felt Loiosh spreading his wings and collapsing them. My eyes closed as if of their own accord. I realized I was starting to feel fatigued, which frightened me, and I still had a great deal to do.
I don’t know which changed, but now the humming worked with the rhythm I’d established.
I wondered how I’d write this up in a spell book, if I ever chose to do so.
“ F INE ,” I SAID . “No problem. You mean I have nothing at all to worry about except a few gods? Well, in that case I don’t see how it could go wrong. Sure, sign me up.”
I was being sarcastic, in case it escaped you. I found myself glancing over at Chaz to see if he appreciated it, but I couldn’t tell.
Sethra said, “I don’t think it’s quite as gruesome as that.”
“Oh.”
Morrolan said, “Show him the staff.”
“I can see it from here,” I said, looking at it next to Sethra’s hand. Sethra ignored my comment and picked it up, held it out to me.
I said, “This person’s soul is in there?”
“Yes,” said Sethra. “Take it.”
“Why?”
“To see if you feel anything.”
“What am I supposed to feel?”
“Perhaps nothing. You won’t know unless you hold it.”
I sighed and took the thing. Since she’d spoken about feeling something, I was very much aware of the smooth finish, and that the thing was slightly cold. I’d held it before, but I’d been rather busy at the time. It was a light-colored wood, probably diamond willow.
“Feel anything, Loiosh?”
“I’m not sure, boss. Maybe. I think so.”
Then I became aware of it, too. Yes, there was some sort of presence, seemingly dwelling at my fingertips. Strange. I was even getting a vague sense of personality; fiery, quick-tempered. A Dragon, certainly.
Also, to my surprise, I felt an instant sympathy; I’m still not sure why. I handed the staff back to Sethra and said, “Yeah, I felt something.”
She said, “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Will you do it?”
“Are you crazy? You’ve said no one except Zerika has—”
“I’ve also explained why I think you’ll live through it.”
I snorted. “Sure. All right, I’ll do it—if you’ll go along to protect me.”
“Don’t be absurd,” snapped Sethra. “If I could go, there would be no need for you in the first place.”
“Fine,” I said. “Then I’ll take Morrolan.” I smirked, which I’m beginning to think is always an error when dealing with Dragonlords. I think I caught Chaz smirking, but I can’t be sure.
Sethra and Morrolan exchanged glances. Then, “Very well,” said Morrolan. “I agree.”
I said, “Wait a minute—”
Sethra said, “Morrolan, the Lords of Judgment won’t let you leave.”
“Then so be it.”
Sethra said, “But—”
I said, “But—”
“We’ll leave tomorrow,” Morrolan told me. “We’d best get you back at once to prepare for the journey.”
K IERA THE T HIEF’S LONGISH face was mostly concealed by a cowl as she towered over me, and her voice was low, not quite a whisper. “Hello, Vlad.”
“Thank you.”
She said, “So you know.”
“I know it must have been you who spoke to Nielar about me. Thanks.”
“I hope I’m doing you a favor,” she said.
“Me, too. Why do you think you might not be?”
“Working for the Jhereg can be dangerous.”
“I beat up Dragaerans anyway, every chance I get. Why not get paid for it?”
She studied my face. “Do you hate us so much?”
“Them, not you.”
“I am Dragaeran.”
“You still aren’t one of them.”
“Perhaps not.”
“In any case, I need to make money if I’m going to stay out of the Easterners’ ghetto.”
“I know.” I saw the flash of her teeth. “It wouldn’t be proper for you to live there. You are a nobleman, after all.”
I smiled back.
She said, “There are things I can teach you that will help.”
“I’d like that,” I said. “You’re very kind.”
“I like you.”
She’d said that before. I often wondered why. I wondered how old she
I don’t know which changed, but now the humming worked with the rhythm I’d established.
I wondered how I’d write this up in a spell book, if I ever chose to do so.
“ F INE ,” I SAID . “No problem. You mean I have nothing at all to worry about except a few gods? Well, in that case I don’t see how it could go wrong. Sure, sign me up.”
I was being sarcastic, in case it escaped you. I found myself glancing over at Chaz to see if he appreciated it, but I couldn’t tell.
Sethra said, “I don’t think it’s quite as gruesome as that.”
“Oh.”
Morrolan said, “Show him the staff.”
“I can see it from here,” I said, looking at it next to Sethra’s hand. Sethra ignored my comment and picked it up, held it out to me.
I said, “This person’s soul is in there?”
“Yes,” said Sethra. “Take it.”
“Why?”
“To see if you feel anything.”
“What am I supposed to feel?”
“Perhaps nothing. You won’t know unless you hold it.”
I sighed and took the thing. Since she’d spoken about feeling something, I was very much aware of the smooth finish, and that the thing was slightly cold. I’d held it before, but I’d been rather busy at the time. It was a light-colored wood, probably diamond willow.
“Feel anything, Loiosh?”
“I’m not sure, boss. Maybe. I think so.”
Then I became aware of it, too. Yes, there was some sort of presence, seemingly dwelling at my fingertips. Strange. I was even getting a vague sense of personality; fiery, quick-tempered. A Dragon, certainly.
Also, to my surprise, I felt an instant sympathy; I’m still not sure why. I handed the staff back to Sethra and said, “Yeah, I felt something.”
She said, “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Will you do it?”
“Are you crazy? You’ve said no one except Zerika has—”
“I’ve also explained why I think you’ll live through it.”
I snorted. “Sure. All right, I’ll do it—if you’ll go along to protect me.”
“Don’t be absurd,” snapped Sethra. “If I could go, there would be no need for you in the first place.”
“Fine,” I said. “Then I’ll take Morrolan.” I smirked, which I’m beginning to think is always an error when dealing with Dragonlords. I think I caught Chaz smirking, but I can’t be sure.
Sethra and Morrolan exchanged glances. Then, “Very well,” said Morrolan. “I agree.”
I said, “Wait a minute—”
Sethra said, “Morrolan, the Lords of Judgment won’t let you leave.”
“Then so be it.”
Sethra said, “But—”
I said, “But—”
“We’ll leave tomorrow,” Morrolan told me. “We’d best get you back at once to prepare for the journey.”
K IERA THE T HIEF’S LONGISH face was mostly concealed by a cowl as she towered over me, and her voice was low, not quite a whisper. “Hello, Vlad.”
“Thank you.”
She said, “So you know.”
“I know it must have been you who spoke to Nielar about me. Thanks.”
“I hope I’m doing you a favor,” she said.
“Me, too. Why do you think you might not be?”
“Working for the Jhereg can be dangerous.”
“I beat up Dragaerans anyway, every chance I get. Why not get paid for it?”
She studied my face. “Do you hate us so much?”
“Them, not you.”
“I am Dragaeran.”
“You still aren’t one of them.”
“Perhaps not.”
“In any case, I need to make money if I’m going to stay out of the Easterners’ ghetto.”
“I know.” I saw the flash of her teeth. “It wouldn’t be proper for you to live there. You are a nobleman, after all.”
I smiled back.
She said, “There are things I can teach you that will help.”
“I’d like that,” I said. “You’re very kind.”
“I like you.”
She’d said that before. I often wondered why. I wondered how old she
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