BooksBarbecue
Back Dreams of Steel
Chapters (76)
  1. Title page
  2. Chapter One
  3. Chapter Two
  4. Chapter Three
  5. Chapter Four
  6. Chapter Five
  7. Chapter Six
  8. Chapter Seven
  9. Chapter Eight
  10. Chapter Nine
  11. Chapter Ten
  12. Chapter Eleven
  13. Chapter Twelve
  14. Chapter Thirteen
  15. Chapter Fourteen
  16. Chapter Fifteen
  17. Chapter Sixteen
  18. Chapter Seventeen
  19. Chapter Eighteen
  20. Chapter Nineteen
  21. Chapter Twenty
  22. Chapter Twenty-One
  23. Chapter Twenty-Two
  24. Chapter Twenty-Three
  25. Chapter Twenty-Four
  26. Chapter Twenty-Five
  27. Chapter Twenty-Six
  28. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  29. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  30. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  31. Chapter Thirty
  32. Chapter Thirty-One
  33. Chapter Thirty-Two
  34. Chapter Thirty-Three
  35. Chapter Thirty-Four
  36. Chapter Thirty-Five
  37. Chapter Thirty-Six
  38. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  39. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  40. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  41. Chapter Forty
  42. Chapter Forty-One
  43. Chapter Forty-Two
  44. Chapter Forty-Three
  45. Chapter Forty-Four
  46. Chapter Forty-Five
  47. Chapter Forty-Six
  48. Chapter Forty-Seven
  49. Chapter Forty-Eight
  50. Chapter Forty-Nine
  51. Chapter Fifty
  52. Chapter Fifty-One
  53. Chapter Fifty-Two
  54. Chapter Fifty-Three
  55. Chapter Fifty-Four
  56. Chapter Fifty-Five
  57. Chapter Fifty-Six
  58. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  59. Chapter Fifty-Eight
  60. Chapter Fifty-Nine
  61. Chapter Sixty
  62. Chapter Sixty-One
  63. Chapter Sixty-Two
  64. Chapter Sixty-Three
  65. Chapter Sixty-Four
  66. Chapter Sixty-Five
  67. Chapter Sixty-Six
  68. Chapter Sixty-Seven
  69. Chapter Sixty-Eight
  70. Chapter Sixty-Nine
  71. Chapter Seventy
  72. Chapter Seventy-One
  73. Chapter Seventy-Two
  74. Chapter Seventy-Three
  75. Chapter Seventy-Four
  76. Chapter Seventy-Five

As we neared the city, approaching scaffolding where wall construction had started, Narayan observed, Mistress, its less than a month till the Festival of Lights.

He lost me for a moment. Then I recalled the festival as the big holy day of his cult. And remembered him hinting around that I should be there if I wanted the support of the Stranglers. I had to go convince the other jamadars that I was the Daughter of Night and could bring on the Year of the Skulls.

I had to learn more about the cult. To find out what Narayan might be hiding.

There was no time to do everything that had to be done.

We had gotten our first message from the men watching Dejagore last night. Mogaba was holding out. Stubborn Mogaba. I did not look forward to seeing him again. Sparks would fly. He would claim the Captaincy, too. I knew that as sure as I knew the sun rose and set.

One step at a time. One step at a time.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

The meeting with the priests had not gone well. The Radisha was in a blistering rage. Her brother looked grim. Smoke squeaked, Something has to be done about that woman.

They were in a shielded room but something had installed itself amongst clutter on a high shelf. Those below did not notice the one yellow crow eye watching.

Im not so sure, the Prahbrindrah Drah replied. We talked extensively. I think she was truthful. My gut feeling is that we should give her her head.

Gods! Smoke swore. No!

The Radisha remained neutral. For the moment. We were inches from getting thrown out tonight. We couldnt drive a wedge between them. The fact that we might be able to point her in their direction was all that saved us. We cant get rid of her, Smoke.

The Prahbrindrah Drah said, Weve got the tiger by the tail. Cant let go. I feel like Im in a big bowl and all around the rim are people who want to roll boulders down on me.

She will devour us, Smoke said. He kept his tone reasonable. Panicky talk had worked against him before. The Prahbrindrah Drah and Radisha had to be convinced intellectually. She traffics with Stranglers.

Of whom there are maybe only a few hundred in the whole world, the Radisha observed. How many men are there in the Shadowlands? How many shadows? Therere more backstabbing priests here in the city than there are Stranglers anywhere.