by Steven Brust
“How do you do it?” I asked him when we were in my old office, with him behind the desk.
“Do what?”
“Get people to obey your orders, when they don’t even know you’re there.”
“Oh. I write a lot of notes.”
“Dangerous.”
“They get burned. And you know how it is: There’s usually nothing incriminating in them anyway.”
“I don’t know, Kragar. All it takes is one that—”
“You want the job back, Vlad?”
“No, thanks.”
“Then shut up.”
“Right. Shutting up.”
“What happens next?”
“The Left Hand comes after me.”
“How are you avoiding them?”
“I’m not.”
He studied me. “You’re going to let them find you?”
“I’m going to them.”
“Mind if I ask why?”
“Because I can’t have them chasing me. Having the Jhereg chasing me is bad enough; having the Left Hand—”
“Wait. You don’t want them chasing you, so you’re going to give yourself up to them? I mean, in one sense it’s logical, but—”
“I probably shouldn’t have tried to explain.”
“Yeah, that was a mistake. Where is this happening?”
“There’s a house in South Adrilankha where the Left Hand has set up shop.”
“Where exactly?”
“You don’t need to know.”
“A house full of sorceresses, and you’re going to just walk into it?”
“Pulling them out of it, actually. And there aren’t as many of them as there were yesterday at this time.”
“Ugh. Need backup?”
“You can’t help with this one, unless you’re a better sorcerer than I think you are.”
“You aren’t that much of a sorcerer yourself, Vlad.”
“I have help arranged.”
“All right. But if you want a spare knife, I don’t mind—”
“No, thanks.”
He nodded. “I knew you were going to say that. That’s why I didn’t mind asking.”
“Uh huh. You hungry? I’m buying.”
“How about if I send someone to pick something up?”
“Embarrassed to be seen with me in public?”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“Well, yeah.”
He arranged for seafood soup with sour bread from the Locket. It showed up and we ate it. I’d never eaten at the Locket, though it wasn’t far from the office. I don’t know why I’d never gotten there. Too bad; they made a good soup.
While we were eating he said, “Aren’t you going to ask me about that name you wanted?”
“You mean, you have it already?”
“Yeah, that’s really why I showed up there. Finding a shoemaker in South Adrilankha seemed like too much trouble.”
“Okay, I’m impressed.”
He bowed.
“So, who is it?”
“Nylanth.”
“I’ve heard that name. Who is he?”
“He’s on the Council. He controls part of South Adrilankha anyway, so I guess he figured—”
“What part?”
“Shipping.”
“Shipping? What is there to control with shipping?”
“Vlad, not everything shipped is exactly legal.”
“Oh. Don’t the Orca handle that?”
“Yeah. He buys Orca as he needs them. And he also runs some gambling by the piers.”
I nodded. “Okay, makes sense, then. How is he reacting?”
“To you messing up his plans? Well, if he wasn’t already trying to kill you, as was the whole rest of the Organization, I’m sure he’d start trying now. As it is, nothing much has changed.”
“Yeah, that’s the nice thing about the position I’m in: It’s hard to make it any worse.”
“I don’t think that’s true. You could make it worse. You could put yourself in the hands of a bunch of sorceresses who want to kill you; that would be worse.”
“I’d never do anything that foolish.”
“Oh. Good, then. Any steps to be taken?”
“Steps?”
“Regarding Nylanth.”
“Oh.” I thought about that.
“No,” I finally said. “Let him keep chasing me around South Adrilankha; I don’t think he has much of a role to play anymore.”
“Okay.”
We finished up, and left the crockery on Kragar’s desk. I said, “Okay, I think it’s time for me to move.”
“Just a minute.”
He closed his eyes for about a minute, then said, “I wouldn’t go out the front, Vlad.”
“Someone waiting?”
“My people didn’t see anyone, but said they can’t promise anything. Too much street traffic.”
“Oh. If there is someone waiting, the back will be covered, too.”
“Yep. Take the tunnel.”
“Excellent. Good. Perfect. What tunnel?”
“I’ve made some changes.”
“Why? I mean, why you of all people? You could walk out the front door and no one would notice.”
“I figured you might be back, and I know you aren’t teleporting much these days.”
“So you put in a tunnel?”
“Just a short one.”
“Where does it come up?”
“Behind the haberdasher’s just this side of Malak Circle.”
“Okay. Where does it start?”
“There was the room in the basement where an ancient people used to practice their heathen rites.”
“My lab?”
“I had no use for it.”
“I guess not. All right, lead the way.”
“Oh, Vlad—”
“Hmmm?”
“Nice boots.”
He lit a lantern and led the way down the stairs and into the basement. The musty smell and the feel of the dirt floor brought back a lot of memories. Most of my old gear was gone, but the brazier was still there, on its side up against the far wall. I didn’t see any doorway, so I looked a question at him.
He smirked and gave one of the sconces on the wall a twist. Nothing changed, but I heard a faint “click.”
“A secret entrance with a hidden passage with a secret latch,” I remarked. “I don’t hardly believe it.”
“I couldn’t resist.”
“Did you go all the way and kill the builders?”
“I forgot that part.”
He went over to the middle of the left-hand wall and gave it a push. It swung open without a sound. He led the way. It was narrow—just barely room to walk forward—but tall enough that Kragar didn’t have to stoop. The walls looked finished, probably with tile, and his boots went clack against the floor. When I spoke, there were echoes.
“You left the basement floor dirt, but put a floor in this?”
“Well, when you turned things over to me, I had all this money I didn’t know what to do with.”
I didn’t have an answer for that, so I shut up and followed the dancing light of the lantern he held. It seemed like a very long walk.
The tunnel didn’t branch, but led straight to a stairway, which ended in a narrow door. Kragar put his face against it.
“A peephole?” I said.
“Of course.”
He pulled on a rope that hung from the ceiling, and the door opened.
He stepped out, looked around, and nodded to me. Loiosh left my shoulder and flew out, then I followed. There was no one there.
“Thanks, Kragar.”
“Good luck, Vlad.”
I took the Stone Bridge back to South Adrilankha, feeling very exposed and vulnerable during the walk, although Loiosh and Rocza were alert to anyone even glancing at me. It was around the seventh hour when I reached the Six Corners district. I made my way to Stranger’s Road and found the same observation point I’d used before.
“Okay, Loiosh. See what�
�s up.”
“On my way, Boss.”
I slid back behind the corner of the building, reassured by Rocza’s weight on my shoulder.
“Nothing yet, Boss.”
“Be patient. If they noticed before, they’ll have to notice now.”
“Oh, I’m patient. How ’bout you?”
“Going crazy.”
“That’s what I figured. Uh, Boss? Mind telling me what happens when they spot you? Or is it a secret?”
“It’s a secret. I can’t trust you not to pass on the information to the Empire.”
“Right. Did it occur to you that the Empire doesn’t much care if they kill you?”
“The Empress likes me. If they get me, I’m sure she’ll wear something white. At least for the afternoon.”
“That’s a great consol—someone’s coming out.”
My stomach turned over.
“Okay.”
“Boss, can’t you just tell me generally what we’re going to do?—”
“We’re going into the house.”
“Going in? What—”
“I have a plan, Loiosh.”
“How are we getting out alive?”
“The plan doesn’t extend that far. What is the sorceress doing?”
“She’s looking around.”
“Okay.”
“Should I stay here?”
“Yes. Keep watching.”
“Someone else has joined her. They’re talking. Should I get close enough to listen?”
“No. Stay where you are.”
“A third one, now.”
I took a deep breath, and sent Loiosh a mental nod.
“Three of them, Boss. Just standing on the porch.”
“All right.”
Rocza squeezed my shoulder. I turned around, and there was a sorceress behind me, about ten yards away, dressed in black and gray, holding a dagger. If the dagger wasn’t enchanted, I’d eat my new boots. I wanted to draw Lady Teldra so badly I could feel my hand twitching.
“Took you long enough,” I told her. “I’ve been standing here for most of an hour.”
Her grip on the dagger tightened in a way that looked like she might be about to do something with it, so I drew Lady Teldra, holding her in front of me. The dagger the sorceress was holding moved in a small circle. Lady Teldra glowed a little and I felt a tingle run up my arm. That’s all.
“Now, now,” I said. “No need for unpleasantness.”
Her expression didn’t change, but I got the feeling she didn’t know exactly how to handle this turn of events. Or maybe Jhereg banter was exclusive to the Right Hand. I badly wished to know what spell had been cast at me. She had long limbs, rather light hair, and deep-set eyes. She carried herself with a relaxed ease.
“I’m Vlad,” I told her. “You?”
“I’m not,” said the sorceress.
“I didn’t actually think you were. Feel like telling me your name?”
“Why? Can you use it in an enchantment?”
Okay, so Jhereg banter crossed the line to the distaff side.
“Probably not,” I said. “I’m willing to try, though, if you wish.”
“They usually call me Nisasta, which I was once told means ‘seeker of truth’ in some language or another.”
“They’re walking toward you, Boss.”
“All right, Nisasta. Before your friends get here and I have to work up a sweat, how about if we just agree to have a peaceful conversation.”
“You killed—”
“Yes, I did. How about my proposal? Your friends are getting closer, and if it looks like I’m going to be outnumbered, I’ll have to do something about it.”
Lady Teldra had taken the form of a short, very nasty-looking triangular dagger. I let her bounce a little in my hand. She felt solid and useful. Nisasta avoided looking at her.
“How close are they?”
“About thirty paces.”
“Decide,” I said. “Talk, or slaughter. I don’t much care.”
She still didn’t look at Lady Teldra. I was impressed; that can’t have been easy.
“It isn’t my decision to make,” she said finally.
“Then you’d best speak to whoever’s decision it is. Fast.”
She nodded, and her brows furrowed a little; she didn’t close her eyes. That can’t have been easy, either; closing your eyes when speaking to someone psychically is instinctive.
She said, “They say—wait.”
“They’ve stopped, Boss. There’s—”
“What? What?”
“The Demon is here, Boss. With two bodyguards. He’s talking to the sorceresses. I can’t hear them from here.”
“Okay. So far, so good.”
“What are we going to do if they don’t want to talk?”
“Improvise.”
“Oh, good.”
“Not to worry. It’s the same thing we’re going to do if they do want to talk.”
“Oh. All right. That’s fine, then.”
“I am told,” said the sorceress who called herself Nisasta, “that they’ll speak with you if you disarm yourself.”
I laughed. “Oh, sure. That’s real likely. I’ll just walk with you into that house there, so I can be surrounded by a dozen sorceresses who all want to kill me, after giving up the one thing that might keep me alive. Do they have a second idea?”
“You think it will be enough to keep you alive? You should know there is now a teleport block over this entire area. No can gets in or out save by walking, and no one is close enough to help you.”
I shrugged. “I expected that when I put myself into this situation. We can dance if you want. You’ll probably get me eventually. How many of you will go down first, and what will happen when you do? You know what I carry.”
She barely nodded, and was silent again for a moment.
“They still aren’t moving, Loiosh?”
“Nope. Just standing there, Boss. Talking with the Demon. Shall I get close enough to—?”
“No. We wait.”
I briefly wondered why I felt so calm; then I became aware of the smooth, cool, reassuring feeling of Lady Teldra’s hilt in my hand, and stopped wondering. Would Telnan consider this cheating? I’d have to ask him if I got out of this.
“Are you willing to, at least, sheath it?”
I hadn’t expected that question, and I had to think about it. “If we talk out here, no. If we’re going inside, then I will, until something happens that makes me feel threatened. I react badly when I feel threatened. It’s a personality quirk.”
After a moment, she said, “Inside, then.”
I nodded. “After you.”
“Boss, you want to go inside?”
“Yes.”
“Why, for all the—”
“If spark comes to fire, I want them in a confined space.”
“But—”
“Not now, Loiosh.”
She set off toward the house. I sheathed Lady Teldra, not without some regret, and followed her. Loiosh flew over to me. Nisasta, as much as I could tell watching her from behind, flinched just a little when he flew past her. She looked back at him as he landed on my shoulder. I wasn’t calm anymore, which was good, because Telnan could no longer accuse me of cheating.
“Hey, Boss. How do you figure the odds that they’re going to try to kill you once we get inside.”
“Dead certain, more or less.”
“Yeah, that’s what I figured, too.”
“Glad to know we’re in sync.”
“Yeah. Any idea how we’re going to get out of it?”
“Some vague ideas, yes.”
“Okay. Care to tell me why we put ourselves in this position?”
“It’s been our plan all along.”
“Oh. Well. All right then. And to think I was worried.”
The sorceresses, along with the Demon and his bodyguards, were about forty paces ahead of the one called Nisasta, who was just a few paces ahead of me. The grou
p of them opened the door, entered, and vanished within. Nisasta reached the door and held it open for me. I gave a nod toward it. She shrugged, and walked in front of me.
“Want me to scout?”
“No. Stay with me.”
We stood in a wide entryway, with a hallway leading off to the right, an arch at the far end, a stairway next to the arch, and a door, presumably a closet, to the left. It looked pleasant and comfortable; the sort of place Jakoub might dream of buying. Or Sandor. The door swung shut behind me, from some sort of counterweight, or maybe a spell of some kind. It went “snick” with a sort of finality. I wondered how hard it would be to open it again.
“Boss, are we trapped?”
“No, they are.”
“Oh. All right, then.”
Nisasta looked back at me over her shoulder. “We’ll talk in here,” she said, and went through the arch.
“Last chance to run, Boss.”
“Oh, shut up.”
I walked through the archway like I hadn’t a worry in the world.
17
Palaczinta
Mihi came back to the table. He brought a bucket of ice on a stand, and in the bucket was a bottle I knew well. Mihi was all smiles. I think this was his favorite part; it was certainly right up there for me.
Dragaerans usually served a fruit at the end of a meal, but we Easterners like to serve a confection, or something sweet to finish off a meal. We call it “dessert” and no one does it better than Valabar’s. Mihi gave a slight bow, refilled our wineglasses, took a deep breath, and began speaking.
“Today, Mr. Valabar has prepared an apple cheesecake with a mild cinnamon sauce topped with powdered chef’s sugar and a finely ground pecan mix chocolate raspberry mousse cake in a chocolate shell sweetened with white sugar with jumpberry sauce and a selection of fresh berries vanilla-cinnamon custard lightly caramelized on top with brown sugar and a garnish of fresh fruit a six-layer dessert palaczinta consisting of a layer of rednuts ground to a fine powder a layer of sweetened chocolate a layer of raspberries a layer of walnuts ground to a powder and a layer of tartberries with a chocolate-brandy sauce dribbled on top.”
Telnan stared at Mihi. Mihi looked smug.
At last, Telnan said, “What?”
“No, no,” I said. “Don’t make him repeat it. My heart couldn’t take it. I’ll have the palaczinta.”
Telnan’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times.
“Bring him the mousse cake,” I said. “He’ll like that.”
“Uh, sure,” said Telnan.
