A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

I take some, then. A few thousand.”
    â€œA few
thousand
?”
    â€œOr however many your guild can spare, without interfering with production.
It’s
empty
pots I’m asking for, understand. Have them sent round to
the captains on each of the city gates.”
    â€œI will, my lord, but why . . . ?”
    Tyrion smiled up at him. “When you tell me to dress warmly, I dress warmly.
When you tell me to be careful, well . . .” He gave a shrug.
“I’ve seen enough. Perhaps you would be so good as to escort me back up to my
litter?”
    â€œIt would be my great, hmmm, pleasure, my lord.” Hallyne lifted the lamp and
led the way back to the stairs. “It was good of you to visit us. A great
honor, hmmm. It has been too long since the King’s Hand graced us with his
presence. Not since Lord Rossart, and he was of our order. That was back in
King Aerys’s day. King Aerys took a great interest in our work.”
    King Aerys used you to roast the flesh off his enemies.
His brother
Jaime had told him a few stories of the Mad King and his pet pyromancers.
“Joffrey will be interested as well, I have no doubt.”
Which is why I’d
best keep him well away from you.
    â€œIt is our great hope to have the king visit our
Guildhall in his own royal
person. I have spoken of it to your royal sister. A great
feast . . .”
    It was growing warmer as they climbed. “His Grace has prohibited all feasting
until such time as the war is won.”
At my

insistence.
“The king does not think it fitting to banquet on choice food
while his people go without bread.”
    â€œA most, hmmm,
loving
gesture, my lord. Perhaps instead some few of
us might call upon the king at the Red Keep. A small demonstration of our
powers, as it were, to distract His Grace from his many cares for an evening.
Wildfire is but one of the dread secrets of our ancient order. Many and
wondrous are the things we might show you.”
    â€œI will take it up with my sister.” Tyrion had no objection to a few magic
tricks, but Joff’s fondness for making men fight to the death was trial enough;
he had no intention of allowing the boy to taste the possibilities of burning
them alive.
    When at last they reached the top of the steps, Tyrion shrugged out of his
shadowskin fur and folded it over his arm. The Guildhall of the Alchemists was
an imposing warren of black stone, but Hallyne led him through the twists and
turns until they reached the Gallery of the Iron Torches, a long echoing
chamber where columns of green fire danced around black metal columns twenty
feet tall. Ghostly flames shimmered off the polished black marble of the walls
and floor and bathed the hall in an emerald radiance. Tyrion would have been
more impressed if he hadn’t known that the great iron torches had only been lit
this morning in honor of his visit, and would be extinguished the instant the
doors closed behind him. Wildfire was too costly to squander.
    They emerged atop the broad curving steps that fronted on the Street of the
Sisters, near the foot of Visenya’s Hill. He

bid Hallyne farewell and waddled down to where Timett son of Timett waited with
an escort of Burned Men. Given his purpose today, it had seemed a singularly
appropriate choice for his guard. Besides, their scars struck terror in the
hearts of the city rabble. That was all to the good these days. Only three
nights past, another mob had gathered at the gates of the Red Keep, chanting
for food. Joff had unleashed a storm of arrows against them, slaying four, and
then shouted down that they had his leave to eat their dead.
Winning us
still more friends.
    Tyrion was surprised to see Bronn standing beside the litter as well. “What
are you doing here?”
    â€œDelivering your messages,” Bronn said. “Ironhand wants you urgently at the
Gate of the Gods. He won’t say why. And you’ve been summoned to Maegor’s
too.”
    â€œSummoned?”
Tyrion knew of only one person who would presume to use
that word. “And what does Cersei want of me?”
    Bronn shrugged. “The queen commands you to return to the castle at once and
attend her in her chambers. That stripling cousin of yours delivered the
message. Four hairs on his lip and he thinks he’s a man.”
    â€œFour hairs and a knighthood. He’s
Ser
Lancel now, never