Iorich Read Free Page B

with—the next step was obvious: I stopped on the stairway, removed my amulet, and carefully made the teleport to the courtyard of Castle Black. I replaced the amulet around my neck and spent a moment taking in my surroundings. It had been years, but it still felt like home, in a different way than Adrilankha did. It’s hard to explain.
    I tapped the hilt of Lady Teldra, wondering if somewheredown there she felt like she was home, too; but I didn’t feel a response. I think.
    I didn’t approach the doors right away; I took a good look around. Around; not down. I knew what was down: a long drop and unforgiving stone. I wear an amulet that prevents sorcery from working on me, and sometime after I got it I came out here, to the courtyard, and it was only a day or two later that I realized I ought to have wondered whether the amulet would interfere with the spells that kept me up in the air. I mean, it was fine; whatever the nature of the courtyard, it doesn’t require sorcery to act on me directly. But I really should have thought about that before walking onto it, you know?
    There were pairs of guards stationed at various points along the walls. Always pairs: one fighter, one sorcerer. So far as I know, they’ve never had anything to do since the Interregnum, but they’re always there. Cushy job, I suppose. But boring. Nice to know they still recognized me, though. At least, I assumed they recognized me, because otherwise they ought to have challenged me or something.
    The walls were black; I could see the little veins of silver running through the ones nearest me. I turned, and the castle itself, also black, towered over me, the highest turrets were blurred and indistinct where they kissed the Enclouding. I lowered my eyes to the great double doors. How many times had I walked through them, to be greeted by Lady Teldra, followed by conversation deep or trivial, amusing or infuriating? Lady Teldra wouldn’t greet me this time.
    When I’d had my moment of nostalgia, I walked up to the doors, which opened for me in their usual grandiose, overdramatic way. I’m a sucker for that stuff, though, so I liked it. I stepped inside, and before me was a white-haired Dragaerangentleman, in a frilly white shirt with green tapered pants. I stared at him. Rudely, I suppose, though I didn’t think about it, and he didn’t act as if it were rude. He simply bowed and said, “I am Skifra, and I welcome you to Castle Black. Am I correct in that I have the honor to address my lord Morrolan’s excellent friend Lord Taltos?”
    I returned his bow by way of assenting that he did, indeed, have that honor, such as it was.
    He looked decidedly pleased and said, “If you would be so good as to follow me to the sitting room, I will inform His Lordship of your presence. May I get you wine?”
    “That’d be great,” I said, following him to another room I knew well.
    I sat in a chair that was too big for me and drank a decent red wine that was slightly chilled, just the way I like it. That implied a great deal, which I set aside for later ruminating.
    I expected him to return in five minutes or so to bring me to Morrolan, but in just about two minutes, he himself appeared: Morrolan e’Drien, Lord of Castle Black, bearer of Blackwand, and, well, stuff like that. I recognized his footsteps—walking quickly—before the door opened, and I stood up.
    “Vlad,” he said. “It’s been a while. A couple of years, anyway.” He gave Loiosh a quick smile; Loiosh fluffed himself on my shoulder and dipped his head in a sort of greeting. Morrolan said, “You heard about Aliera, then?”
    I nodded. “I’ve been to the Iorich Wing, got my name added to the list—”
    “List?”
    “Friends of the defendant.”
    “What does that do?”
    “Lets you see her, if she agrees.”
    “Oh, that’s why. . . all right. Let’s go up to the library.”
    I followed him up the wide stairway, got reacquainted with the paintings, then down the hall, past