Jhereg by Steven Brust Page A

had an external source. I gave it some freedom to grow and take shape enough for me to recognize it, and discovered that someone was trying to get into psionic contact with me. I recognized the sender.
    " Ah, Daymar, "I thought back. " Thank you. "
    " No problem, " came the clear, gentle thought. " You wanted something? " Daymar had better mental control, and more power, than anyone I'd ever met. I got the feeling from him that he had to be careful, even in mental contact, lest he burn my mind out accidentally.
    " I'd like a favor, Daymar. "
    " Yes? " He had a way of making his "yes" last about four times as long as it should.
    " Nothing right now, " I told him. " But sometime within the next day or so, I expect to need some locating done. "
    " Locating? What kind of locating? "
    " I expect to have a psionic tag on a fellow I'm interested in finding, and I'll want some way to figure out exactly where he is. Kragar thinks you can do it. "
    " Is there some reason why I couldn't just trace him now? "
    " He has a block up against sorcery tracing spells, " I told him. " I don't think even you can get past them. "
    I was damn sure Daymar couldn't get past a block that was holding off the best sorcerers of the Left Hand, but a little judicious flattery never hurt anything.
    " Oh, " he said. " Then how do you expect to put a tag on him? "
    " I'm hoping he didn't protect himself against witchcraft. Since witchcraft uses psionic power, we should be able to leave a mark on him that you can find. "
    " I see. You're going to try to fix him with a witchcraft spell, and then I locate him psionically from the marks left by that. Interesting idea. "
    " Thank you. Do you think it will work? "
    " No. "
    I sighed. Daymar, I thought to myself, someday I'm going to... " Why not? " I asked, with some hesitation.
    " The marks, " he explained, " won't stay around long enough for me to trace them. If they do, they'll also be strong enough for him to notice, and he'll just wipe them out. " I sighed again. Never argue with an expert.
    " All right, " I said, " do you have any ideas for something that would work? "
    " Yes, " he said.
    I waited, but he didn't go on. Daymar, I said to myself, some day I'm definitely going to...
    " What is it? "
    " The reverse. "
    " The reverse? "
    He explained. I asked a few questions, and he was able to answer them, more or less. I began thinking of what kind of spell I'd have to do to get the kind of effect he was talking about. A crystal, I decided, and then I'd start the spell out just like the other one, and then... I remembered that Daymar was still in contact with me--which, in turn, brought up another point that I really ought to clarify, given whom I was dealing with.
    " Are you willing to do the locating for me? " I asked. There was a brief pause, then: " Sure--If I can watch you do the witchcraft spell. " Why am I not surprised? I sighed to myself once more. " It's a deal, " I said. " How do I get in touch with you? Can I count on finding you at home if I send Loiosh again? " He thought about that, then: " Probably not. I'll open up for contact for a few seconds on the hour, each hour, starting tomorrow morning. Will that do? "
    " That will be fine, " I said. " I'll get in touch with you before I start the spell. "
    " Excellent. Until then. "
    " Until then. And Daymar, thanks. "
    " My pleasure, " he said.
    Actually, I reflected, it probably was. But it wouldn't have been politic to say so. The link was broken.
    Sometime later, Loiosh returned. I opened the window in answer to his knocking. Why he preferred to knock, rather than just contact me, I don't know. After he was in, I closed it behind him.
    " Thanks. "
    " Sure, boss. "
    I resumed reading; Loiosh perched on my right shoulder this time, and pretended to be reading along with me. Or, who knows? Maybe he really did learn to read somehow and just never bothered to inform me. I wouldn't put it past him.
    The job was under way. I couldn't really go any further