Dragon Venom (Obsidian Chronicles Book 3) by Lawrence Watt-Evans Page B
Authors: Lawrence Watt-Evans
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Sweetwater."
"I had not heard. Is the road to Arithei still..." He stopped himself before he completed the sentence; the question was absurd, since the road to Arithei had never been safe.
"It's hard to say, my lord," Isein answered the unfinished question.
"It is certainly no better, from the latest reports, but whether it's any worse I do not know."
Arlian nodded, and tried to maintain a facade of polite sociability, but the Aritheian's news had disturbed him. Rumors of foreign magic as far north as Sweetwater? That town was at the edge of the Desolation, deep inside the Lands of Man!
He hoped Qulu had taken no needless risks, and was safely on the road to Manfort. Of the magicians he had hired long ago in Arithei, Qulu and Isein were the last who were still in his employ; he had brought them here to sell Aritheian spells and talismans to the nobility of Manfort, and had made himself stupendously wealthy thereby.
He no longer needed that wealth, though; he had inherited Lord Enziet's extensive possessions and enterprises, and had his post as warlord, as well. The magic business had become largely irrelevant—at least, to him; it was still how Isein and Qulu earned their keep.
He realized that he should have made clear to them that they were welcome to remain indefinitely as his guests, and need not maintain the flow of goods from the south. He owed them a debt for past services that would more than cover any living expenses they might incur.
When Qulu returned—if he did return safely—Arlian was deter-
mined to offer him and Isein an honorable retirement, as he would Ferrezin. If they chose to continue, he wanted it clear that they did so of their own choosing, and not his.
"What has the Duke said about these rumors?" Arlian asked. "After all, the safety of the roads within the Lands of Alan is his responsibility."
"I do not know, my lord," Isein replied. "I am not in His Grace's confidence."
"No, I suppose not—but you said that Asaf and Tiviesh are now residents of the Citadel; surely, some word must trickle out."
"Not that I am aware of, my lord. Although if you wish, I might inquire when next I see them."
"I would appreciate it," Arlian said. "It not only affects my business interests, but might well bear some relation to the war against the dragons."
"There have been no reports of dragons in the Borderlands, my lord."
"No, I hadn't thought there were. Still, who knows what might have some connections to the dragons' schemes?"
Isein looked very doubtful of this suggestion.
"Well, I'm sure you must have other matters to attend to," Arlian said. "I did not wish to keep you from them."
Isein curtsied. "You are my host and my employer, my lord; whatever pleases you I am happy to provide. That said, yes, I have business that demands my attention."
"Then go to it, by all means, and thank you for your time." He stepped aside to let her pass.
"You are most welcome, my lord," she said as she walked by him; then she turned and added over her shoulder, "And it is a great pleasure to see you home once more."
Arlian smiled, and watched her go.
He would need to do whatever he could to make himself current on the gossip and rumors of Manfort, that was obvious. Stammer, the chief of his kitchen staff, would undoubtedly be a rich source for that; she had always maintained an elaborate network of friends and acquaintances with good ears and wagging tongues.
And these tales from the Borderlands—could they be connected with his campaign against the dragons? Had the Dragon Society perhaps begun stirring up foreign magicians to distract the Duke's attention? Or might this be part of some new scheme to halt Arlian?
He glanced at a nearby door, and stepped through it into an unused bedroom, where two broad casements gave a view of the courtyard at the center of the Grey House.
He looked out at the balconies, then down at the courtyard pavement and the gentle fountain at its center, then up at the sloping tile
"I had not heard. Is the road to Arithei still..." He stopped himself before he completed the sentence; the question was absurd, since the road to Arithei had never been safe.
"It's hard to say, my lord," Isein answered the unfinished question.
"It is certainly no better, from the latest reports, but whether it's any worse I do not know."
Arlian nodded, and tried to maintain a facade of polite sociability, but the Aritheian's news had disturbed him. Rumors of foreign magic as far north as Sweetwater? That town was at the edge of the Desolation, deep inside the Lands of Man!
He hoped Qulu had taken no needless risks, and was safely on the road to Manfort. Of the magicians he had hired long ago in Arithei, Qulu and Isein were the last who were still in his employ; he had brought them here to sell Aritheian spells and talismans to the nobility of Manfort, and had made himself stupendously wealthy thereby.
He no longer needed that wealth, though; he had inherited Lord Enziet's extensive possessions and enterprises, and had his post as warlord, as well. The magic business had become largely irrelevant—at least, to him; it was still how Isein and Qulu earned their keep.
He realized that he should have made clear to them that they were welcome to remain indefinitely as his guests, and need not maintain the flow of goods from the south. He owed them a debt for past services that would more than cover any living expenses they might incur.
When Qulu returned—if he did return safely—Arlian was deter-
mined to offer him and Isein an honorable retirement, as he would Ferrezin. If they chose to continue, he wanted it clear that they did so of their own choosing, and not his.
"What has the Duke said about these rumors?" Arlian asked. "After all, the safety of the roads within the Lands of Alan is his responsibility."
"I do not know, my lord," Isein replied. "I am not in His Grace's confidence."
"No, I suppose not—but you said that Asaf and Tiviesh are now residents of the Citadel; surely, some word must trickle out."
"Not that I am aware of, my lord. Although if you wish, I might inquire when next I see them."
"I would appreciate it," Arlian said. "It not only affects my business interests, but might well bear some relation to the war against the dragons."
"There have been no reports of dragons in the Borderlands, my lord."
"No, I hadn't thought there were. Still, who knows what might have some connections to the dragons' schemes?"
Isein looked very doubtful of this suggestion.
"Well, I'm sure you must have other matters to attend to," Arlian said. "I did not wish to keep you from them."
Isein curtsied. "You are my host and my employer, my lord; whatever pleases you I am happy to provide. That said, yes, I have business that demands my attention."
"Then go to it, by all means, and thank you for your time." He stepped aside to let her pass.
"You are most welcome, my lord," she said as she walked by him; then she turned and added over her shoulder, "And it is a great pleasure to see you home once more."
Arlian smiled, and watched her go.
He would need to do whatever he could to make himself current on the gossip and rumors of Manfort, that was obvious. Stammer, the chief of his kitchen staff, would undoubtedly be a rich source for that; she had always maintained an elaborate network of friends and acquaintances with good ears and wagging tongues.
And these tales from the Borderlands—could they be connected with his campaign against the dragons? Had the Dragon Society perhaps begun stirring up foreign magicians to distract the Duke's attention? Or might this be part of some new scheme to halt Arlian?
He glanced at a nearby door, and stepped through it into an unused bedroom, where two broad casements gave a view of the courtyard at the center of the Grey House.
He looked out at the balconies, then down at the courtyard pavement and the gentle fountain at its center, then up at the sloping tile
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