Expecting Someone Taller by Tom Holt Page B

thought of something incredibly funny. ‘I haven’t got the Ring on my side ,’ he said, ‘I’ve got it on my finger .’
    They had a good laugh over that. ‘No, but seriously,’ said Alberich, ‘if you can make the Ring do what you want it to, then there’s nothing Wotan can do to you unless you want him to.’
    â€˜But I don’t want him to do anything to me. I want him to go away.’

    â€˜That’s what you think. Like I said, Wotan is devious. Devious devious devious . He’ll get you exactly where he wants you unless you’re very careful, I assure you.’
    â€˜How?’
    â€˜That, my friend, remains to be seen. The days of armed force and violence are long gone, I’m sorry to say. It’s cleverness that gets results. It’s the same in the mining industry. Did I tell you about that?’
    â€˜Yes,’ Malcolm lied. ‘Go on about Wotan.’
    Alberich looked at the bottom of his glass. Unfortunately, there was nothing to obscure his view of it. He picked up the bottle, but it was empty.
    â€˜I am going to have raging indigestion all tomorrow,’ he said sadly. ‘Don’t let them tell you there’s no such thing as spontaneous combustion. I suffer from it continually. Wotan can’t take the Ring from you, but he can make you give it to him of your own free will. And before you ask me, I don’t know how he’ll do it, but he’ll think of something. Have you got any Bisodol?’
    â€˜I can get you a sandwich.’
    â€˜A sandwich? Do you want to kill me as well as breaking my leg? No, don’t you let go of the Ring, Malcolm Fisher. If I can’t have it, you might as well keep it. It’ll be safe with you until you’re ready to give it to me.’
    Malcolm looked uncomfortable at this. Alberich laughed.
    â€˜Of your own free will, I mean. But that won’t happen until it isn’t a symbol of power any more, only a bit of old jewellery. It’ll happen, though, you mark my words. See how it ends.’
    â€˜How do you know?’
    â€˜I don’t.’ Alberich rose unsteadily to his feet. ‘Time I was going.’
    â€˜How’s your leg?’

    â€˜My leg? Oh, that’s fine, it’s my stomach I’m worried about. I’m always worried about my stomach. We sulphur-dwarves were created out of the primal flux of the earth’s core. We have always existed, and we will always exist, in some form or other. You can kill us, of course, but unless you do, we live for ever. The problem is, if you’re made largely of sulphur, you are going to suffer from heartburn, and there’s nothing at all you can do about it. Over the past however many it is million years, I have tried absolutely every remedy for dyspepsia that has ever been devised, and they’re all useless. All of them. In all the years I’ve been alive, there was only one time I didn’t have indigestion. You know when that was? The forty-eight hours when I had the Ring. Good night.’
    â€˜You can stay here if you like,’ said Malcolm.
    â€˜That’s kind of you, but I’ve got a room over at the Blue Boar. The fresh air will clear my head. I’ll see myself out.’
    â€˜That reminds me. How did you get in here?’
    â€˜Through the front door. I have a way with locks.’
    â€˜And how did you find me in the first place?’
    â€˜Easy. I smelt the Ring. Once you started using it, that was no problem.’
    Alberich went to the door, then turned. ‘Do you know something, Malcolm Fisher?’ he said. ‘It goes against the grain saying this, but I like you. In a way. Up to a point. You can keep the Ring for the time being. I like what you’re doing with it.’
    Malcolm wanted to say something but could think of nothing.
    â€˜And if ever there’s anything . . . Oh, forget it. Good luck.’
    A few minutes later, Malcolm heard