effect on her was minimal, since she’d had some sort of shield around her; she jerked a bit and turned around. But, while the shield had prevented the chain from hitting her, the chain had brought the shield down. Before she could do anything there was the point of a Morganti dagger against her throat.
Morrolan and Aliera were dealing with the last of her defenders, but Morrolan seemed unsteady on his feet and Aliera’s lips were clamped tight with the concentration of holding herself together. Cawti was helping Norathar to her feet. I didn’t have much time, so I spoke quickly.
“This fight isn’t any of my business, and I’ll get out of the way if you give me what I want. But if you don’t tell me where Laris is, I’ll cut your throat—with this. And if you warn him, I’ll be after you as long as I live.”
She didn’t even hesitate.
“He’s on the top floor of a warehouse on Pier Street. Two buildings east of the corner of Pier and One-Claw, on the south side of the street.”
Shows you how much loyalty you can expect from the House of the Yendi. “Thank you,” I said, and backed away, still holding the dagger and Spellbreaker.
She turned away from me, apparently taking me at my word. She did something that was probably putting her defenses back up. At that moment, however, Kieron’s greatsword, in the hands of Aliera e’Kieron, swept the head from th
e last of the defenders.
Morrolan stepped forward, and a black streak came from the point of Blackwand and struck the sorceress. This, I was told later, took her defenses down again. And before she could do anything else, there was a sweep from Norathar’s blade and the sorceress’s staff went flying—and her right hand with it.
She cried out and dropped to her knees, and it was in that position that Norathar impaled her, directly through the chest.
There was dead silence in the room. The Sorceress in Green stared up at Norathar with a look of complete disbelief on her face. Then blood came from her mouth and she fell in a heap at the feet of the Sword of the Jhereg.
Cawti came up next to me. I nodded toward the three of them, standing around the body.
“Honor,” I muttered, “in the House of the Dragon.”
Aliera collapsed. Cawti squeezed my arm.
* * *
We returned to Castle Black, leaving the body of the Sorceress in Green where it was. I helped myself to a large glass of brandy, which I despise, but it’s stronger than wine and I didn’t want to suggest Piarran Mist; somehow this didn’t feel like a time to celebrate.
“She was quite an accomplished sorceress,” said Aliera weakly, from the couch where the Necromancer was working on her. There were nods from around the room.
“Vlad,” said Morrolan, whose arm was in a sling, “what was it that you did to her, and why?”
“She had some information I wanted,” I explained. “I got it.”
“And then you let her go?”
I shrugged. “You said you didn’t need my help.”
“I see.” I noticed Cawti holding a grin behind her hand. I slipped her a wink. Morrolan asked, “What was the information?”
“Do you remember that I’m in the middle of a war? Laris was backed by her, but he still has the resources to hurt me. He’s going to find out that she’s dead very soon. When he does, he’ll start coming after me for real—I have to make sure the war is over before he does. I figured that she knew where Laris is hiding. I hope she wasn’t lying.”
“I see.”
Cawti turned to me. “Shall we finish it up, then?”
I snorted. “Do you think it’ll be that easy?”
“Yes.”
I thought about it. “You’re right. It will be.” I closed my eyes for a moment, just to make sure there wasn’t anything I’d forgotten.
“Kragar.”
“Hello, Vlad.”
“How’s business?”
“A little better.”
“Good. Get hold of the Bitch Patrol. In exactly two and a half hours, I want a teleport block to prevent anyone from leaving a certain warehouse.” I told him where it was.
“Got it, boss.”
“Good. In exactly one-half hour, I want the following people in the office: Shoen, Sticks, Glowing, Narvane, N’aal, Smiley, and Chimov.”
“Uh . . . that’s all?”
“Don’t be funny.”
“Have we got something, Vlad?”
“Yeah. We’ve got something. And I don’t want any mistakes. This ought to be quick, painless, and easy. So get everyone there, and make sure the sorceress you find is competent.”
“Gotcha, boss.”
The contact was broken.
Cawti and I stood up. “Well, thank you for the entertainment,” I said, “but I’m afraid we have to be on our way.”
Norathar bit her lip. “If there’s anything I can do . . .”
I looked at her for a moment, then I bowed low. “Thank you, Norathar, and I mean that sincerely. But no. I think, for the first time in months, everything is under control.”
We left them and went down to the entryway, where one of Morrolan’s people teleported us back to my office. This time I made sure to warn them we were coming.
17
“You what?”
NOW, I SUPPOSE, YOU expect me to tell you how I caught up with Laris after a long chase through the streets of Adrilankha, cornered him at last, how he fought like a dzur and I barely managed to kill him before he did me in. Right? Crap.
There were only two things that could have gone wrong. One, the Sorceress in Green might have lied about where Laris was, and two, she might have had time to warn him. But, in both cases, why? To the sorceress, he was merely a tool. And, since we’d discovered what they were up to, he was no longer a useful tool.
I didn’t really think the Sorceress in Green had had time to warn Laris before Norathar finished her. And, if she had lied about where he was, there was no harm done. So I explained my plan to everyone in my office, which took about half an hour. I did make one point worth mentioning: “If anyone here has the idea that he can do well for himself by telling Laris about this, he can forget it. Laris had a backer; the backer is dead. Right now, we’re holding nothing but flat stones, and he has nothing but round ones. So don’t try to be clever.”
I rummaged around my bottom-left drawer until I found a suitable weapon—a stiletto with a thin handle and a seven-inch blade. I put it into my belt on the right side. We sat around waiting for another half-hour, then Shoen and Chimov got up and slipped out the door. The rest of us waited ten minutes more, then stood.
“Luck, boss,” said Kragar.
“Thanks.”
Loiosh flew high above us as we set out toward Malak Circle. Cawti was leading. Sticks and Glowbug were to my right and left, and the others were walking in front and back.
We reached the circle and jogged over to Pier. We had almost reached Silversmith when I received a message from Shoen.
“He has four outside, boss. Two at the door, two making rounds.”
“Okay. I’ll send help.”
“Thanks.”
“Narvane and Smiley, run up ahead. Shoen is in charge of the operation. You have five minutes to get set up.”
They ran off while the rest of us slowed to a casual stroll, hardly moving at all.
“Still clear, boss.”
“Okay.”
Cawti looked back at me and nodded. Six minutes later, Shoen reported in. “All set, boss. It’ll take between five and ninety seconds, depending on where the patrollers are.”
“Okay. Hold for now.”
We reached the place on Pier where it curves, just before you get to One-Claw.
“How are they placed, Shoen?”
“If you give the word now, about thirty seconds.”
“Do it.”
“Check.”
I held up my hand, and we stopped. I mentally counted off ten seconds, then we started walking again, quickly. We came around the curve and the building was in sight. The only people we could see were Shoen and Chimov. Presently, Narvane appeared next to them, then Smiley. We reached them a few seconds later.
I checked the Imperial Clock.
“The teleport block should be up now. Check it, Narvane.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded.
I said, “The door.”
N’aal said, “Maybe we should clap first.”
Shoen and Glowbug stood by the door. They looked at each other, nodded, and Glowbug brought his mace down on the door mechanism just as Shoen set his shoulder into the middle. The door fell in.
N’aal said, “Won’t you feel stupid if it was unlocked?”
I said, “Shut up.”
Cawti slipped between them before we could move and stepped inside. There was a flurry of movement, and I heard the sound of falling bodies as Glowbug, N’aal, and Shoen went in. Loiosh landed on my shoulder as Chimov and Smiley stepped past the threshold. I followed, with Sticks and Narvane bringing up the rear.
It was a big, empty warehouse, with two bodies in it. Both had knives sticking out of them. We saw the stairs right away and took them. We didn’t meet anyone on the way up. I left N’aal and Smiley to hold the bottom of the stairs to the third floor while the rest of us went up.
We emerged into a large, empty room. About five feet ahead of us were three smalle
r rooms; to the right, ahead, and to the left. Offices, I supposed.
Just as we got there, three Jhereg appeared from a room to the right. They stood there with their mouths hanging open. Sticks leapt at them, with Glowbug a little behind. Glowbug still had his mace, and he was grinning like an idiot. Sticks had his sticks. It took them about three seconds.
Then I sent Glowbug and Shoen to the right. I was about to send Chimov and Narvane to open the door ahead of us when I heard, “What’s the ruckus about, gentlemen?” from the room to the left. I recognized Laris’s voice.
I caught Narvane’s eye. He stood in front of the door; the rest of us positioned ourselves behind it. Narvane raised his hand and the door flew in.
It was a small room, with about eight or nine padded chairs and two desks. One of the desks was empty; Laris was behind the other one. There were four other Jhereg in the room.
For an instant, no one moved. Then Laris turned to one and said, “Teleport.”
We just waited.
The Jhereg he’d spoken to said, “There’s a block up.”
Cawti entered the office. Still none of them did anything. Sticks came in with his two clubs, then Glowbug with his mace. Then the rest of us.
Laris and I looked at each other, but neither of us spoke. What was there to say? I looked at his enforcers, most of them with half-drawn weapons. I told my people to stand aside. We cleared a path to the door. Sticks hefted his weapons, looked at Laris’s enforcers, and cleared his throat.
He said, “No future in it, gentlemen.”
They looked at the horde of us. Then, one by one, they stood up. They held their hands out, clear of their bodies. One by one, without a glance at Laris, they filed out.
I said, “All of you except Cawti, escort them out of the building.” I drew the blade I’d selected.
When we were alone with Laris, I shut the door with my foot. Cawti said, “He’s yours, Vladimir.”
I made it quick. Laris never said a word.
* * *
An hour later I was staring at Aliera, my mouth hanging open. “You what?”
“I revivified her,” she said, looking at me quizzically, as if to say, “Why should you find this unusual?” I was sitting in the library of Castle Black, with Morrolan, Cawti, Norathar, and Sethra. Aliera was on her back, looking pale but healthy.