Issola (30 page)

"No, Vlad. I had no idea. If I'd had any idea, I should never have - no, I didn't know."

"What was it you yelled to me, in the middle of it all?"

She gave me an ironic smile. "You don't want to know."

"Probably not, Sethra, but tell me anyway."

"I told you to watch out for Teldra. It looked like she was contemplating doing something foolish."

"Yeah, I guess she was."

"But I suppose it is best for all of us that it turned out that way."

"All of us, except for Lady Teldra."

"Yes. Well, you are now a member of a rather exclusive club, Vlad. You are one of those the gods have cause to fear. Congratulations to you, and to Godslayer."

"Lady Teldra," I corrected her gently.

She shrugged. "As you prefer."

I touched the hilt and it was almost as if I could feel her fingers touching mine. I said, "Do you suppose the Jenoine knew?"

"No," said Sethra. "They would never have put the weapon into your hands if they had suspected. They wanted you to kill Verra, just as they said."

"You mean, that was it? They really expected me to just go and kill her?"

"Yes, which would have allowed them access to the Lesser Sea, where they could have established their own link - that is, a permanent one, with, in essence, their own Orb. It would have been a powerful blow against us. Although, knowing that Adron is still, in a sense, in there, I don't know what effect that would have had." I shook my head. "But Sethra, all kidding aside, I was never going to kill Verra. I mean, I never even thought seriously about it."

"Yes, I know."

"It doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't make sense to us, Vlad."

"If they have so little understanding of us, Sethra, I'm not sure how worried about them we should be."

"Whatever their understanding, they have a great deal of power."

"But still. With such intricate plans, how can they be that far off?"

"They don't understand us, that's all. They never have. Talk to Verra sometime; that's been their flaw from the beginning "

"I don't think the Demon Goddess wants to have a lot to do with me these days. And that's fine with me."

"Yes, I suppose it is. And Vlad—"

"Yes?"

"Should I happen not to be around when Lady Teldra wakes up, you will not forget to give her my regards?"

"Wakes up? What do you mean?"

She smiled. "I think I'd rather not tell you."

Damn her.

Aliera, still bloody and dazed-looking, stumbled over and sat down next to us. I looked over at Morrolan, and saw the gentle rise and fall of his chest.

I nodded to Aliera. "Congratulations," I said.

She nodded and closed her eyes.

Sethra said, "Good. Now let's see to you." Aliera was, evidently, too exhausted to argue; she struggled to her feet, and accompanied Sethra out of the room.

The Necromancer walked over from Morrolan's side and sat down opposite me. We looked at each other for a while, and then she said, "I can bring you wherever you'd like."

"Thanks," I said. I looked over at Morrolan. "Who gets to tell him about Teldra?"

"Sethra, I should imagine."

"Lucky Sethra."

"What are you going to do?"

"Same thing I've been doing."

"You have rather less to fear from the Jhereg now - at least, Morganti weapons shouldn't frighten you as much."

"That's true. But I've recovered a bit from the bravado I was feeling, uh, earlier. I'd just as soon not give them a chance."

She nodded. "Where then?"

"Perhaps I'll visit my grandfather."

"I'm certain he'd like that."

"Or else I'll head East."

"Your ancestral homeland?"

"Yes. I was there once before, and rather liked it. Maybe I'll organize a defense there, in case Sethra the Younger decides to try to conquer it. I beat her once, maybe I can beat her again." She studied me for a little. "When did this idea come to you?" she said at last. I shrugged. "I don't know. Just now, I guess, while I was talking to you. Why?"

"It sounds a little public-spirited for you, Vlad."

"Maybe it's Lady Teldra's influence," I said ironically.

"That's what I was thinking," she said, without irony.

"Oh," I said. "Well, maybe I'll do something else."

"Is Lady Teldra's influence that bad a thing?"

I thought about that. "No, I suppose not."

"I shall miss her," said the Necromancer. "And you," she added. I almost made an ironic remark about that, just out of reflex, but I refrained. Maybe my reflexes were changing, but I didn't care to examine them too closely to find out. I said, "Has anything exciting been happening in Adrilankha lately?"

She smiled a little. "I'm afraid I don't keep up on such matters."

I nodded. "All right," I said, deciding suddenly. "Here's what I'm going to do. I'm bloody well going into Adrilankha, and I'm bloody well going to have a meal at Valabar's, and if the Jhereg find me, fine, and if they don't, I'll figure out what I'm going to do next while I eat. If there's one thing I've missed—" There was a soft moan from the couch. As I looked, Morrolan's eyes fluttered open. His mouth opened and he tried to speak, but couldn't manage.

"We won," I told him. "It wasn't pretty, but we won."

No, I wasn't going to be the one to tell him.

"Boss,
your stomach is going to be the death of us all."

"Very probably, chum. But don't complain, you get the scraps."

"Oh, I'm not complaining. Just
observing."
Rocza shifted on my other shoulder; I imagine Loiosh had given her a hint of what was coming. For a wild jhereg, it hadn't taken her long to develop a taste for civilized food.

"All right," I told the Necromancer. "Let's go, then."

"Now? You don't wish to wait for Sethra and Aliera?"

"Please give them my farewell."

"You sure, Boss? Right now?"

"I
don't want to be here anymore."

The Necromancer stood up. I said, "Can you put me right in front of their door?"

"Easily," she said.

"Good, then."

"What are you going to have?"

"I don't know, but it will start and end with klava."

Morrolan cleared his throat, tried to speak, then exhaled loudly and lay back.

"I'm sorry," I told him.

He looked at me, eyebrows raised.

I shook my head. The Necromancer put her hand on my shoulder, I put my hand on Lady Teldra. Loiosh and Rocza took their positions, and Dzur Mountain was gone, and I was outdoors, facing the familiar sight of Valabar's, which, of all things, hadn't changed a bit. I smelled onions and garlic and broiling kethna. There were no assassins waiting to kill me, at least yet.

I removed my amulets from their box and put them back on, just out of reflex, and stepped inside.