One of the things that I love about the Vlad Taltos Series by Steven Brust is that I still enjoy reading them even though I've read them countless times (I have seriously lost count of how many times I've read these books, especially the earliest ones). Another thing is that I still come across things that I don't remember ever noticing before while I'm reading them. Has this ever been brought up for speculation before? TALTOS, bottom of page 162... Verra is talking to Aliera in the Paths of the Dead, explaining (sort of) why Aliera and Vlad can leave but Morrolan in stuck having to stay. Aliera had just previously aquired Kieron's sword. Verra tells Aliera that if she was not the Dragon Heir to the Throne, the gods would have required Aliera, and her "COMPANION", to stay in the Paths of the Dead. Verra had just explained why Vlad could leave and it had nothing to do with Aliera being the Dragon Heir, so he is not the companion mentioned. Verra has stated that theGods won't let Morrolan leave, so he can't be the companion mentioned. Is there more to Kieron's sword than mentioned so far, something that would make Verra refer to it as Aliera's "COMPANION"? Something like maybe it is sentient and possably another of the seventeen great weapons? TALTOS (page 162-163) "Your Easterner friend could never have come here without a living body to carry him. No, the soul doesn’t matter, but it’s more complicated than that. It is the blood. As a living man he could bring himself here, and as a living man he can leave.” She suddenly looked at me. “Once. Don’t come back, Fenarian.” I tried not to look as if I were shaking. Vera went on, “And as for you, Aliera… ” Her voice trailed off and she smiled. Aliera flushed and looked down. “I see.” “Yes. In your case, as perhaps your friends told you, I had some difficulty in persuading certain parties to allow you to leave. If you weren’t the heir to the throne, we would have required you to stay, and your companion with you. Are you answered?” Aliera nodded without looking up. “What about me, boss?” Shit. I hadn’t thought of that. I screwed up my courage and said, “Goddess, I need to know—” “Your familiar shares your fate, of course.” “Oh. Yes. Thank you.”