Read Online Water Sleeps: A Novel of the Black Company (Glittering Stone) by Glen Cook - Free Book Online

sergeant who seemed to think the Bhodi’s problem was deafness. “Clear off!” he shouted. “Or you’ll be cleared.”
    The Bhodi with folded arms said, “The Protector sent for me.”
    Not having gotten Murgen’s report yet, Sahra and I had no idea what this was about.
    “Huh?”
    The disciple preparing the prayer wheel announced its readiness. The Sergeant growled, swatted it off the post with the back of his hand. The responsible disciple bent, picked it up, began remounting it. They were not violent people, the Bhodi disciples, nor did they resist anything, but they were stubborn.
    The two spreading the prayer rug were satisfied with their work. They spoke to the man with folded arms. He bowed his head slightly, then raised his eyes to meet those of the elder Shadar. In a voice loud but so calm it was disturbing, he proclaimed, “ Rajadharma. The Duty of Kings. Know you: Kingship is a trust. The King is the most exalted and conscientious servant of the people.”
    Not one witness had any trouble hearing and understanding those words.
    The speaker settled himself on the prayer rug. His robes were an almost identical shade. He seemed to fade into a greater whole.
    One of the secondary disciples passed him a large jar. He raised that as though in offering to the sky, then dumped its contents over himself. The Shadar sergeant looked as rattled as the youngster. He peered around for help.
    The prayer wheel was back in place. The disciple responsible set it spinning, then backed off with the two who had spread the prayer rug.
    The disciple on the rug struck flint to steel and vanished in a blast of flame just as I recognized the odor of naphtha. Heat hit me like a blow. I was in character strongly enough to whimper and grab Subredil with both hands. She resumed moving, eyes wide, stunned.
    The man inside the flames never cried out, never moved till all life was gone and the charred husk left behind toppled over.
    Crows circled above, cursing in their own tongue. So Soulcatcher knew. Or soon would.
    We continued moving, into the now-animated crowd and through, heading home. The Bhodi disciples who had helped prepare the ritual suicide had disappeared already, while all eyes were fixed on the burning man.

10
    “I can’t believe he did that!” I said, still climbing out of Sawa’s smelly rags and crippled personality. Word had beaten us home. The suicide was all anyone wanted to discuss. Our own nighttime effort had become secondary. That was over and they had survived.
    Tobo definitely did not believe it. He mentioned that in passing and insisted on telling us everything his father had seen inside the Palace last night. He referred to notes he had made with Goblin’s help. He was thoroughly proud of the job he had done and wanted to rub our noses in it. “But I couldn’t really get him to talk to me, Mom. Anything I asked seemed to be just an irritation. It was like he just wanted to get it over with so he could go away.”
    “I know, dear,” Sahra said. “I know. He’s that way with me, too. Here’s some nice bread they let us bring home. Eat something. Goblin. What did they do with Swan? Is he healthy?”
    One-Eye cackled. He said, “Healthy as a man with cracked ribs can be. Scared shitless, though.” He cackled again.
    “Cracked ribs? Explain.”
    Goblin told her, “Somebody with a grudge against the Greys got overexcited. But don’t worry about it. The guy is going to have plenty of opportunity to be sorry he let his feelings get the best of him.”
    “I’m exhausted,” Sahra said. “We spent the whole day in the same room as Soulcatcher. I thought I would burst.”
    “ You did? It was all I could do not to run out of there screaming. I concentrated so hard on being Sawa that I missed half of what they said.”
    “What didn’t get said might be more important. Soulcatcher was really suspicious about the attack.”
    “I told you, go for the throat!” One-Eye barked. “While they still