I saw the fires while I was still a mile or more from my grandfather's shop. I began to run. The first thing I noticed when I got there was that the house across the street from his shop was burning, as was the little grocer's next to it. As I got close enough to smell burning vegetables, I saw that Noish-pa's shop was still standing, and I began to feel relief. Then I saw that the entire front was missing, and my heart sank.
I came up to it, and the first thing I saw was the bodies of three Phoenix Guards. There was no doubt who had killed them eacn bore a single small wound right over the place where a Dragaeran or a human keeps his heart. I dashed into the shop, and when I saw him, calmly cleaning his blade, I almost cried with relief.
He looked up and said, "You should leave, Vladimir"
"Eh?"
"You should leave here. At once."
"Why?"
"Quickly, Vladimir. Please."
I looked back at the bodies, looked at my grandfather, and said, "One got away, huh?"
He shrugged. "I've never been able to kill women. This is a weakness we have from being human."
"You're lucky she wasn't a sorcerer," I said.
"Perhaps. But there is little time. You must leave at once."
"If you'll come with me."
He shook his head. "I have nowhere to go. They will find you."
I chewed my lip. "There may be a place," I said. "Bide." "Morrolan. Funny-talking Dragonlord. Dragaeran witch. Wielder of Blackwand. Morrolan. Morrolan. ..."
"Who is— Vlad?"
"Himself."
"Where are you? Are you all right? The whole city—"
"I know. I'm in the thick of it, but I'm all right. I request sanctuary, Lord Morrolan. For myself and for my grandfather."
"Your grandfather? What happened?"
"Phoenix Guards tried to burn his shop down. He prevented them from doing so."
"I see."
"Where are you now?"
"The Imperial Palace, but I'll be leaving soon."
"What are you doing there?"
"I was preparing to defend the Empress, if necessary. But the siege was broken."
"Siege?"
"Your Easterners, Vlad"
"Oh. Who's with you?"
"Aliera, Sethra."
"Sethra? That must have made quite a stir."
He chuckled. "I wish you could have seen it. What about you? Is everything all right?"
"Yes, as far as the rebellion goes, but I've got Jhereg troubles. That's why I need sanctuary."
"I seem to recall another Jhereg—"
"Yeah, me, too. But we're in a hurry, Morrolan. There may be some goldcloaks coming back, and—"
"Very well, Vlad. You revive sanctuary for at least seventeen days. Probably forever. And your grandfather as well, of course. I'll inform Teldra."
"Thanks. See you soon."
I turned to Noish-pa and said, "It's settled. We can stay at Castle Black." He frowned. "What is that?"
"A floating castle, Noish-pa. It's really quite comfortable. You'll like Morrolan, He—"
"He is an elf?"
"Yes, but—"
"No. I will remain here"
I smiled. "Very well. I know I can't make you leave "
"Good."
I went over and sat down in one of his chairs. He frowned and said, "Vladimir, you should go now."
"No."
"What?"
"If you stay, so do I. You can't make me leave, either."
"They will return in force."
"Indeed. And with sorcerers. But I know some tricks."
"Vladimir—"
"Both of us or neither, Noish-pa."
He looked me in the eye, then a bit of a smile came to his face. "Very well Vladimir. Bring me to the elf castle."
"Be prepared to be sick, Noish-pa."
"Why?"
"Teleport spells do that to humans. I don't know why."
"All right, then." He picked up Ambrus, his familiar, and took one last glance around the shop. "Let us leave at once, then."
I put one arm around my grandfather's shoulders and concentrated on the courtyard of Castle Black. When the image was clear, I drew on the power, shaped it, and felt the familiar twist in my bowels. South Adrilankha vanished, and the walls of the courtyard appeared in reality to match the picture in my mind.
Noish-pa looked queasy, but otherwise all right. I watched his face as he slowly recovered, even more slowly than I did, and became aware of the size of the courtyard, of the ground below us, and then of the symbols on the walls and the huge double doors some forty paces in front of us.
"How can this elf know the Art?" he asked.
"He's very unusual for a Dragaeran," I said.
When he was able to, we walked together up to the doors, which opened before us. Noish-pa looked at me but didn't comment. Lady Teldra gave us a courtesy and said, "Lord Vladimir, we are so relieved that you are safe, and delighted that you will be staying with us. And you, sir, your grandson has spoken so much and so highly of you that we were nearly afraid to hope for the honor of your presence here someday. We are delighted that you have come, though sorry for the hardship that forced the journey on you. Please be welcome. I am Teldra."
She is, after all, of the House of the Issola.
He stared at her, his mouth opening and closing, and then his face lit up in a big grin and he said, "I like you," and, for the first time, I think I saw Lady Teldra actually touched.
She showed us in. "The Lord Morrolan requested that you await him in the library," she said. "If you would follow me?"
Noish-pa seemed awed by the display of Castle Black as we made our way down the marble halls and up the wide stairways. Ambrus looked around as well, as if he were memorizing an escape route. I could almost see Noish-pa making notes to himself to study various of the sculpture paintings, and psiprints we passed. Lady Teldra would have been willing to stop and let him examine them then, and would gladly have told all their histories and given brief biographies of the artists, but I badly wanted to sit down.
Morrolan's library is actually quite a complex of rooms so it was helpful to have her show us which one. It says something either about him or about Dragaerans in general that his books were arranged neither by subject nor title, but, primarily, by the House of the author. We awaited him in the largest room, which was, quite naturally, filled with books written by Dragonlords.
We had hardly gotten seated, and Lady Teldra was just pouring the wine, when he entered. We both stood and bowed, but he motioned us to sit. He bowed deeply to my grandfather, rising in time for Loiosh to land on his shoulder. Rocza flew over to Ambrus, who hissed at her and then allowed herself to be licked, which startled me'
We all sat down again, and Lady Teldra poured us all wine, giving the first glass to my grandfather. I said "On behalf of my grandfather, Morrolan, thank you. We—"
"Never mind that," he said. "Of course you're welcome here as long as you want to stay but do you know about Cawti." I stopped with the glass halfway to my lips carefully set it down, and said, "Tell me." "She's been arrested again. This time under direct orders from the Empress. The charge is treason against the empire. Vlad she's facing execution."
Lesson Fourteen
FUNDAMENTALS OF BETRAYAL
I felt my grandfather's eyes on me, but I didn't look at him. I said, "Has a trial been set?"
"No. Zerika says she's going to wait until the troubles are over."
"Troubles? Was that her word for it?"
"Yes."
"I see. Has Norathar done anything?"
"Not yet. She's been directing troops. She says—"