Thieves World 7 – The Dead of Winter by Asprin, Robert

the sudden activity of Ilsig gods. So he began to pull what strings he could to

deal with that problem … and one of the strings he pulled was attached to

Tempus and his Stepsons, and the Third Commando.”

“And to you,” Mriga said. “So that the barracks burned, and then the city

burned, and Harran and a thousand others died. All so that the town will keep on

being too divided against itself to care that you go about in it, manipulating

the living and doing your pleasure on the dead … to alleviate your boredom.”

“The gods are wise,” Ischade said, quietly.

“Sometimes not very. But I don’t care. My business is to see what I love brought

somewhere safe. After that- this town needs its own gods. Not Rankan, or Beysib,

or even Ilsigi. I’m one of the new ones. There are others, as you know. Once the

‘divine swiving’ is out of the way. I intend to see those new young gods

settled, for this place’s good, and its people’s good. That may take mortal

years, but while it’s going on, there’ll be ‘merry times’ enough for even you

without you having to engineer them. There’ll be war in heaven … which is

always mirrored on earth.”

“Or the other way around,” Ischade said.

“Either way, you’ll find it very interesting. Which is what you desire. Isn’t

it?”

Ischade looked at Mriga. “Very well. This business is apparently in my

interests. We’ll discuss payment after-ward; it will be high. And I shall go

with you … to watch the ‘merry times’ begin.” She smiled. Mriga smiled too.

Ischade’s velvet, matter-of-fact malice was wide awake, hoping disaster would