any intruder, no matter how good, will be instantly detected. Neither Morrolan nor I have the skill to disable these alarms.”
I laughed shortly. “And you think I do?”
“You weren’t listening,” said Morrolan. “His spells detect human beings—not Easterners.”
“Oh,” I said. Then, “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” said Sethra. “And we also know that he has sufficient confidence in these alarms that he has little else that could detect you.”
I said, “Do you know what the place looks like on the inside?”
“No. But I’m sure you have the resources—”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Sethra continued. “Morrolan will be ready to aid you once you are inside.”
A voice inside my head pointed out that Sethra appeared to be assuming I was going to do this crazy thing, and that she might be irritated when she learned I wanted no part of it. But I was curious; perhaps fascinated would be a better word.
Morrolan said, “Well?”
I said, “Well what?”
“Will you do it?”
I shook my head. “Sorry. I’m not a thief. As I said, I’d just bungle it.”
“You could manage,” said Morrolan.
“Sure.”
“You are an Easterner.”
I paused to look over my body, feet, and hands. “No. Really? Gosh.”
Sethra Lavode said, “The individual whose soul lives in that staff is a friend of ours.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “But it doesn’t—”
“Seven thousand gold imperials,” she said.
“Oh,” I said after a moment. “A
good
friend of yours, eh?”
Her smile met my own.
“In advance,” I said.
M Y GRANDFATHER IS RELIGIOUS , though he never pressed the issue. My father rejected the Eastern gods as he rejected everything else Eastern. Naturally, then, I spent a great deal of time asking my grandfather about the Eastern gods.
“But Noish-pa, some Dragaerans also worship Verra.”
“Don’t call her that, Vladimir. She should be called the Demon Goddess.”
“Why?”
“If you speak her name, she may become offended.”
“She doesn’t get angry at the Dragaerans.”
“We aren’t elfs. They don’t worship as we do. Many of them know of her, but think she is only a person with skills and power. They do not understand the concept of a goddess the way we do.”
“What if they’re right and we’re wrong?”
“Vladimir, it isn’t a right and a wrong. It is a difference between those of our blood and those of the blood of Faerie—and those of the blood of gods.”
I thought about that, but couldn’t make it make sense. I said, “But what is she like?”
“She is changeable in her moods, but responds to loyalty. She may protect you when you are in danger.”
“Is she like Barlan?”
“No, Barlan is her opposite in all ways.”
“But they are lovers.”
“Who told you that?”
“Some Dragaerans.”
“Well, perhaps it is true, but it is not my concern or yours.”
“Why do you worship Ver—the Demon Goddess and not Barlan?”
“Because she is the patron of our land.”
“Is it true that she likes blood sacrifice? The Dragaerans told me that.”
He didn’t answer for a moment, then he said, “There are other ways to worship her and to attract her attention. In our family, we do not commit blood sacrifice. Do you understand this?”
“Yes, Noish-pa.”
“You will never sacrifice a soul to her, or to any other god.”
“All right, Noish-pa. I promise.”
“You swear on this, on your powers as a witch and on your blood as my grandson?”
“Yes, Noish-pa. I swear.”
“Good, Vladimir.”
“But why?”
He shook his head. “Someday you will understand.”
That was one of the few things about which my grandfather was wrong; I never have understood.
T HE TELEPORT BACK TO my office was no more fun than any of the others. It was early evening, and the shereba game in the room between the fake storefront and real office was in full swing. Melestav had left, so I thought the office was empty until I noticed Kragar sitting behind Melestav’s
I laughed shortly. “And you think I do?”
“You weren’t listening,” said Morrolan. “His spells detect human beings—not Easterners.”
“Oh,” I said. Then, “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” said Sethra. “And we also know that he has sufficient confidence in these alarms that he has little else that could detect you.”
I said, “Do you know what the place looks like on the inside?”
“No. But I’m sure you have the resources—”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Sethra continued. “Morrolan will be ready to aid you once you are inside.”
A voice inside my head pointed out that Sethra appeared to be assuming I was going to do this crazy thing, and that she might be irritated when she learned I wanted no part of it. But I was curious; perhaps fascinated would be a better word.
Morrolan said, “Well?”
I said, “Well what?”
“Will you do it?”
I shook my head. “Sorry. I’m not a thief. As I said, I’d just bungle it.”
“You could manage,” said Morrolan.
“Sure.”
“You are an Easterner.”
I paused to look over my body, feet, and hands. “No. Really? Gosh.”
Sethra Lavode said, “The individual whose soul lives in that staff is a friend of ours.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “But it doesn’t—”
“Seven thousand gold imperials,” she said.
“Oh,” I said after a moment. “A
good
friend of yours, eh?”
Her smile met my own.
“In advance,” I said.
M Y GRANDFATHER IS RELIGIOUS , though he never pressed the issue. My father rejected the Eastern gods as he rejected everything else Eastern. Naturally, then, I spent a great deal of time asking my grandfather about the Eastern gods.
“But Noish-pa, some Dragaerans also worship Verra.”
“Don’t call her that, Vladimir. She should be called the Demon Goddess.”
“Why?”
“If you speak her name, she may become offended.”
“She doesn’t get angry at the Dragaerans.”
“We aren’t elfs. They don’t worship as we do. Many of them know of her, but think she is only a person with skills and power. They do not understand the concept of a goddess the way we do.”
“What if they’re right and we’re wrong?”
“Vladimir, it isn’t a right and a wrong. It is a difference between those of our blood and those of the blood of Faerie—and those of the blood of gods.”
I thought about that, but couldn’t make it make sense. I said, “But what is she like?”
“She is changeable in her moods, but responds to loyalty. She may protect you when you are in danger.”
“Is she like Barlan?”
“No, Barlan is her opposite in all ways.”
“But they are lovers.”
“Who told you that?”
“Some Dragaerans.”
“Well, perhaps it is true, but it is not my concern or yours.”
“Why do you worship Ver—the Demon Goddess and not Barlan?”
“Because she is the patron of our land.”
“Is it true that she likes blood sacrifice? The Dragaerans told me that.”
He didn’t answer for a moment, then he said, “There are other ways to worship her and to attract her attention. In our family, we do not commit blood sacrifice. Do you understand this?”
“Yes, Noish-pa.”
“You will never sacrifice a soul to her, or to any other god.”
“All right, Noish-pa. I promise.”
“You swear on this, on your powers as a witch and on your blood as my grandson?”
“Yes, Noish-pa. I swear.”
“Good, Vladimir.”
“But why?”
He shook his head. “Someday you will understand.”
That was one of the few things about which my grandfather was wrong; I never have understood.
T HE TELEPORT BACK TO my office was no more fun than any of the others. It was early evening, and the shereba game in the room between the fake storefront and real office was in full swing. Melestav had left, so I thought the office was empty until I noticed Kragar sitting behind Melestav’s
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