Surrender to the Will of the Night - By Glen Cook Page 0,221

vanished.

* * *

The faintest forerunner of dawn’s light had begun to taint the overcast. An explosion ripped a hole through the south wall of the third floor of the Doneto town house. Fragments of gray stone flew a hundred yards. In the stillness following the explosion the structure creaked and groaned. Then the rest of the north face yielded to the seduction of gravity.

Fires burned inside.

The neighborhood panicked. Volunteers poured out. Fire was the bane of all old cities.

This fire failed in its struggle to live and grow.

* * *

Heris and the Ninth Unknown twisted into existence quayside in the Realm of the Gods, she seconds after he, though he had left the Delari town house twenty minutes ahead. He said, “I think I know why you look haggard this morning, girl.”

“I’m not used to a plush bed anymore.”

“Oh. Somebody got into the Patriarchal magazine at Krois last night. A keg of firepowder went missing. One of only six that Krois possessed.”

“Intriguing. Why would somebody do that?”

“Got me. But later an explosion took the whole north wall off Bronte Doneto’s town house.”

“Amazing. And it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving fellow. Here’s the welcome crew.”

Korban Iron Eyes and Asgrimmur Grimmsson were headed their way.

A dozen more dwarves were visible, all hard at work.

Cloven Februaren said, “Iron Eyes. I thought we were going to get your people out of here before we opened the way.”

“We will. Meantime, we keep on working to make sure everything goes right. Heris, everything you wanted is ready to go.”

“Even the spear?”

“Twelve spears. Two formulations. Held together by the same magic that binds the rainbow bridge.”

“Korban, I could kiss you.”

“Long as my woman doesn’t see.”

“That’s beautiful, Korban. Absolutely wonderful. You’re a genius. Now all I need is a way to get everything over there.”

Jarneyn actually winked. “No problem. It’s Andoray. Heart of the realm ruled by the Old Ones. Aelen Kofer can turn up anywhere in Andoray. And we have. The engines are in place. The spears are ready to go.”

Februaren asked, “What’s going on, Heris?”

“I had a lot of time on my hands while we were waiting for my falcons. I cooked up a way to sap the Windwalker’s strength.”

Iron Eyes chuckled. He approved. Definitely.

Februaren frowned. The girl was up to no good. Again.

Iron Eyes was more amused.

The ascendant seemed equally entertained.

Grimmsson seemed to have taken a vow of silence. He just stood there looking goofy.

Heris asked, “Where’s the Bastard?” Getting no answer, she demanded, “Did anyone bother to let him know we’re ready?”

“He’s hard to reach,” Iron Eyes said. “If you’re a short, wide, hairy person who has difficulty with the language. And Asgrimmur is likely to be attacked on sight.”

“Asgrimmur, if he put his mind to it, could walk into the throne room of the Grail Empire as anybody he wants to be. I smell a steaming hot pile of laziness. Double Great and I shouldn’t be the only ones who do anything.”

Iron Eyes just looked back blandly.

“You got a golden tongue on you, girl,” Februaren said. “Sorry, Iron Eyes. When she’s cranky she has this wicked knack for saying exactly the right thing.”

“I’ve gotten used to it.”

“The Bastard hasn’t been informed?”

“We don’t know. We’ve tried. My sense is, he’s ignoring us.”

“We’ll see about that.” Februaren faced the water. “Take me outside. I’ll snag the asshole by his twisty little piggy tail and drag him back.”

Heris said, “I never cease to be amazed by your confidence, Double Great.”

“You just make sure everything stays set.”

* * *

Cloven Februaren was gone. Heris collected Iron Eyes and Grimmsson and plied them with the best dark ale in the Aelen Kofer tavern. “So what do you think? Should we just hang around drinking? Or should we pass the time trying out my method?”

“I’m up for that,” the ascendant said.

Iron Eyes considered Asgrimmur with a veiled expression, then Heris. “My young bucks will be eager. But they’ll need to be called in and briefed. Then they’ll have to go back to our world to make the transit.”

“Or we can just brief them on the way.”

“No. We’ll keep our world to ourselves. You do your sideways trick.”

“More time,” Heris grumbled.

“Everything takes time,” Jarneyn countered. “That’s the curse of being mortal.” He headed for the barge. It still concealed the portal to the Aelen Kofer world.

“So what do we do now?” If she had known there would be more waiting around she would have stayed in Brothe. She could cause a lot more mischief there. And could sleep in