“Okay,” I had told him. “What if you don’t like yourself?”
He’d laughed, like I was kidding with him. But what I ought to have asked was, how do you survive the interminable seconds, or hours, or days, that lead up to that moment? If I saw him again, I’d ask, but it was unlikely the answer would do me any good. Whatever I was, I wasn’t a Dzur.
“So tell me, Boss. Do you plan to just wander around South Adrilankha for however many days or weeks it takes?”
“Pretty much, yeah.”
“Oh, joy.”
A few hours later, I swung by Ristall Market. It was full of people buying and selling things. So, at least that part of the operation was working. While I was there, I picked up a bag of pecans and chewed on them as I walked. Pecans don’t grow near Adrilankha, they have to be imported from, uh, from somewhere. They’re ridiculously expensive. I think that’s why I like them so much.
Eventually I returned to the room and got some sleep.
Then I was holding a dagger, then Loiosh told me it was okay, then Loiosh yelled, then I woke up. It was another one of those things where what I remember isn’t what actually happened, only now those were beginning to bother me more than they used to. Was it because of Verra, or does everyone goes through that when his familiar wakes him in the middle of the night to warn that someone is about to kill him only to then tell him no, don’t worry, it’s only your friend the assassin?
Hmmm. Let me rephrase that.
On second thought, skip it.
“It’s Mario,” said Loiosh. “Sorry to scare you.”
“Better that than the alternative.”
Aloud I said, “Come in, Mario.”
The curtain moved and he entered. I lit the lamp and pointed to the chair.
He sat down and said, “Sorry to awaken you.”
“I wasn’t sleeping. What’s up?”
“It’s done.”
I yawned and nodded. “Hmmm?”
“It’s done.”
“It’s ... oh.” I wrapped my head around that. “What happened?”
“Excuse me?”
I cleared my throat. “What’s the word on the street? Or, what will it be?”
“Oh.” He considered for a moment. “The sorceress was stabbed to death by a person or persons unknown as she emerged from a teleport in the middle of the night at Di’bani Circle near the Imperial Palace. The cause of death was a single stroke by a large knife administered to the back of her neck, severing her spine. There were no witnesses. No doubt, after a thorough and lengthy investigation, the Phoenix Guards will shrug and say, ‘Mario did it’.” He didn’t smirk as he said it, which must have required great restraint.
I said. “Uh huh. I get it. No, wait. As she emerged from a teleport?”
“Sure. There’s always an instant’s disorientation when you—”
“Yes, but how did you ... never mind.”
Mario smiled.
“Thanks,” I told him.
“Least I could do, under the circumstances. Anything else you need?”
Now there was a question.
“Feel like putting a shine on the whole Jhereg? And half the Left Hand?”
“Sometimes, you know, I do.”
I nodded. “I can respect that.”
“Anything you need that’s within the bounds of reason?”
“Except for mass slaughter of the Jhereg, I don’t think this one can be solved by making anyone become dead.”
“Yeah, some things are like that. Odd, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes I can hardly believe it.”
After Mario left, I lay back down on the bed.
“Tomorrow, Loiosh. We move tomorrow.”
“I know, Boss.”
The next morning I didn’t waste any time; I was up and out in minutes. It wasn’t so much that I was in a hurry as that I was tired of doubts and second thoughts. I went to Six Corners and waited there, looking like I had nothing to do, watching. While I watched, I scribbled a note and folded it. On the outside, I put the address of the office, and directions for getting there.
In about five minutes, I spotted a candidate. I said, “Hey, boy. Come here.”
I got a suspicious look from a kid who looked like I might have looked when I was nine.
“Come here,” I repeated. “As long as you promise not to hurt me.”
That turned out to be the right tack. He came up to me, and I flipped him an imperial. “Want another one?”
He stared at the coin, tapped it, pocketed it, and grinned. “Who do I have to kill?” His voice hadn’t changed yet. He was dressed in a cotton tunic that had been bright blue a long time ago, and brown wool trousers.
“Never kill anyone for less than a thousand,” I told him. “This is easier.”
“What—”
“Run over to the City and deliver a message.”
“I’ve done that before.”
“Never for this much, I’ll wager.”
He shrugged. “I get the other one when I get back with a reply, right?”
“Right.”
“And if he doesn’t give me a reply?”
“Then you’re out of luck.”
“All right. You’ll be here?”
I nodded and handed him the note. “Do you read?”
“A little.” He frowned and stared at the writing, then he nodded. “I can make this out.”
“Good. If you’re back in less than two hours, I’ll make it two imperials.”
He set off at a walk, just to show me how independent he was. I’m sure he broke into a run the instant he was out of sight. I liked him.
“I could have saved you a few imperials, Boss.”
“I know. But I want you around me right now.”
“Expecting trouble?”
“No. I’m just ... I want you around.”
“Okay.”
I returned to the room, put all that was Vlad, at least externally, into a sack, and said good-bye to the room. Whatever happened, I wouldn’t be back there. That part didn’t make me sad.
I returned to Six Corners and bought a pear. I took my time eating it. I rinsed my hands off at the market pump and left a copper for the poor, because it would have looked funny if I hadn’t.
I spotted the kid about a minute before he spotted me. He handed me a note. I glanced at it, verified the signature, and gave the kid two imperials. He gave me an odd look.
“You’re wondering what someone like me has to do with the Jhereg.”
He nodded.
I smiled. I was briefly tempted to have him watch while I turned back into Vlad. Strange. Why would I want to impress the big comfortable chairs. It was a good place for me, because Jhereg stand out there; mostly you’ll find Dragonlords, Dzur, Lyorn, and Tiassa. I stood out, but so would the Demon, as well as anyone placed there with unfriendly intentions toward me. Also, killing someone there was liable to bring on a lot more heat from the Phoenix Guards than the Jhereg would like.
I got looks from everyone there when I came in. That was good. I’d have been worried about anyone who didn’t give me a glance or two. I walked straight to the rear, where there were two doors back-to-back. I glanced at the host. He pointed to the right-hand door, and I took it.
It was a private little room, well lit, with no windows, and, above all, no one in it. I left the door open and took a seat around to the side, where I could see the only door well enough, but without ostentatiously placing myself in an ideal defensive position. Loiosh and Rocza sat on my shoulders, unmoving, waiting, like me. I caught the faint psychic whispers that indicated they were having some conversation with each other. There was a steady, quiet hum of conversation from the next room. No one was loud at the White Lantern.
I checked the time. It was just the sixth hour. I waited.