Dragon (Vlad Taltos) by Steven Brust Read Free Book Online Page A

wouldn’t surprise me a bit, Loiosh.”
    “All right, then,” said Morrolan. “Who is it?”
    I gave him the name and watched his face. I might as well have been watching his rows of books.
    “Very well,” he said.
    “Is that all?”
    “No.”
    “Well, Boss, did you think—”
    “Shut up.”
    “What else, then?”
    “The weapon must be retrieved.”
    “Yeah. I know some thieves. If you want it stolen back I’ll give you a name or two.”
    “They wouldn’t work for me. Besides—”
    “I know. Dragonlords don’t steal. And that isn’t what you want anyway.”
    Morrolan nodded, but his thoughts seemed elsewhere. “More important, however, is that the Count of Fornia be taught a lesson.”
    “A lesson? I hope you aren’t going to ask me to kill him, because—”
    Morrolan’s nostrils flared and he started in on a glare which died on the vine. “You are jesting, I presume. Please do not make such jests in the future.”
    I shrugged. I hadn’t been, but there was no reason to tell him that. I was relieved he wasn’t going to ask me to put a shine on a Dragonlord anyway.
    “No, I think I must go to war with him.”
    I looked at Morrolan and blinked. “Well, of course. Certainly. That’s obvious. What else can one do? But how does that concern me?”
    “It doesn’t, directly.”
    “Well, that’s a relief, anyway.”
    “Too bad, Boss. I was hoping for a commission.”
    “Shut up, Loiosh.”
    “Lieutenant Loiosh … has a nice sound, don’t you think?”
    “Shut up, Loiosh.”
    “Attention, First Jhereg Lancers, forward at a march—”
    “Shut the fuck up, Loiosh.”
    “Yes sir, Colonel. Aye aye. Shutting up, sir.”
    “I don’t suppose you have any experience in military reconnaissance?”
    “I assure you, in the small fishing village I come from it forms the sole topic of conversation.”
    “I hadn’t thought so. Still, you may prove useful. In the meantime, I appreciate what you’ve done. I’ll have payment sent over by messenger.”
    “Payment is always appreciated. But I’m not entirely happy with the ‘you may prove useful’ business. I don’t suppose you could tell me what you have in mind?”
    “If it were a Jhereg matter, would you tell me?”
    “Of course. Openness and Honesty is my credo.”
    He twitched me a smile.
    I said, “Just out of curiosity, how does this work? Are you going to declare war on him, or what?”
    “A formal declaration of war isn’t called for in an action of this type. I’ll just send him a message demanding the return of the sword, or accusing him of stealing it, and that will accomplish the same thing. But there are preparations to be made first.”
    “Like gathering an army?”
    “Yes, and planning a campaign, and, above all, hiring a general.”
    “Hiring a general?” That time I was actually startled. “You’re not going to lead the army yourself?”
    “Would you assassinate someone yourself if you could get Mario to do it?”
    Actually, I probably would, but—“I see your point. And who is this military genius who is the moral equivalent of Mario? Wait, no, don’t tell me. Sethra Lavode.”
    “Good guess.”
    “I’ve always been bright for my age.” Then, “Wait a minute. How do you know about Mario?”
    He looked smug again. I must stop giving him occasion to look smug.
    I said, “You think Sethra will do it?”
    “I know she will.”
    “Because she’s a friend?”
    “For that, yes, and other reasons.”
    “Hmmmph.”
    “Boss there’s a lot going on here that we don’t know about.”
    “You think so? Really? Next you’ll tell me that a Dzur in the wild can be dangerous.”
    “How ’bout if you do the killing and I do the irony?”
    That, in any case, concluded the interview with Morrolan. I picked up the books I was borrowing and made my way down the stairs toward the front doors, where a sorcerer was prepared to
make me sick again. I stopped at the landing and studied the painting there up close. It was