Dragon (Vlad Taltos) Read Free Page B

admitted.
    “What would it take?”
    “Money. A lot of it.”
    “I have money.”
    “I still want to think about it. It could put me.into a situation I’m not certain I’d like.”
    “I understand. Do think about it, though. I can offer you—”
    “Don’t tell me. I’d rather not be tempted. I’ll let you know.”
    He nodded and didn’t press the issue, which earned him some points with me.
    “There’s another matter,” he said.
    I bit back irony and waited.
    “The circumstances of Baritt’s death—”
    “Which are none of my business.”
    “—have, among other things, made me aware of the vulnerability of Castle Black.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “The circumstances of—”
    “I heard you, I just don’t understand. How is a castle floating half a mile or more in the air vulnerable? Other than to falling down, of course.”
    “That isn’t likely.”
    “I’m glad to hear it. Which reminds me, why don’t my ears pop when I teleport up?”
    He looked smug but didn’t tell me. “Obviously,” he said, “the castle can be penetrated by anyone who can teleport and conceal himself from my guards.”
    “You don’t have any security precautions?”
    “Some, but not enough. It seems to me you could be of some assistance in telling me where to improve them.”
    I thought it over, and realized that I knew exactly how to go about it. “Yes, I can do that.” I considered asking about payment, but on reflection calculated that it would be more profitable to do a good job and allow him to display his generosity.
    He frowned for a moment, and seemed lost in thought.
    “Psychic communication, Boss.”
    “I knew that, Loiosh.”
    “You’re a liar, Boss.”
    “Well, yeah.”
    At about that time, a Dragonlord entered the room and bowed to Morrolan. He was short and rather stocky for a Dragaeran, with short, light-brown hair and pale eyes; he didn’t strike me as a fighter, but he wore a blade, which meant he was on duty in some capacity.
    Morrolan said, “Fentor, this is Baronet Vladimir Taltos. I know you are willing to work with Easterners, but are you willing to take orders from a Jhereg?”
    Fentor said, “My lord?”
    Loiosh said, “What did he say?”
    I said, “Errgh?”
    Morrolan said, “I’ve just hired Lord Taltos as a security consultant. That puts you in his charge, under certain circumstances.”
    I felt my mouth open and close. Morrolan had what? And when had he done this?
    Fentor said, “That will not be a problem, my lord.”
    “Good,” said Morrolan.
    “Excuse me,” I said.
    “Yes?”
    “I …”
    “Yes?”
    “Never mind. A pleasure, Fentor.”
    “The same, my lord.”
    “Boss, you’ve just been hired.”
    “Well, yeah. Recruited, actually.”
    “You should tell him to never use this power in the service of evil.”
    “I’ll be sure to.”
    It occurred to me, also, that it was going to be harder, now that I was more or less working for him, to avoid trying to get the information he was after. Of course, maybe I’d get lucky, and no one would steal any of the weapons. Something made me doubt this.
    Fentor bowed cordially to us both and made his exit.
    I said, “Morrolan, what aren’t you telling me?”
    “Many things.”
    “In particular. I get the feeling that you aren’t just generally worried about someone stealing some random Morganti weapon.”
    “You should trust your feelings; they seem to be reliable.”
    “Thank you so much.”
    He stood abruptly and said, “Come with me, Vlad. I’ll show you around and introduce you to a few people.”
    “I can hardly wait,” I said.
    I got up and followed him.

2
    CROSSING LINES
    Do you know what a battlefield smells like? If so, you have my sympathy; if not, you still won’t, because I have no intention of dwelling on it except to say that people don’t smell so good on the inside.
    We stepped over the piles of dirt (I can’t call it a “bulwark” with a straight face) that we’d spent so much time