Lord of Souls: An Elder Scrolls Novel by Greg Keyes Read Free Book Online Page A

did you know I would come this way?” she asked.
    “You usually do. You’re on your way to meet your sister at the pub, and you always cut through here.” He indicated the narrow lane with a slight twist of his head.
    “You’ve been spying on me?”
    “Not lately. Before. I wondered why you come through here rather than staying on the street.”
    She vented a self-deprecating chuckle. “So I can hear if anyoneis following me,” she replied. “No one ever is, and so I’ve gotten careless. What do you need?”
    “I was looking at reports dealing with Black Marsh,” he told her. “They’ve been censored—by Minister Hierem’s office.”
    “That’s not terribly surprising,” she said.
    “How is that?”
    “Hierem made a secret trip to Black Marsh last year, ostensibly to negotiate with the An-Xileel leaders. He would have had anything suggesting his presence there removed.”
    “That explains the older reports,” Colin said. “But I’m talking about intelligence gathered recently, concerning the attacks from the flying city.”
    “That’s interesting,” Arese replied. “That’s really very interesting. You think there’s some connection between this and the attempt on Attrebus?”
    “I don’t think there’s any doubt about it,” Colin said. “Attrebus was on his way to attack Umbriel. We know that from several sources, including the broadsides posted on every street corner. Clearly Hierem wanted to prevent that, to delay any Imperial confrontation with this thing for as long as possible. Now we know a force from the city is already in eastern Cyrodiil.”
    “Umbriel has also turned,” Arese said. “It is now moving over the Valus Mountains toward the Imperial City.”
    “Well, then,” Colin said, “what we have to ask ourselves is why Hierem wants Umbriel to attack the Imperial City. What’s his relationship with it? Do you have any ideas?”
    “None. Do you?”
    “Well, I think Hierem summoned Umbriel,” he said. “Helped it come here, whatever. That suggests he has some sort of bargain with whoever is master of the flying city.”
    “It does, doesn’t it?” Arese said. She frowned. “It will be trouble to get the uncensored documents. He keeps things like that—if he keeps them at all—in his private rooms.”
    “Did anyone go with him to Black Marsh?” he asked.
    “Yes, let me think. He took—” Then her eyes widened. “Well, that’s no good,” she said.
    “What?”
    “He took Delia Huerc. But she’s dead.”
    “Dead? Murdered?”
    “An illness of some sort, according to the report, and there wasn’t any reason to doubt it. Now—well, what’s to be done about it?”
    “Anyone else?”
    “He hired a merchant ship and traveled in disguise. I’m sure the name of the ship has been removed from any records.”
    “He had to pay for it.”
    “He didn’t want the Emperor to know, so he probably paid out of pocket. He’s not without his own wealth.” She looked around. “This is going on too long,” she said. “Is there anything else?”
    “Delia Huerc. Where did she live?”
    “I don’t know, but I can get that. Look for a message from me.”
    “Okay.”
    She started to go, but then turned. “Good work,” she said.
    “Thanks.”
    “Next time, come to my house. Do you know where it is?”
    “Yes.”
    “Of course you do. Come to the window above the alley and tap it four times. If I’m there, I’ll come. And watch your back. Things are getting very paranoid in the ministry. There are questions where there shouldn’t be.”
    “I’ll be careful,” he said.
    She nodded and started walking.
    “You be careful, too,” he said.
    She paused for an instant, but didn’t look back, and then continued on her way.

FOUR

    Annaïg stared out at the shimmering green sump and delicate, insectile buildings that climbed and depended from the stone walls of the conical valley at Umbriel’s heart. Above, shining through the glittering strands of what