Dzur Read Online Free PDF

She said, "Vlad, I've been alive for a long, long time, however you choose to measure time."
    "Well, yes."
    "I have learned patience."
    "I imagine so."
    "I can sit here as long as necessary, but don't you want to get around to asking about whatever it is that's on your mind?" I sighed and nodded.
    "Tell me about Cawti," I said.
    "Ahhh," she said.
    "You didn't know what I was going to ask about?"
    "I should have."
    I nodded.
    "Well, what do you want to know, exactly?"
    "Start with, how is her health?"
    She frowned. "I don't see her often. Fine, so far as I know."
    "Who does see her?"
    "Norathar."
    "That's all?"
    "At least, among those I know."
    I nodded. "And who sees Norathar?"
    "Aliera."
    "Okay. And I suppose, if I'm going to see Aliera, there's no way to avoid Morrolan?"
    "You wish to avoid Morrolan?"
    I touched the hilt of Lady Teldra by way of explanation. As I did so, I felt something, like a pleasant breeze with a hint of the ocean blowing across the face of my soul. And, yes, I know how stupid that sounds. Well, you try getting that feeling and see if you can do a better job of describing it.
    "If you'd like, I will ask the Lady Aliera if she is available to visit me."
    "I'd appreciate that."
    She nodded, and her face went blank for about a minute. "Well?" I said when she looked at me once more.
    She nodded.
    About two minutes later Aliera came floating into the room. Well, walking or floating or some combination; her gown, a silvery one with black lacing about the neck and shoulders, dragged along the ground, so I couldn't tell if her means of locomotion were a graceful walk or a jerky levitation. On her lips was a smile. At her side was Pathfinder. In her arms was a fluffy white cat.
    She kissed Sethra on the cheek, then turned to me. "Hello, Vlad. How good to see you. How long has it been? Four, five hours?"
    "Thanks for stopping by, Aliera. Did she tell you what I wanted to ask you about?"
    "No," they both said at once.
    I nodded. "I need to find my . . . I need to find Cawti."
    "Why?" said Aliera. She was still smiling, but a bit of frost had crept into her voice.
    "Jhereg trouble," I said. "You don't want to know about it. You know, Dragon honor and all that."
    She ignored the barb and said, "Cawti is no longer involved with the Jhereg."
    "Actually, she is. That's the trouble. Or maybe she needs to be involved in them to keep from being involved with them; that might be a better way to put it."
    She frowned. "Vlad-"
    "Here it comes, Boss. Her hands would be on her hips if she weren't holding that cat."
    "I know, I know."
    "You vanish for years, then suddenly show up, lose our friend's soul in a weapon, make my mother fear for her existence, threaten the very fabric of creation, and now you want to stir up trouble between the woman you walked out on and the gang of criminals she's managed to extricate herself from? Is that what I'm hearing?"
    Well, I suppose some of that was partly true, from a certain perspective. From my perspective, of course, it was so far wrong that you couldn't find right on the same map.
    "That's about it, yes," I said.
    "Okay. Just checking," said Aliera. She stroked her cat. Loiosh made some sort of remark in my head that didn't quite form itself into words. I said, "Does that mean you'll tell me how I can reach Cawti?"
    "No."
    I sighed.
    "However," she said. "I'll let her know you wish to speak with her."
    "When?"
    "Is it urgent?"
    I started to say something witty, tossed it away, and said, "I'm not sure. There are things going on, and, well, they could take forever, or blow up an hour from now. That's part of the problem; I don't know enough."
    She nodded. "Very well. I'll be seeing her and Norathar later this evening. I'll mention it then. But how can she reach you when you're wearing that, that thing you wear?"
    She was referring, of course, to my Phoenix Stone, hanging from the chain about my neck. "If Sethra doesn't mind, I'll just stay here, and she can let Sethra know."
    Sethra