Stalking the Beast

by Howard Andrew Jones

  "He fooled me."

  "He fooled himself. He did a lot of fine things too, Daylah. Delgar wouldn't be so well ordered without him."

  "Or without you, and Drelm. I think you two brought out the best in him."

  "Maybe. I think there was good in there along with the bad."

  "And it's easy to be good when good things are happening." She frowned solemnly. "I really didn't come to talk of my father, though. I wanted to thank you for being such a fine friend to Drelm. And I hope you know that, if you choose to return, you'll find another friend beside him."

  Elyana smiled. "I think I knew that already. It was kind of you to come, Daylah. I want you to know..." she hesitated, and found that the words came only with difficulty. "How delighted I am that Drelm has someone else who can see who he really is, and not what he appears to be."

  "You're sure that you can't stay for the ceremony?"

  She shook her head.

  "I thought I should ask." Daylah stepped forward, awkwardly extending her arms, and Elyana embraced her.

  "I'm glad he found you," Elyana told her.

  "Likewise."

  After Daylah left, Elyana finished grooming Calda. She was cinching her saddle when Lisette and Illidian arrived. They looked surprised to see her.

  "What are you doing?" Illidian asked.

  "Readying to go," Elyana answered. "Just like you."

  "But I..." Lisette fell silent, shook her head.

  "The border guard can manage without me, I think," Illidian said. "I had a long talk with Aladel, and he'll turn over my resignation."

  "We're traveling together," Lisette added. Elyana thought she detected a blush to her cheeks.

  "I'd heard you two had a fight," she said.

  Illidian glanced at Lisette. "A misunderstanding. I'm learning to be...flexible."

  "Where are you headed?" Elyana asked.

  "There's a bounty to claim, I gather," Illidian said. "And some gold to deliver to Karag's cousin. But then I think we might look into a real estate venture."

  This utterly surprised Elyana. "Real estate?"

  He laughed. "There are some mansions Lisette fancies, over in Andoran."

  "He's beautiful and rich," Lisette said.

  Elyana laughed.

  "Thank you, Elyana," Illidian told her, then bowed his head formally. "We wouldn't have succeeded without you. Should the time come when you need me, I will come."

  She bowed her head in acknowledgment.

  "I owe you my thanks as well," Lisette said. "You reminded me..." Her voice dropped off, and she shook her head before finishing the thought. "Anyway, what Illidian said. It was good working with you. Let's do it again some time."

  "Sure," Elyana said, though she didn't expect she'd see either again. "Lisette, when did you know you weren't going to kill him?"

  The bounty hunter froze only for a moment, then glanced sidelong at Illidian. She didn't waste time asking how Elyana had deduced the truth, or figured out that the mayor hadn't just tried to kill her to cover up a rejected offer. "I've been wondering that myself. Some time before I actually shot him." She laughed shortly. "When I finally had the chance to do what I thought I wanted, I hesitated, and it gave the witch enough time to level me after I took him out. I'm glad I didn't..."

  Again she glanced nervously at Illidian.

  "I grew fond of him myself," the former captain said, so simply Elyana knew that he, too, must have deduced the truth. "You have good taste in friends, Elyana."

  "So I see. I'm sorry for any harsh words I might have shared with you, Illidian."

  "It's all passed now," he said carelessly. "The sun rises on a new day, and I ride forth with a friend."

  She raised her hand to them, and they moved off toward the elf's horses.

  She was leading Calda from the stables when Demid rode up, Drelm walking at his side. The Brevan, like herself, was packed with bulging saddlebags, blanket, sword, and travel pack.

  Drelm was once again wearing a clean tabard with an image of the tower.

  "It's bad enough that you leave," Drelm told her. "But why must you take Demid?"

  "He doesn't believe me," Demid told her. "I keep telling him it's my idea, not yours."

  "I believe you," the half-orc countered. "I just think she could convince you otherwise. Who will be captain of my guards?"

  "I killed your father-in-law," Demid said very quietly.

  "Daylah and I both know the truth of how it happened."

  The Brevan shook his head. "It will always lie between your wife and me, Captain. Elyana and I will see these payments delivered to their recipients. And then I'm for the steppe."

  The half-orc shook his head, reached into a pouch at his waist, and lifted up a small bag. "Here, then."

  "What's this?" Demid accepted the canvas gingerly. "I need nothing."

  "Open it," the captain ordered with the hint of a growl.

  Demid did as he was bid, and Elyana saw the thrill of discovery light his eyes.

  "Maybe now you can buy that land that you always spoke of," Elyana said. "For your horses." She and Drelm had decided to give him a cut of the gems they'd found among the mayor's belongings.

  "And fine land it shall be, too," Demid said as he tied the bag shut. "Where did you get this, Captain?"

  "The mayor's past...must be complex," Elyana explained.

  "I'll talk with Elyana alone now," Drelm told Demid, who bowed his head to them both and guided his animal to the watering trough.

  "I thought you were going to give that to him last night."

  "I thought you would stay longer." Drelm removed his helm and put it in the crook of his arm. "You won't stay for the wedding?"

  She shook her head.

  The half-orc ran a hand through his hair and struggled then to speak. "Why do you really go, my friend?"

  "You don't need me anymore, Drelm."

  He grunted. "You're wrong. I have never had a better friend, and I never shall. A man needs friends."

  "You will rule Delgar as mayor and priest, and it will prosper. You don't need someone else giving orders."

  Drelm looked skeptical, but was enough of a pragmatist to recognize when an argument was lost. "I'd like it if you returned," he said, then sounded oddly vulnerable as he spoke on. "But don't promise if you won't do so."

  "I will be back to visit," she said. "I promise."

  He nodded, then turned his head and fiddled with his hand. Elyana didn't fully realize he was fumbling with his ring until he'd half removed it.

  "That's yours, Drelm."

  He extended it to her, held delicately between one thick finger and one broad thumb. "You'll need it more than I."

  "Do you think?"

  "I know."

  Elyana took the thing, then set it to her hand in the place where she'd once worn a ring of shadows. Decades before, Baron Stelan had gifted her with the shadow ring, and she'd worn it for years, hoping it meant more than it ever had.

  Now she accepted a different ring from a different man. The first had been from a lover who had become her friend, and had led the way to strange realms of darkness. The second was from a friend whom she loved, and would see her through to safety so long as it remained upon her finger.

  "I will cherish it."

  "As I cherish you," Drelm told her.

  He looked surprised when she embraced him, then folded those large arms around her middle, and they stood together for a long while. She had never truly grown used to the scent of him, but had long since given up caring.

  When they broke apart he was dabbing at his eyes, and she chose not to stare, for tears had misted her own vision.

  She raised a hand to him, climbed into Calda's saddle, then whistled for attention. "Come, Demid!"

  She rode for the tower's open gate, the Brevan following.

  She looked back once, halfway down Delgar's dusty street, and saw a thick figure in a shining helm on the tower's gated wall, hand lifted in farewell. She drew Calda to
a stop and returned the gesture, then waited for Demid to reach her. "I'll race you to the oak grove," she told him.

  The Brevan grinned as she touched her heels to Calda's flanks. The horse sprang forward.

  About the Author

  Howard Andrew Jones is the author of two previous Pathfinder Tales: the novel Plague of Shadows and the short story "The Walkers from the Crypt," both starring Elyana. His creator-owned novel The Desert of Souls was honored on the Kirkus New and Notable Science Fiction list and the Locus Recommended Reading List, and was number four on Barnes & Noble's Best Fantasy Releases of 2011, as well as a finalist for the prestigious Compton Crook Award. Its characters of Dabir and Asim have since appeared in a sequel, The Bones of the Old Ones, and a collection of short stories, The Waters of Eternity.

  When not helping run his small family farm or spending time with his wife and children, Howard has worked variously as a TV cameraman, a book editor, a recycling consultant, and a college writing instructor. He was instrumental in the rebirth of interest in Harold Lamb's historical fiction, and has assembled and edited eight collections of Lamb's work. He serves as the Managing Editor of Black Gate magazine and blogs regularly at blackgate.com as well as at howardandrewjones.com.

  Glossary

  All Pathfinder Tales novels are set in the rich and vibrant world of the Pathfinder campaign setting. Below are explanations of several key terms used in this book. For more information on the world of Golarion and the strange monsters, people, and deities that make it their home, see The Inner Sea World Guide, or dive into the game and begin playing your own adventures with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook or the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box, all available at paizo.com. Those readers particularly interested in exploring the Worldwound further should check out Pathfinder Campaign Setting: The Worldwound, learn more about demons with Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Demons Revisited, or confront the demonic menace personally in the Wrath of the Righteous Adventure Path. Fans of Varian and Jeggare can follow the duo's previous adventures in the novels Prince of Wolves, Master of Devils, and Queen of Thorns.

  Abadar: Master of the First Vault and the god of cities, wealth, merchants, and law.

  Alchemists: Spellcasters whose magic takes the form of potions, explosives, and strange mutagens that modify their physiology.

  Alkenstar: A nation famous for the production of guns and gunpowder.

  Almas: Capital city of Andoran.

  Andoran: Democratic and freedom-loving nation.

  Andoren: Someone from Andoran; of or related to Andoran.

  Black Coil: An assassin's guild that operates primarily in Cheliax.

  Brevan: Someone from Brevoy.

  Brevic: Of or pertaining to Brevoy.

  Brevoy: A frigid northern nation famous for its duelists.

  Calistria: Also known as the Savored Sting; the goddess of trickery, lust, and revenge.

  Cheliax: A powerful devil-worshiping nation.

  Chelish: Of or relating to the nation of Cheliax.

  Cleric: A religious spellcaster whose magical powers are granted by his or her god.

  Daggermark: The largest city in the River Kingdoms, infamous for its poisoners' and assassins' guilds.

  Delgar: A small frontier town in the southern River Kingdoms, established relatively recently.

  Demons: Evil denizens of the plane of the afterlife called the Abyss, who seek only to maim, ruin, and feed on mortal souls.

  Druid: Someone who reveres nature and draws magical power from the boundless energy of the natural world.

  Druma: A nation which views the accumulation of wealth as the highest possible goal.

  Dwarves: Short, stocky humanoids who excel at physical labor, mining, and craftsmanship. Stalwart enemies of the orcs and other evil subterranean monsters.

  Eagle Knights: Military order in Andoran devoted to spreading the virtues of justice, equality, and freedom.

  Elven: Of or pertaining to elves; the language of elves.

  Elves: Long-lived, beautiful humanoids identifiable by their pointed ears, lithe bodies, and pupils so large their eyes appear to be one color.

  Fey: Magical creatures deeply tied to the natural world, such as dryads or pixies.

  First World: The rough draft of existence, where nature is more powerful and volatile. Original home of fey creatures and gnomes.

  Galt: A nation locked in perpetual bloody revolution.

  Galtan: A person or thing from Galt.

  Gnomes: Race of small humanoids with strange mind-sets, originally from the First World.

  Gralton: River Kingdoms town with a large concentration of Galtan refugees.

  Gray Gardeners: The masked secret police of Galt, who dispense harsh revolutionary justice to those who cross them or the state.

  God of the First Vault: Abadar.

  Golarion: The planet on which the Pathfinder campaign setting focuses.

  Half-Orcs: Bred from humans and orcs, members of this race have green or gray skin, brutish appearances, and short tempers, and are mistrusted by many societies.

  Halflings: Race of humanoids known for their tiny stature, deft hands, and mischievous personalities.

  Inner Sea: The vast sea whose northern and southern continents are the primary focus of the Pathfinder campaign setting.

  Isger: Vassal nation of Cheliax.

  Jovvox: Town in the River Kingdoms.

  Kuthite: Worshiper of Zon-Kuthon; of or related to the worship of Zon-Kuthon.

  Kyonin: An elven forest-kingdom that borders the River Kingdoms. The center of elven power in the Inner Sea region. Largely forbidden to non-elven travelers.

  Lambreth: Small River Kingdom.

  Livondar: The lord of Daggermark.

  Mivon: Large River Kingdom famous for its duelists.

  Oaksteward: Member of the druidic cabal that rules Sevenarches.

  Orc: Race of bestial, warlike humanoids from deep underground who now roam the surface in barbaric bands. Almost universally hated by more civilized races.

  Ranger: Someone specialized in surviving in a particular terrain; often employed as scouts, guides, hunters, and skirmishers.

  Razmir: The self-proclaimed "living god" who rules the nation of Razmiran and constantly seeks to spread his power.

  Razmiran: Nation bordering Kyonin and the southwestern River Kingdoms, whose ruler may or may not be a god.

  Razmiri: Worshipers and subjects of Razmiran.

  River Kingdoms: A region of small, feuding fiefdoms and bandit strongholds, where borders change frequently.

  Riverfolk: People from the River Kingdoms.

  Riverton: Southernmost town in the River Kingdoms.

  Sail: A gold coin of Andoren minting.

  Sellen River: Major river whose branches run throughout the River Kingdoms.

  Sevenarches: River Kingdoms nation run by druids and closed to all elves.

  Sorcerer: Someone who casts spells through natural ability rather than faith or study.

  Summoner: A spellcaster who focuses primarily on calling a single, specific magical servant to do his or her bidding.

  Taldan: Of or pertaining to Taldor; a citizen of Taldor.

  Taldane: The common trade language of Golarion's Inner Sea region.

  Taldor: A formerly glorious nation that has lost many of its holdings in recent years to neglect and decadence.

  Tymon: City-state in the southwestern River Kingdoms, home to a famed gladiatorial college and arena.

  Wand: A sticklike magic item imbued with the ability to cast a specific spell repeatedly.

  Wilewood: A large forest in Sevenarches.

  Witch: Spellcaster who draws magic from a pact made with an otherworldly power, using a familiar as a conduit.

  Wizard: Someone who casts spells through careful study and rigorous scientific methods rather than faith or innate talent, recording the necessary incantations in a spellbook.

  Wolf: A sliver coin of Andoren minting.

  Wy
vern: A brutish draconic creature not as intelligent or cunning as a true dragon.

  Zon-Kuthon: The twisted god of envy, pain, darkness, and loss.

  Acknowledgments

  This novel would not exist without the thoughtful and helpful guidance of the talented James Sutter. Thank you, my friend!

  Table of Contents

  Teaser

  Dedication

  Map

  Chapter One: The Sorcerer's Wand

  Chapter Two: The Thing in the River

  Chapter Three: Too Good to Miss

  Chapter Four: The Expedition

  Chapter Five: Blood and Bullets

  Chapter Six: New Friends

  Chapter Seven: A Final Word

  Chapter Eight: An Unexpected Guest

  Chapter Nine: Fallen Friends

  Chapter Ten: The Wilewood

  Chapter Eleven: Champions of the Court

  Chapter Twelve: First Blood

  Chapter Thirteen: Helping Hands

  Chapter Fourteen: Glory of Razmir

  Chapter Fifteen: Fireside Tales

  Chapter Sixteen: Death Blow

  Chapter Seventeen: Changing Times

  Chapter Eighteen: Lucky Shot

  Chapter Nineteen: Truth of the Matter

  Chapter Twenty: The Calm Before

  Chapter Twenty-One: Errands in the Night

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Blood and Dust

  Chapter Twenty-Three: The Temple and the Cleric

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Reckoning

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Farewells

  About the Author

  Glossary