Chapter 32

“Welcome, good man, to Qarth, the greatest city that ever was or ever will be!” the herald of the new Thirteen saluted me, neither knowing nor caring how I managed to get past the gates.

“Look at me. Take me to the Thirteen. I wish to speak to them!” I glamored the guard that evening, even as my vampire nest accompanied me.

I couldn’t help but note the warlocks, of course, with their blue lips as always, as I passed by the House of the Undying. I saw Quaithe, of course, the masked Shadowbinder from Asshai, who gave a rather curious look as I marched past her en route to my destination. It was past dusk, of course, so that my nest would not roast in the sunlight.

As I entered the official chambers of the Thirteen, I slammed my open palm against their table, sounding like thunder. I had read about this trick from the novel Julian by Gore Vidal, which claimed it was a method used by an Etruscan priest named Mastara. Which was the name that I chose to use on this occasion, in fact. After all, they would hardly know me from never having met before.

“Who are you and what do you wish from us?” the new Spice King, much thinner than the old one who once dealt with Dany, demanded of me.

“I am the priest Mastara and I have come to bring justice and wisdom to Qarth, the greatest city that ever was or ever will be! These are my acolytes, servants of our Gods under my tutelage!” I declared to the smirking, scornful councilors of the Thirteen.

“We have no need of new Gods or priests or religions, priest! Go back to wherever you came and take your Gods with you! And your priests and priestesses and acolytes!” the Silk King interjected now.

“Yes, we have greater concerns, such as that bitch queen and her dragons in Slavers’ Bay, which threatens our slave trade! For all we know, you could be in her service! Or that of Braavos or Pentos!” the Slaver King confronted me now.

“I thought that you might say as much, so I have brought something to convince you!” I bared my fangs and lunged for the Slaver King first, sinking my teeth into his neck.

Watching one of their own be attacked so boldly by a priest of an alien god, the other members of the Thirteen now panicked and reached for their daggers and any other weapons that they could find. At that point, my vampire nest sank their fangs into the veins of the rest of the Thirteen until we drained them all of their blood. It was a truly ghoulish scene that would have awaited any servants now.

I had no plans to rule Qarth directly, of course, but I needed a trustworthy puppet, someone that I could easily control. Where would I get one of those again? I needed a human, who could walk out in daylight, naturally. Just then, I produced the cloaked figures in my midst. They were heavily glamored, as it happened, but they would prove quite useful to my purposes.

The Sand Snakes, whom I convinced that Ellaria Sand had been killed by some other means, of course. It had nothing to do with me. Why would it, right? I wasn’t done with them, either. I had further instructions for all three of them.

“You three are now the Tyrants of Qarth and must rule with an iron fist. Be ruthless and kill all slavers at every turn. Slavery is now banned and anyone caught practicing it must die. Also, the three of you are lovers to each other and must bathe each other and eat each other out every night. And you must welcome me and my nest into your bed whenever it suits my fancy to visit you.