Vlad Taltos - Phoenix Part 23

He me a look of contempt. I'd only said it to annoy him anywav. "I will help you," said Morrolan.

"Thank you" I said.

My grandfather spoke for the first time. He said, "Vladimir, will you travel again through the fairy-land?" "Excuse me?"

"Travel through the fairy-land, the way we did to come here."

"Oh Yes, I expect so."

He nodded thoughtfully and spoke to Morrolan. "I see that you practice the Art."

"Yes," said Morrolan. "I am a witch."

"Have you devices I might use? All of mine are lost."

"Certainly," said Morrolan. "I'll have Teldra bring you to my workshop."

"Thank you," said my grandfather.

Morrolan nodded and said, "Aliera is here. Shall I make contact with Sethra and Daymar?"

"Yes," I said. "Let's get started."

A few minutes later he reported that everyone would be a.s.sembled for dinner that evening, which gave me several hours to kill. I realized that I was desperately tired and asked Lady Teldra to show me to a room. I gave my grandfather a kiss, bowed to Morrolan, and stumbled to the chambers I'd been a.s.signed.

Before I fell asleep, I got hold of Kragar and said, "What's the news from Jhereg center?"

"You are, Vlad."

"Do tell."

"Three more offers, all refused. Whether they'd have been refused if anyone knew where you were, I don't know. "

"Okay. Do you have the information I wanted?"

"Yes, indeed. And someone knows I'm collecting it. "

"Oh"

"I was offered twenty thousand to convince you to collect it in person."

"Twenty thousand? Why didn't you take it?"

"I didn't think I could talk you into coming for it without getting you suspicious."

"Hmmm. You're probably right. Can you send it by messenger to Castle Black?"

"Easy."

"Good. Any, um, disturbances in the area?"

"Not to speak of. Everything pretty much pa.s.sed us by. We were lucky. "

"Yes," I said. Lucky. Images came bubbling up like Teckla to a feast, but I shoved them back down. No, now was not the time for thinking about that. Maybe there'd never be a time for thinking about that, but now I was tired.

"How are things on your end?" said Kragar.

"Working their way toward resolution."

"Good. Keep me informed."

"I will. Have the messenger ask them to wake me when he gets here."

"Okay. See you later, Vlad."

"Don't count on it, Kragar." Before he could ask what I meant by that, I was asleep.

Kragar's messenger was too quick for me to get enough sleep, but the two or so hours I got, along with the klava supplied by Lady Teldra when she woke me, put me in good enough shape for the moment. I sat up in bed, sipped klava, and studied the sheaf of doc.u.ments giving all the significant details of Boralinoi's life and personal habits. He was another of the Council members who got there by being in the right place when Zerika returned with the Orb ending the Interregnum. He was considered good at arranging compromises between rivals, but he was not, himself, a compromiser. He'd done a few very nasty things to secure his position, and since then his reputation ha protected him. There had been no known attempts on hi life, and his habits didn't indicate that he was terribly worrjed about such things. On the other hand, he knew I was after him, so it could be tough.

On yet a third hand, he had a mistress, so it could be pretty easy.

Given a couple of weeks to set it up, it should be no problem. But, of course, I didn't have a couple of weeks to set it up. I wouldn't have an Organization in a couple of weeks. Still, it might be possible to do it more quickly. I could do what they'd done to me, set up outside his mistress's flat and wait for him to emerge. Not very professional, not the kind of sure thing I liked, but it might work.

I shook my head. The business with Cawti was more urgent, but I had a handle on that. It bothered me that it might not get Cawti released even if it worked, and it bothered me that if things went bad, the business with Boralinoi would remain unfinished. And I owed that son of a b.i.t.c.h one. I considered the matter and kept considering it as I dressed, then put it out of my mind. One thing at a time.

The front dining room, with its huge gla.s.s windows overlooking the courtyard, blackwood chairs and table, and hanging bra.s.s lamps, was just big enough for Morrolan, Aliera, Sethra, Daymar, Noish-pa, and me. Daymar was on his best behavior; that is, he sat in his chair, between Morrolan and Sethra, instead of floating cross-legged as was his wont. My grandfather was clearly uncomfortable; I doubt he had been so close to so many Dragaerans ever in his life, but he did his best to pretend he was at ease. When he tasted the Bazian pepper stew, he smiled m amazement and no longer had to pretend.

Morrolan smiled at him. "Your grandson gave my cook the recipe," he said.

"I hope he left nothing out," said Noish-pa.

Aliera nibbled daintily and said, "What's the plan, then? My cousin"- she indicated Morrolan, perhaps for Noish-pas benefit-"said it would be exciting."

"Yes," I said. "We're going to end the war."

"That will be pleasant," said Daymar "You aren't in it, I'm afraid."

"Oh?"

"Except, of course, for getting us there."

"Where?"

"Greenaere."

"You wish to journey to Greenaere?" said Morrolan "Explain."

"The Phoenix Stones prevent psionic communication and they prevent sorcery. Daymar was able to temporarily punch through the one, and I suspect that with Sethra's help he could punch through the other long enough to get us in. Perhaps even to get us out again after."

"After what?"

"After we have forced a truce on them."

"How?"

"Leave that to me. Your job is to keep me alive long enough to get the truce into our hands."

There was considerable silence at this point, then Morrolan said, "Several things need to be discussed, I think "

"Goon."

"In the first place, I do not perform a.s.sa.s.sinations."

"No problem, I do. If you want to kill someone, you are welcome to challenge him to single combat, if that somehow pleases you more."

"Then you admit you are going to a.s.sa.s.sinate this King?"

"No. But neither do I deny it."

"Hmmm. In the second place, we cannot be sure Day-mar and Sethra can succeed. The Empire has tried several times to break through and failed. What makes you think this time we can succeed?"

"Several things," I said. "First, we now know about the Phoenix Stones. Second, we know that Daymar has succeeded once already, in a limited way. Third, we have Sethra Lavode." She smiled and dipped her head by way of acknowledgment.

"It sounds chancy," said Morrolan.

I said, "Sethra?"

"It's worth a try," she said. "Just how well do you know Greenaere?"

"I have a spot marked well enough to teleport to, if that's what you mean."

"I don't know if that will be good enough. We're going to need a solid, detailed image of the place, memories of all five senses."

"Hmmm. I've got an idea for that. Let me think about it."

"Very well," said Sethra.

I said, "What next?"

Morrolan spoke up again. "How do you know that, if we succeed, the Empire will, in fact, release Cawti?"

I shrugged. "I don't. I'm working on that. I have some ideas. If they don't pan out, perhaps we'll sc.r.a.p the whole plan. I'll know by noon tomorrow."

"It seems to me," said Morrolan, "that you are doing a great deal of hoping here. You hope we will be able to break through the Phoenix Stones. You hope you can force a treaty out of Greenaere. You hope we will be able to escape again. You hope the Empress will be sufficiently grateful to you to free Cawti."

"You've expressed it quite well."

I waited for about two breaths, then: "Count me in," said Morrolan.

"Sounds like fun," said Aliera.

Sethra nodded and Day mar shrugged. Noish-pa looked at me steadily for a moment, then resumed eating. I wondered what he was thinking. Perhaps he was remembering how I'd said I hated Dragaerans, and now, when I was in trouble, whom did I go running to for help? A good point, that. I'd known them a long time, and we'd been through so much together. I just never thought of them as Dragaerans; they were friends. How could I- "When are we going to do it?" said Morrolan.

I asked Sethra, "How much time will you and Daymar need to prepare?"

"At least until tomorrow. We won't know until we start looking at the problem."

"All right. Tentatively, tomorrow afternoon. If you aren't ready by then, we'll see. In the meantime, I to run home and get somebody."

"Who?"

"You'll meet him. He's a drummer."

"From Greenaere?" said Sethra.

"Yep."

"Think he'll help?"

"If he's a spy, which I think is possible, he'll be glad to. If he isn't, he might not."

"If he's a spy-"

"It won't matter for what I'm trying to do."

"Very well, then," said Morrolan, and called for dessert, which involved fresh berries of some kind and a sweet cream sauce. It arrived, and I ate it, but I don't remember how it tasted. After dinner I made sure my grandfather was settled in as well as possible, studied Kragar's notes a bit more, then walked out to the courtyard of Castle Black.

"Loiosh, you and Rocza stay real alert.", "/ know, boss. I'm not happy about this at all. They were waiting for you once- "

"1 know. How's your lady doing?"

Rocza s.h.i.+fted on my right shoulder and nuzzled me a little. I got my mind fixed on a place across the street from my flat and teleported there. Loiosh and Rocza left my shoulder as we arrived and buzzed about.

' 'No one here, boss."

' 'My compliments to Rocza. She's learning the business, I think. "

' 'She's got a good teacher. You okay ?"

' 7 didn 't lose my dinner, anyway. Give me a minute and stay alert." ".

"Check. "

When I felt better I walked up to the flat. I was in luck: Aibynn was there, and there were no a.s.sa.s.sins.

"Hey, how you doing?"

"Not bad. How'd you like to help me out?"