by Logan Jacobs
“What is it?” I could tell she wanted to say more.
“Make it quick, eh?” Hilda sniffed. “I don’ want the lad suffering.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t take requests on how to do my job,” I said as I stood from my seat. “Thank you for the meal, Hilda.”
“Very well.” Hilda folded her hands in her lap and then looked up at me with her eyes closed. “As much as I enjoy our brief moments together, I hope I never have to speak with ya again.”
“You don’t mean that,” I said as I flipped another coin onto the table and it twirled in front of the dwarf. “You like my shiny coins too much.”
“Aye, you’ve got me there, girl,” Hilda said as the coin’s twirl sputtered to a stop in front of her.
I walked back down the stairs, moved closer to the door, unlatched every lock, and then stepped back onto the busier streets where a few dwarven workers gave me the eye as soon as they saw me.
So, I tightened my hood, lowered my head, and made my way toward the spice market to pay the blonde dwarf his last visit.
The market opened every morning and stayed open for at least eight hours, no matter if the night elves ended the day earlier or not. So, I knew if Hilda was telling me the truth, then my target would be at one of the vendor stalls.
I figured I’d locate him first, by walking around the market, then find a position to monitor him until he took a break. For now, that’s all I could do and when the time came to kill him, I’d need to make it look like an accident.
But I wasn’t sure how yet.
So, I continued down the cobblestone streets that turned into mud as the market came into my view. I could see the multi-colored vendor tents and a few plumes of smoke from their fires. Most of the vendors would throw their spices in the flames to create a spicy cloud that hovered over the district. It was a marketing trick for people to smell the aroma and coax them to visit the market.
The tactic worked on dwarves, but not so much on any other race.
The spice cloud had already formed over the tents since it was later in the morning now. So, I started to breathe through my mouth, or else my nostrils would’ve felt like I snorted some whiskey.
“C’mon in!” A stout vendor in the first stall spotted me and waved me over. “We’ve got cinnamon bark, salt stones straight from the mines, or whatever else ya want.”
“I’m just looking.” I nodded toward the vendor as I walked past him through the center aisle of the market. There were stalls along each side, all highlighting a different spice, and some vendors were setting up for the day, while others still poured their spice concoctions on fires near their stalls.
Then, I saw a blonde dwarf just ahead of me. He tilted a small bag over a fire, and a white substance spilled out like sand. As soon as the spice hit the flames, a grey cloud of smoke engulfed him.
“Are you my guy?” I clicked my tongue as I headed right for his stall. I needed to ask a few questions to see what kind of information I’d get out of him.
“Hey there,” the blonde dwarf greeted me as he swiped some smoke to the side. His hair almost looked white, but it might’ve been from the smoke. He wore a loose white worker shirt, overalls, and baggy trousers. “We don’ get a lot of your kind here, eh?”
“I bet you don’t,” I said as I moved closer to his stall and observed the familiar jars on display. They looked just like Hilda’s, so this had to be my guy if he was working for her.
“Can I help ya decide on somethin’?” The dwarf asked as he moved into his stall and picked up a jar. “If the smell brought ya in, it was this one here.”
“Thank you,” I said as I grabbed the jar and looked it over. “What is it?”
“It’s a mix of horseradish root, white pepper, ginger, and mine salt,” the dwarf replied proudly.
“Interesting,” I said as I looked at him and noticed a deep scar along his round chin. Not only that, but his eyes were a piercing shade of blue.
He was definitely different from most dwarves.
“Or if ya look over here …” the dwarf leaned to his left and picked up a jar full of grey spices. “This one is ma own pepper blend.”
“I recognize these jars,” I said as I put the white spice down onto the display table.
“Eh?” the dwarf furrowed his brow. “What ya mean?”
“Do you work for Hilda?” I asked with a smile.
“In a way, we all do,” the dwarf chuckled. “She runs the market.”
“I know that,” I began. “But are these particular spices from her own store?”
“You must really like our spices if you know Hilda,” the dwarf narrowed his eyes and scratched at his scar.
“I do,” I replied. “Am I right though, are these from her store?”
“Aye,” the dwarf muttered. “She sells em, but I make em.”
That was all I needed.
He was mine.
I was glad this would not take too long. I wanted to check in with Fallor one more time because I had a feeling things would change very soon, plus I wanted to get a few things from my room since technically, I no longer had a home.
But for now, I had to end this blondie quick.
“I know my spices,” I lied. “These jars are just too big for me, though. Do you have anything smaller?”
“Did Hilda send you to spy on me or somethin’?” the dwarf tilted his nose up and locked eyes with me.
“No, no,” I chuckled. “I just want to buy some spices, and I trust her the most, so that's why I asked.”
“Aight,” the dwarf’s face softened. “You needin’ a smaller jar then?”
“If you got any,” I replied.
The dwarf hesitated, looked to his right, and then back to me.
“Follow me,” The dwarf grunted as he turned and started to walk to his right. “I think there are some in my storage bin.”
“Where’s that?” I questioned as I started to follow him.
“We keep them in a warehouse at the end of the market,” the dwarf pointed to a brick building just ahead. “I keep anything that I might need in there just in case I forget, so I don’t have to go all the way back to Hilda’s.”
“Convenient,” I clicked my tongue.
I might have to make my move sooner rather than later.
“Isn’t it?” the dwarf chuckled. “Not too much further.”
I followed the dwarf past the other vendors until we turned down a slim alley between two brick buildings, and three gruff looking dwarves leaned against the building on my left.
If I had to pick out dwarven mafia members in a line-up, I’d pick all three of those dwarves.
“What’s going on in there?” I gestured toward the few dwarves.
I wondered if that’s where Hebal was hanging out, too.
“Nothing that concerns ya,” the blonde dwarf answered as he moved to a door on the building to our right. “Now, are ya going to want the white spice blend?”
“That would be great,” I replied.
“Good choice, human.” The dwarf struggled to unlock the door, but then he turned around and faced me. “Are ya human? Ya kinda look … uh… exotic.”
“I am,” I said as I tried to keep my composure.
“Ya never know these days.” The dwarf shrugged as he finally unlocked the door, opened it, and slid a loose brick over to block the entrance. “It’s just here, but don’t move the brick, it’ll keep the door from shuttin’.”
“Great,” I clicked my tongue as I touched my knife at my side. Now, how could I make this look like an accident?
“That’s a weird little habit you got there,” the dwarf said as he walked toward a shelf.
“What?” I asked as I followed him inside the small warehouse. There were a few shelves along the far wall with a bunch of different cubbies.
I assumed the other vendors did the same thing the dwarf did and kept their extra supplies here.
“That clicking noise,” the dwarf chuckled as he moved ove
r to a shelf and started to dig inside a wooden box. “Now, where would those jars be?”
I wasn’t sure if I could make this look like an accident, so I needed to kill him first and then frame the scene like the dwarf cut himself with a broken jar?
But I also wanted to ask him about Hebal.
I didn’t have much to work with, but it was something.
So, I walked closer to the dwarf and unsheathed my blade. Then I kept the weapon hidden behind my back.
I still needed to confirm his name before I made my move.
“Find the jar?” I asked as I stepped right next to him and looked into the box full of supplies.
“I’m not seeing them,” the dwarf sighed. “You may have to come by tomorrow.”
“Aw,” I breathed. “That won’t work for me, Kazmus.”
“Well … wait, did I?” The dwarf stopped his search and glanced over at me. “Did I tell you my name?”
“Is that your name?” I asked as I clasped my fingers around my blade.
I should’ve shut the door behind me when I came in, but it was too late now.
I’d have to make this quick.
“Aye,” the dwarf narrowed his eyes. “Who are--”
I swiped my blade through the air and sliced the brachial artery in his arm and released a geyser of blood onto the shelf and floor.
“Arh--”
“Shh!” I clapped my hand over his mouth, squeezed the wound shut on his arm with my free hand, and then lowered him to the ground. “You don’t have to die.”
“Arhhrhr,” his voice was muffled from my hand covering his mouth, and his blue eyes looked like bright stars in the midnight sky.
“Stop,” I hissed. “I sliced your arm just enough so I can still save you, but you have to answer a few questions first, okay?”
That was a lie.
He was surely dead, but I could delay it long enough to get some good information from him.
The dwarf nodded as he breathed heavily from his nostrils.
“Are you working with Hebal?” I cocked my eye at him. “I’m gonna move my hand so you can answer, but if you lie, or scream, I’ll let you bleed out right here, got it?”
I moved my hand that covered his mouth aside.
“I am, I am,” the dwarf groaned. “Please don’t let me die.”
“What exactly are you doing with Hebal?” I asked.
“Distilling.” The dwarf grimaced. “I don’t know what, he hasn’t told me anything yet, but he got me all the supplies I needed.”
“Where’s Hebal now?” I asked.
“I-I dunno,” the dwarf ground his teeth. “I really don’t.”
He knew.
But I didn’t have time to push him to the truth.
“How’d you learn how to distill?” I asked.
“Hilda taught me.” The dwarf squirmed. “She tinkers with spices in that way all the time?”
“By distilling them?” I furrowed my brow.
“Not distilling, but just experimenting with them by cooking them, burning them, I dunno,” the dwarf squeaked. “I became interested, so I taught myself how to make different teas and potions and such by distilling.”
“You are a great talker,” I commented. “And I appreciate your help with this.”
“Please,” the dwarf groaned. “I don’t know what Hebal wants me to make. I really don’t.”
“I wish I could say that I believed you,” I said as I moved my hand off the wound and allowed his blood to rush down his arm like a red river. “But I don’t.”
I clasped my other hand over his mouth, glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was at the door, and then waited until the dwarf stopped twitching around like a fish out of water.
After a few moments, I no longer felt the dwarf breathing.
He was dead.
So, I removed my hand from around his mouth and left a bloody print across his face. Then, I shut his eyes, stood back to my feet, and hopped over the massive blood puddle that encircled us.
I needed this to look accidental, but how?
First, I needed to shut the door to buy me some time just in case someone tried to come in.
But I never got the chance.
Someone else shut the door for me.
“Ava,” a voice breathed from behind me. “Did Fallor assign this dwarf’s death to you?”
I knew that voice.
“Ridley?” I asked as I turned around and faced the halfling assassin. “What’re you doing here?”
He wore an all-black cloak, black boots, and he pointed both of his blades at me.
“I should ask you the same thing.” Ridley lowered his hood and exposed his dark curls. Then he nodded toward the dead dwarf. “You just committed murder.”
“Did I?” I stepped closer, unsheathed my other blade hidden in my sleeve, and then clinked both knifes together.
“So, it’s true,” Ridley smirked. “The great Ava, has betrayed the guild.”
“I didn’t betray anyone,” I spat. “Watch your tongue, halfling.”
“You betrayed our code,” Ridley sneered. “Twice.”
“Did Fallor assign you to follow me?” I sighed. I half-way expected this, and I already guessed the answer.
“He did.” Ridley smirked. “He knew you were lying to him.”
“So, he sent a small-time assassin to kill me?” I chuckled. “Are you sure you want to even try?”
“Not to kill you,” Ridley paused. “Just to confirm his hunch of your betrayal.”
“Who's gonna tell him the truth if you’re dead,” I hissed as I continued to step closer to him.
“Another was with me, and I sent him to give Fallor the news.” Ridley grinned. “So, even if you do kill me, you’ll soon have the entire guild hunting you down.”
The time had officially come.
I was now at war with the entire Assassin’s Guild.
“So be it,” I whispered.
Then I sprinted toward the halfling
My movement caught him off guard, and I kicked him in the chest and sent him sliding across the room. Then, I didn’t allow him to get up and unleashed a flurry of knife attacks across his chest.
He deflected the first two, but the third ripped open his gut.
The fourth punctured his left lung right below the heart.
“You will not get away with this,” he wheezed as his blade dropped from his fingers. “They will know you killed me.”
“So be it,” I said as I sprinted forward and leaped into the air.
He lunged one of his blades toward me, but I easily deflected it away, then on my way down, I slammed my knife into his exposed neck.
“It’ll take every single one of you to end me,” I breathed into his ear, tugged my blade from his flesh, and watched a fine red mist spray from his neck as he fell to the ground.
“Fuck …” I sheathed both of my blades and looked over the bloody mess in front of me.
Then an idea started to take shape in my mind.
So, I dragged the bloody assassin closer to Kazmus, put the dwarf’s blood all over one of the halflings blades, then I covered the assassin’s other blade with the dwarf’s blood and then placed it in his hand.
“Looks like you two got in a fight,” I clicked my tongue.
Just to spice up the scene a little more, I dumped the contents of the dwarf’s supplies all over the floor and then tossed it next to both of them.
But there was still a problem, actually a few problems.
My cloak had some dwarf blood on it, there was only one way out of the warehouse, and I risked being seen by Hebal’s thugs.
So, I took off my cloak and inspected my shirt underneath.
Thankfully, it was clean.
After I checked my shirt, I threw my cloak over my shoulder and headed toward the door. Then I opened the door, peeked my head out, saw the dwarves were no longer in the alley and walked out like nothing even happened.
Sometimes, even an assassin l
ike me needed some good old-fashioned luck.
Once I was outside, I tucked my cloak underneath my arm and made my way through the much more crowded spice market. Then, I headed toward the Thief’s Guild in the Halfling District.
Wade would want to know right away that the assassins were now officially our enemies.
Chapter 12
After Ava exited the stables, both Penny and Cimarra went to bed, and that left Dar and me to finish the entire bottle of whiskey together. Dar was pretty bummed we never played the game, but after a few gulps of whiskey, nothing mattered to him anymore, and that’s precisely what we both needed.
For nothing to matter for a few hours.
As expected, the whiskey made us both crash hard.
I woke up a few hours later in my bed of hay with Azure curled around my feet. I stretched out my legs, forced my brain to wake up, and then planned out the day.
It had been a while since I last spoke with Selius, and I just wanted to get an update from him, even if the kid didn’t hear from Wilimar or his gang yet.
There was just something about waiting that I hated, though. Was it the need for an answer that may not exist? Or was I just that impatient?
Either way, I just wanted to fucking find Hebal, and it was driving me nuts that he was still out in the realm, thinking he was some kind of genius and had out maneuvered me. Maybe it was my pride speaking, but that fucker had underestimated me for the last time, and he’d know that soon enough.
“Dar?” I yelled out, and my voice seemed to echo in my brain. I had forgotten what a hangover felt like. “We gotta get up.”
“Huh?” Dar groaned from his bed of hay. “Why?”
“We got work to do,” I said as I sat up and cracked my neck to the side. “We need to check on the kid and visit the twins, remember?”
“Who?” Dar yawned as he sat up, squinted at me, and brushed a few pieces of hay off his face.
“Selius and the halfling twins … fuck what were their names?” I rubbed my head that felt like it was being crushed by two bricks. “Wyatt and …”
“Tully?” Dar yawned.
“Sully!” I said as I clapped my hand and startled Azure. “We gotta meet with Wyatt and Sully.”
“Alright, sure, but wasn’t the kid supposed to come to us if he got any news about Hebal?” Dar asked as he scratched his arm.