'If he has, the evidence is buried deep.' Lim flashed a grin. 'And if he hasn't, then that might change—this very night.'
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Politics, Rallick snarled silently. And power.
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The bitch spreads her legs to the Council, offering a vice few can ignore. Rallick's hands twitched. He would kill this night. Not a contract: the Guild had no part in this. The vendetta was personal. She was gathering power around her, insulating herself, and Rallick thought he understood why. The ghosts of betrayal would not leave her alone.
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Patience, he reminded himself, as he took aim. For the last two years the life of Lady Simtal had been one of indolence, the riches she had stolen had served to whet her every greed, and the prestige as sole owner of the estate had done much to grease the hinges of her bedroom door. The crime she'd committed had not been against Rallick but, unlike her victim, Rallick had no pride to halt vengeance.
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Patience, Rallick repeated, his lips moving to the word as he sighted down the crossbow's length. A quality defined by its reward and that reward was but moments away.
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'A fine-looking hound,' Councilman Turban Orr said, as he handed Roald his cloak.
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In the room Baruk was the only one capable of discerning the aura of illusion surrounding the black hunting dog lying curled on the rug before the fireplace. The alchemist smiled and gestured to a chair. 'Please
be seated,Councilman.'
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"I apologize for disturbing you so late at night," Orr said, as he lowered himself into the plush chair. Baruk sat down opposite him, Crone between them. 'It's said,' Orr continued, "that alchemy flowers best in deep darkness."
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"Hence you gambled on my being awake," Baruk said. "A well-placed wager, Councilman. Now, what would you have of me?"
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Orr reached down to pat Crone's head.
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Baruk looked away to keep himself from laughing.
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'The Council votes in two days,' Orr said.
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"With a proclamation of neutrality such as we seek, war with the Malazan Empire will be averted — so we believe, but there are those in the Council who do not. Pride has made them belligerent, unreasonable."
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'As it does us all,' murmured Baruk.
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Orr leaned forward. 'The support of Darujhistan's sorcerers would do much to favour our cause,' he said.
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'Careful,' Crone rumbled. 'This man now hunts in earnest.'
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Orr glanced down at the dog.
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'A bad leg,' Baruk said. 'Pay it no mind.' The alchemist leaned back in his chair and plucked at a loose thread on his robe. 'I admit to some confusion, Councilman. You appear to be assuming some things I cannot countenance.' Baruk spread his hands and met Orr's eyes. 'Darujhistan's sorcerers, for one. You could travel the Ten Worlds and not find a more spiteful, rabid collection of humanity. Oh, I don't suggest that they are all like this – there are those whose only interest, indeed, obsession, lies in the pursuit of their craft. Their noses have been buried in books so long they could not even tell you what century this is.
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'The others find bickering their only true pleasure in life.'
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A smile had come to Orr's thin lips as Baruk spoke. 'But,' he said with a cunning gleam in his dark eyes, 'there is one thing they all acknowledge.'
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'Oh? What is that, Councilman?'
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'Power. We're all aware of your eminence among the city's mages, Baruk. Your word alone would bring others.'
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'I'm flattered that you would think so, Baruk replied. 'Unfortunately, therein lies your second erroneous assumption. Even if I had such influence as you suggest,' Crone snorted and Baruk flicked a savage glare at her, then continued, 'which I do not, for what possible reason would I support such a wilfully ignorant position as yours? A proclamation of neutrality? Might as well whistle against the wind, Councilman. What purpose would it serve?'
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Orr's smile had tightened. 'Surely, Lord,' he purred, you have no wish to share the same fate as the wizards of Pale?'
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Baruk frowned. 'What do you mean?'
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'Assassinated by an Empire Claw. Moon's Spawn was entirely on its own against the Empire.'
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'Your information contradicts mine,' Baruk said stiffly, then cursed himself.
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'Lean not too heavily on this one,' Crone said smugly. 'You are both wrong.'
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Orr's eyebrows had risen at Baruk's words.
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'Indeed? Perhaps it might profit us both to share our information?'
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'Unlikely,' Baruk said. 'Throwing the threat of the Empire at me implies what? That if the proclamation is voted down, the city's sorcerers will all die at the Empire's hand. But if it wins, you're free to justify opening the gates to the Malazans in peaceful co-existence, and in such a scenario the city's magery lives on.'
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'Astute, Lord,' Crone said.
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Baruk studied the anger now visible beneath Orr's expression. 'Neutrality? How you've managed to twist that word. Your proclamation serves the first step towards total annexation, Councilman. Fortunate for you that I cast no weight, no vote, no influence.' Baruk rose. 'Roald will see you out.' Turban Orr also rose. 'You've made a grave error,' he said. 'The proclamation's wording is not yet complete. It seems we would do well to remove any consideration regarding Darujhistan's magery.'
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'Too bold,' Crone observed. 'Prod him and see what more comes forth.'
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Baruk strode towards the window. 'One may only hope,' he said drily over a shoulder, 'that your vote fails to win the day.'
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Orr's reply was hot and rushed. 'By my count we've reached a majority this very night, Alchemist. You could have provided the honey on the cream. Alas,' he sneered,-we'll win by only one vote. But that will suffice.'
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Baruk turned to face Orr as Roald quietly entered the room, bearing the councilman's cloak.
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Crone stretched out on the rug. 'On this night of all nights,' she said, in mock dismay, 'to tempt myriad fates with such words.' The Great Raven cocked her head. Faintly, as from a great distance, she thought she could hear the spinning of a coin.
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There was a tremble of power, coming from somewhere within the city, and Crone shivered.
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Rallick Nom waited. No more indolence for the Lady Simtal. The end of such luxuries came this night. The two figures moved away from the railing and faced the glass door. Rallick's finger tightened on the trigger.
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He froze. A whirring, spinning sound filled his head, whispering words that left him bathed in sudden sweat. All at once everything shifted, turned over in his mind. His plan for quick vengeance tumbled into disarray, and from the ruins arose something far more ….. elaborate.
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