Part 132 (1/2)

'Really? I never knew.'

'Do you think . . .'

'I think,' said Cotillion, 'that we need not worry on that count.'

Shadowthrone sighed. 'Are we pleased? It was . . . delicate . . . the timing. Are we pleased? We should be.'

'The d.a.m.ned Hounds of Light,' said Cotillion, 'that was unexpected. Two, yes. But ten? G.o.ds below.'

'Hmph! I was more worried by my Magus's temporary sanity.'

'Is that what you call it?'

'He had a chance a slim one, but he had a chance. Imagine that one wielding Dragnipur.'

Cotillion regarded his companion. 'Are you suggesting he would not have relinquished it? Ammanas, really. That was all your your play. I'm not fooled by his seemingly going rogue on you. You vowed you'd not try to steal the sword. But of course you never mentioned anything about one of your High Priests doing it for you.' play. I'm not fooled by his seemingly going rogue on you. You vowed you'd not try to steal the sword. But of course you never mentioned anything about one of your High Priests doing it for you.'

'And it would have been mine!' Shadowthrone hissed in sudden rage. 'If not for that confounded fat man with the greasy lips! Mine!' Mine!'

'Iskaral Pust's, you mean.'

Shadowthrone settled down once more, tapped his cane. 'We'd have seen eye to eye, eventually.'

'I doubt it.'

'Well, who cares what you you think, anyway?' think, anyway?'

'So where is he now?'

'Pust? Back in the temple, poring through the archives of the Book of Shadows.'

'Looking for what?'

'Some provision, any provision, for a High Priest of Shadow having two wives.'

'Is there one?'

'How should I know?'

'Well,' Cotillion said, 'didn't you write it?'

Shadowthrone s.h.i.+fted about. 'I was busy.'

'So who did?'

Shadowthrone would not answer.

Cotillion's brows rose. 'Not Pust! The Book of Shadows, where he's proclaimed the Magus of the High House Shadow?'

'It's called delegation,' Shadowthrone snapped.

'It's called idiocy.'

'Well, hee hee hee hee. I dare say he'll find what he's looking for, won't he?'

'Aye, with the ink still wet.'

They said nothing then for a time, until Cotillion drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh, and then said, 'We should give him a few days, I think.' And this time, he was not speaking of Iskaral Pust.

'Unless you want to get cut to pieces, yes, a few days.'

'I wasn't sure he'd, well, accept. Right up until the moment he . . .' Cotillion winced and looked up the street, as if straining to see some lone, wandering, lost figure dragging a sword in one hand. But no, he wouldn't be coming back. 'You know, I did offer to explain. It might have eased his conscience. But he wasn't interested.'

'Listen to these d.a.m.ned bells,' said Shadowthrone. 'My head's hurting enough as it is. Let's go, we're done here.'

And so they were, and so they did.

Two streets from his home, Bellam Nom was grasped from behind and then pushed up against a wall. The motion ripped pain through his broken arm. Gasping, close to blacking out, he stared into the face of the man accosting him, and then slumped. 'Uncle.' And he saw, behind Rallick, another vaguely familiar face. 'And . . . Uncle.'

Frowning, Rallick eased back. 'You look a mess, Bellam.'

And Torvald said, 'The whole d.a.m.ned Nom clan is out hunting for you.'

'Oh.'

'It won't do having the heir to the House going missing for days,' Torvald said. 'You've got responsibilities, Bellam. Look at us, even we we weren't so wayward in our young days, and we're heirs to nothing. So now we've got to escort you home. See how you've burdened us?' weren't so wayward in our young days, and we're heirs to nothing. So now we've got to escort you home. See how you've burdened us?'

And they set out.

'I trust,' Rallick said, 'that whoever you tangled with fared worse, Bellam.'

'Ah, I suppose he did.'

'Well, that's something at least.'

After they had ushered the young man through the gate, peering after him to make sure he actually went inside, Rallick and Torvald set off.

'That was a good one,' Rallick said, 'all that rubbish about us in our youth.'

'The challenge was in keeping a straight face.'

'Well now, we weren't so bad back then. At least until you stole my girlfriend.'

'I knew you hadn't forgotten!'

'I suggest we go now to sweet Tiserra, where I intend to do my best to steal her back.'

'You're not actually expecting she'll make us breakfast, are you?'

'Why not?'