‘No,’ I agreed with a frightened smile I did not need to fake. ‘I shall not. We are speaking of Alrik then?’
‘Your face looked like Alrik’s, indeed. Your undead imitation left a lot to be desired for, and the blood was a gross exaggeration, but certainly, nothing takes away the brilliance of what you did otherwise. The king would likely shut you in jail to be examined, and the One Eye priests would kill you should you do something like that in their presence in the south. You know magic is not only forbidden, but it is also denied even. So tell us about this skill?’
‘I’ve always had this skill,’ I complained. ‘Not my fault. Can hardly ignore it.’
‘No, don’t apologize. You have kept it a secret for such a long time.’ The thing moved around me, and I could not see it.
‘Who are you?’ I asked, trying to keep calm.
‘Who? Call me the Horns.’ The Horns, I thought, is mad as shit, and I squirmed as I felt it was close to me, somewhere very close. ‘I’m the head of this fine establishment and the gang.’
‘Good. Yes, I guessed. Makes me feel important,’ I said. ‘Thank you.’
‘You are most important, young Maskan. Most important,’ it said. ‘And do not worry, for you will walk out of here free. One day.’
‘I will; thank you,’ I agreed, hating the last part of the promise. One day? Then there was silence for the longest of time. I was seething with impatience and lost the fight. ‘I could leave right now and let the day be today?’
‘No, not yet, young one,’ the thing said. Then I saw movement, and something was placed on my chest. It had thick braided hair, blue eyes, and thin cheeks. It had been handsome once. It was the man they had introduced to the girl and the one who had had a place in their common plans. It was bleeding on me, and I was swallowing in revulsion. I also tried not to squirm, so my breathing would not tip the foul thing over to my face.
‘Lovely present,’ I said with a hint of panic in my voice, ‘but I already ate. One of those sandwiches by the docks. I highly recommend them.’
The thing chuckled. ‘You know what that is? And who it is?’
‘I don’t know its name.’
‘Don’t be coy. I just told you. We make mistakes, but you will do the suffering. You heard the discussion on the alley. Asfal. That was the name of this lost waif of the south, one I saved once from starvation and debt, and I did it for he looked like someone. I gave him gold; he gave me his allegiance,’ the figure said happily and leaned over me, looking at me upside down. Dark eyeholes looked dead in the dark. ‘You know the Blacktowers have an agenda. A very, very dangerous agenda.’
‘Yes, they seem to be up to no good,’ I agreed. ‘Naughty.’
‘Alrik was working for me after he was caught in the Blue Door Section. He managed to accomplish his , and so his death was no big deal, after all. He died swiftly, and they thought he was but a thief.’
‘This … the head seemed to be significant for your plans, no? Was the person to imitate someone? A … bitch? Bitch, yes, who was to die as she visited her home from the Tower of the Temple. And this man was her companion?’
‘He is not her companion. He works for her. Yes. And now this one is dead.’ The mask stared at me.
‘Why is he dead?’ I asked, dreading the answer, and the head toppled away to roll on the ground. ‘Is the deal off?’ I asked after it had stopped rolling.
‘Did you get a good look at his face?’ it asked.
‘Oh,’ I breathed. ‘You want me to—’
‘Do it,’ it coaxed me with a savagely poking finger.
I concentrated, resigned to my fate. I felt my face run like liquid, and then the thick hair grew around me. I felt the bones and skin in my face writhe, and as I looked up at the silvery mask, I could nearly imagine it grinning. ‘Happy?’
‘The Blacktower girl was right,’ it said. ‘Our doppelganger was a coward. Sloppy. Useless, perhaps. But you will not be. No, you will not be useless. You are worth your weight in gold.’
‘I work for my family,’ I told it sourly though the thought of my weight in gold made me stammer. ‘And I have another rule. I do not abide suicide missions. What you are doing seems dangerous. Anything beyond the Third Ring is dangerous. Sometimes beyond the Fourth Ring.’
‘It is dangerous. Tell me, do you hate the king?’ the silver one asked.
I groaned. ‘I’m not a noble. I am a commoner. I cut purses in the harbor. I care nothing—’
‘But you do. Your father died at his hands. He, like so many others, was innocent. The king is going mad. Has been for decades. Danegells are a broken family of curs.’
‘Ah, so it is not only the Blacktowers who have a cause,’ I blurted, wondering how it knew of my family.
‘No,’ the Horns said. ‘And yes, I know who your mother is. I have my ways. And I know about your father.’
I mulled it over, upgrading my opinion of the Horns. Mad, but brilliant. ‘And why does a lord, or a lady, of such a well-to-do band of criminals care of the king’s many intricate problems with his nobles?’ I asked, brooding like a child, utterly unhappy.
The silver mask had no mouth, but I could see the person behind it get excited by the way it leaned back and then shot forth. I flinched as the horns in the mask nearly poked my eyes out. ‘We should all care. The alliance of the north is a fragile thing. We have the swords to fight the south when the so-called High King Balic eventually attempts to make slaves of us, but should the king be mad enough to topple without a fight, to attack our allies to the north over some damned insignificant trading port? He is insane and unable to lead us in the time of our great need. Such a time might come any day. That will not do. No. He is alienating the other kingdoms. The Fringe Lands are easy to gobble up by the south should our king fall to his madness and start wars that are totally useless. This is the Blacktower worry. And mine.’
I prayed and decided to argue. ‘Still, I doubt a change of a king would alter many things for the thieves and the guilds of criminals. Surely, they would still thrive if the High King or some minion of his replaced this king. Like rats, they would adapt,’ I disagreed.
The hand grasped my face, and my mouth fell open at the press of the savage strength. ‘The High King burns thieves alive. And you are as much a rat as we are.’
‘Ours hangs them slowly,’ I said rather thickly as it was squeezing my face fiercely. ‘Dead is dead. Rat or man.’
It nodded. ‘More, Balic makes sure not a stone is left standing of the cities he takes in the east and the southwest of the Verdant Lands. His Hammer Legions are not like our armies. They take very few prisoners and rarely leave civilians untouched. And the priests will question the ones that hide and survive his wrath. The High King thinks himself the mantle-bearer of Odin. He thinks he is Odin. He brooks no challenges to his rule, and thus he hates the north as he hates any land that does not willingly bow down to his cult. No, they will not spare a rat here.’
‘I see. And the solution?’ I mumbled, and the Horns let go of my face.
‘We need a new king,’ it said quietly. ‘We cannot replace the High King. But we can replace our Danegells.’
‘And this is a task … for … me? A cutpurse.’
‘Your task is to kill the queen, to be specific,’ the silvery one stated happily as if it were planning a breakfast meeting with the family. ‘The Blacktowers are right. They hired us, but I would have helped them without a fortune in gold.’
‘This is the bitch you were speaking of? The queen. I see. I see,’ I smiled, feeling an urgent need to shit my pants. ‘You want me to take the place of someone in her entourage. Someone close to her.’
‘Her slave,’ the silver one said. ‘The one who tastes her food before it is taken to her.’
‘Her food and wine taster?’ I asked, horrified.
‘He is called Falg Hardhand. Formerly a fighter of the southern mountains, he tastes anything and everything they serve her.’
‘He will have to die fir
st before I take over his face. And she ... ’ I babbled in panic.
The Horns smoothed my face for my voice had broken. ‘Yes. Falg will die and then the queen. They will both have to die, Falg preferably so that few witness the event. But that is not all. One more, the last one has to fall. The king. He has a lover. The lover could have killed him anytime this past year, but it serves no purpose if the queen is alive. There will be a double murder, my sweet boy, for the sake of the nation. Valkai thought she was aiming to take the queen’s place, but she wants to kill him.’
‘Who is his lover?’ I asked though I knew the answer.
‘You know,’ the thing said with a small, dry laugh, ‘he has a thing for our common acquaintance. Shaduril Blacktower. He is close to her. Every day, near every night. And she will slay our king, the Beast of the North, the moment we know the queen is dead.’
‘Shaduril …’ I began, feeling foolish using her name, and I blushed. ‘Will kill the king in bed?’
‘Ahh,’ it said with dry amusement. ‘I see. You are jealous. She does not love the king, no. She is doing all of this for the nation. She will be in terrible danger, and I don’t know if the Blacktowers even plan for her to survive. But you will make it. Do not worry. You have unique talents. No worries at all.’
‘No, of course not. Nothing to worry about,’ I told the Horns carelessly. ‘She will kill the Beast of the North? How?’
‘Blade and poison,’ the thing said seriously. ‘It is possible. It will be very exciting.’
I nodded. ‘Exciting. I’m so happy I met you.’
‘So am I. Jubilant I met you,’ it told me cheerfully. ‘You simplify the plans. Your skill, it does simplify many things. Greatly. Our man,’ it kicked the head, so it spun into the darkness and hit the goblet with a dull, clanging noise, ‘would have been a constant, nervous risk.’
‘What do you get out of this?’ I asked the Horns. ‘Other than the noble cause of securing your hunting grounds and your victims, the poor sods who will stay alive for you to maul and rob.’
It considered me carefully for a time. Then it took a deep breath and shrugged. ‘If we are partners, then, of course, I shall share somewhat more of my thoughts with you. Are we?’
‘We are!’ I agreed enthusiastically.
The Horns nodded slowly and spoke. ‘The king is rich.’
‘We want his riches? An ordinary robbery?’
The Horns nodded vigorously. ‘We will give old Balan Blacktower what he wants, and while he is taking it, we will rob the Tower of his old treasures. They are old as time. Perhaps magical treasures. With such treasures, we will no longer be a measly band of thieves, living in the dark.’
‘I see,’ I said, and I admit a seed of greed sneaked to my heart. ‘Magical items? And I can take part in this looting orgy?’ It was mad.
‘You are not greedy, are you, boy?’ it said suspiciously. ‘Yes, you can have your part. It’s only fair. But I shall set the terms of any such deal if we manage to secure this hoard before the Blacktowers. I know Balan Blacktower would love to see what the Danegells hoard from the time immemorial.’ I nodded as I breathed deep. I had no choice, anyway. It chuckled dryly at me. ‘Perhaps I’m happy there is a greedy spot in your heart. Makes the trust that much more easy to come by. I trust the greedy over the meek. They have needs, and needs I can provide for. I do hate knights. But you are an artist. A true artist. And I shall sponsor you to greatness.’
‘Yes,’ I agreed with a grin. ‘An artist. What is required of me? Now, that is.’
‘You will be at readiness, boy,’ the thing said. ‘We have more spies looking into the royal family and the Tenginell house of the queen. You will learn the ways of this slave and then take his place, at an opportune moment. We think there is one, months from now. He will leave the house for a moment.’
‘Do be diligent in your investigations,’ I stammered. ‘Even if I have his face, there will be suspicious guards, terribly hard passphrases, deadly traps, hungry beasts. It is well guarded, no doubt. The house. The queen!’
‘Well guarded,’ the Horns said. ‘Very well guarded. But it is her home. She grew up in that Tenginell house. She feels safe there. Worry not. You are like a fish in the water, and all you need to do is learn how to kill the cow and how to act. I shall show you to your room then.’
‘My room?’
‘I told you,’ the Horns said with a hint of impatience. ‘You will stay here. You shall be an honored, greedy guest, who shall not so much as fart without permission.’
I nodded. ‘Yes, I can see the merits of this, and indeed I do fart a lot, but you see, my mother will get upset if I’m not home for dinner,’ I said happily, fighting the ripping fear. ‘I can come back?’
‘Your mother will be happy when you get your due, no? Worth some heartaches and missed dinners. We will send her word not to worry and, of course, she will, but she won’t be left in the dark.’ It stopped to consider its words. ‘Well, they will be in the dark. I’ll give them candles and a good amount of food, of course. Of course, you understand that I will fetch them here. For us to be partners, I need some assurances. You understand this?’
Would they take my family as a hostage? I cursed under my breath while I was nodding.
The Horns clapped his hand on my shoulder. ‘They are safe. So are you. Don’t be so afraid. Understand you are ours for now. Obviously our deal with the Blacktower family has to be sealed,’ the silver one said unhappily, ‘but we will control you. They won’t. They would never have controlled the doppelganger, anyway. They are nobles, and while such creatures are as decrepit as we are in many ways, they have no ways to manipulate the lower folk, and lesser folk will do well in killing a queen. The men who will kill the queen are creatures of crude habits and no sense of honor.’
‘I see,’ I breathed. ‘And so I’m your guest now? With no access to the outside world.’
‘Yes,’ it said. ‘And no access outside.’
I rubbed my head. ‘If Shaduril fails to kill the king, assuming I kill the queen, of course, will you and the Blacktowers take the Tower of the Temple? Surely, you won’t just wait until he comes to fillet you in revenge? And if you do, how? I hear it is impregnable. The Tower. That there is only one access, and it is well guarded. And army would fail—’
‘Do not worry about such plans. Worry about your part,’ it said.
‘But—’
‘You are a Grim Jester now, Maskan,’ the Horns told me and yanked at my chains. They opened up, the metal and leather were broken. I stared at the sight of torn fetters in shock That had been a clear message to end all further arguments, and I took note of it. My face shifted, and I retook my own face. ‘Much better,’ the silver one said with an approving voice. It leaned closer. ‘Understand, my friend, that if you do not do this, we will murder your mother, your half sister, and brother, your stepfather. And perhaps, now, even your Shaduril. It is not beyond us. Say, “thank you.”’
‘Thank you,’ I told it as I sat up, feeling rotten and beset by fears. My neck hurt and so did my face, where the brute had struck me. ‘So.’
It waved its hands, pleased. ‘We will train you. I shall give you some more information. Falg is a slave, and as a slave to the queen, he has habits and arrogance of a king himself. He is also a warrior and occasionally sneaks off to fights in the Dark Sands events. He has a partner, and they do very well,’ I was told as I got up. The figure and my new master or mistress—I still did not know which—was shorter than it seemed. ‘He will fight the day we shall exchange him with you. Perfect opportunity, no? Alrik found this out, by the way. We know the date of the queen’s visit, and we learned there were wagers made for Falg in the Tenginell house by the guards. For that very day, she is there. He will leave her for a while. You will need to train, and the plans have to be perfect. Though, perhaps not all that accurate. People see your new face, and they have no reason to doubt there has been any change. All you have to do is to act the part. Shaduril Blacktowe
r will be happy, so will her father. And brothers and sisters. They shall all be heroes! Perhaps even elevated in the ranks of the city. Royals, if they are ambitious, or close to it, after all.’ There was a hint of amusement in the voice.
‘Murderous family,’ I told it. Such a sweet thing a killer?
‘Yes, but that is the way of change. It takes place only through a hail of blood. The Brothers will be the problem. They have to die, all Danegell guards. Not sure how Balan Blacktower plans on taking care of them, and I can see why you worry. They will have to go. All the witnesses as well, of course,’ the Horns chuckled dryly, and I decided I was a witness already.
What the Hel am I doing? I thought. I’m dead. ‘Indeed,’ I said with a grin, massaging my legs as I walked up the slope. To the left and right, there were cells. I did not turn to stare inside the musty, smelling holes, but I could hear scrapes and groans of people still living in there. People, or something else, I thought. Water was dripping from above as we passed halls of a formerly glorious make.
‘The Old City. The oldest, the very oldest parts are positively ancient. It was burned in the Hel’s War,’ the masked master said. ‘Thousands of years ago. Two thousand and five hundred or so ago. Perfect for our needs.’ It leaned on me with cool familiarity. ‘Valkai’s men know the ways, and I’m learning to. I might lead them, but they are unpredictable. I hate unpredictable.’
The Beast of the North Page 6