A Thousand Eyes

by Christian Leese

  “I have information to trade. If you let me join you, I can be your scout.”

  “What information?”

  “Kruger was using the Flame of Blackrose to heat a steam engine. He sat on his warm throne whilst your Black Guard froze to death last winter. Canis Rayne, the Warden slayer, killed him. That Company is clear of Scourge. I can show you how to get in.”

  Tarosh pondered a moment, his gauntlets still sparking at his sides. “Deal.”

  Belloch went to get up again, but Tarosh gave him a look that would have torn out his eyes if it could. The Black Guard’s leader held out a hand, the gauntlet hot, the Paws of the Dead aching to take a life.

  “Why don’t you take my hand? I’ll help you up,” said Tarosh, but it wasn’t a request and Belloch knew it.

  Belloch closed his eyes and offered his hand. The heat from the gauntlet burned away his flesh and he tried to pull away. Tarosh held onto it and drew him in close, whispering into his ear.

  “Cross me and I’ll ram this up your scar-hole.”

  Belloch nodded and stumbled onto his feet. Sweat poured down his face, and the Black Guard laughed.

  “C’mon, lad. Let’s show these Bone Singers what the Black Guard do to the weak.”

  Chapter 15

  Canis Rayne watched the moon cross the canopy of dry, gnarled thorns that intertwined in the sky, counting the hourly ring of the clock tower. Wind sliced through the alleys, whistling over the narrow entrance to the trap, echoing off the walls. As if on top of him, he heard the repetitive footsteps of the waxy impostors, no doubt walking in circles, chittering to themselves. Vann Xan slept through all five dongs of the tower, huddled against the wall.

  Agrim had been wandering around the trench, and Canis had watched him. The spider’s big round eyes confused him; their human-like quality endearing and innocent. But a glance at the pulsating fangs below reminded him it was a wild creature. And he should make an effort not to annoy it. Agrim crawled onto Vann, and Canis went to usher it aside, but as the thought left his mind, the spider moved away and returned to Canis’ head. Good boy.

  Vann tossed and turned. Canis stared at the wall for a moment, not realizing what hung there in the dull green light until he looked closer. A thick rope was draped over the side of the hole.

  He nudged his brother. “Vann, wake up. Rope!”

  Vann jerked. “Where did it come from?”

  “I don’t know. Who cares?” He tugged it a few times. It held. “Thorne,” he said. “Thorne, is that you?”

  There was no answer.

  “I’ll go first,” Vann said. He pulled himself up the rope, Canis close behind.

  Canis watched him climb over the mouth of the hole. Once he got near enough to the top, a sweaty hand pulled on him, but as he climbed out of the trap, he realized it wasn’t Vann’s.

  It was a regiment of Mortalo’s slaves, clad head-to-toe in the heaviest carapace armor, all with hooked and barbed weapons pointed at Canis and Vann. Their faces were hard and mean, staring right through the two of them. He couldn’t hear the sounds of the impostors any more. Just his heart, the thudding of destiny about to reveal itself.

  “What’s this?” Canis asked.

  The crowd parted and Mortalo, in his finest hooded robe, his face powdered to perfection, strolled through.

  “Kill him!” Bane hissed. “Kill him now!”

  I’d be dead before I took two steps…“How did you find us?” Canis asked, his hands shaking.

  “My demons aren’t the most observant, are you? I leave a rope dangled there for a dramatic encounter and you keep me waiting? Dear Canis, what did I do to deserve you?”

  “But how did you know we were down there?”

  “The same way a mother will always find its young in a crowd,” Mortalo said. “Canis, you look so different since I last saw you. You’ve grown into your body, but your face, your eyes, are as innocent as ever.” He brushed his fingers against Canis’ chin.

  “I am different,” he growled. “I’ve seen the light.”

  Mortalo smiled. “Have you?”

  “I’ve seen your grave, the pit full of the rejects you hacked apart and dismembered. I realized everything you’ve done is nothing but for the amusement of your grubby little hands. You’re a monster. And I must slay you.”

  Mortalo stood in place, a soft smile on his lips, absorbing the volley of accusations. “You’re still standing.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve thrown everything at you. The world has thrown everything at you, and you’re still alive,” Mortalo said. “You’re the first step. You’re Canis Rayne, son of Mortalo. And together we can make more Iron Hands to carry our genes. We’re Blackrose’s only hope.”

  Canis murmured something. “Can’t. No more.”

  “The first step is freedom for these people. My life’s work. Every second of every hour of every day has been the pursuit of liberating this city; freeing them from the walls, but I need weapons like you who can counter the Scourge keeping people awake at night.”

  The slaves, the trained idiots, stood still, hands fixed around their weapons as their master spoke.

  Canis spat. “I can’t forgive you for what you did to me. To all of us, however much I want to.”

  “I’m not asking for forgiveness.” Mortalo lowered his head. “I know I can never get that. I’m asking you to understand how important you are to everything. Because of you, these people are one step closer to living outside the walls. You’re proof of that. They can be free, Canis. They won’t need to fear the Scourge. We can destroy them.”

  “He’s lying,” Bane said. “He’s calling for our genocide.”

  Mortalo held his hands at his sides. “If you truly believe you’re going to kill me, there’s nothing I can say to change your mind. Just know your strength saved you from the fate of the others, and I made you that way. It took decades, but I believe I can breed more like you, Canis. Can you imagine?”

  “You control us with fear and lies!” said Vann who turned to speak to the rest of the slaves. “He has nothing over us. Canis took on a Warden by himself, but what has Mortalo done? He’ll breed his new army and replace you! We’re all going to die.”

  “I,” began Mortalo, “have devoted my life to you all! Do you think your existence would have been better without me? I feed you. I clothe you. All you ever hear me talking about is the freedom of Blackrose’s people.”

  The slaves talked amongst themselves.

  Canis eyeballed his old master. “You’re nothing but a coward hiding behind us! We’re the ones making all the sacrifices.”

  Mortalo’s hands tensed and his eyes narrowed. “Say what you will, but the enemy is within our city, and we’re the only ones ready for such a fight. No matter what you think of me, Blackrose needs us. All that matters is that the Scourge are repelled. If I can get some samples,” he looked at Canis, “we can fight back.”

  Canis had been trying to understand Mortalo. His entire life had been spent obeying him, but Vann hadn’t prepared him for the choices presenting themselves. Do I join Mortalo in the hope we can counter the Scourge? Do I follow Bane’s advice? If I do join Mortalo, will Vann?

  “Kill him,” Bane said. “Get Agrim to attack, anything. Kill him or he’ll kill the both of us.”

  What of Vann? What of the Iron Hands? It’s more than you, and it’s more than—A thunderbolt of realization shot through every inch of Canis’ flesh. Mortalo’s words echoed in his head, Freeing the people of the city.

  “Canis?” Vann asked, but Canis continued to eyeball Mortalo.

  Canis pinned Mortalo in his stare. “If we’re going to save these people, I have to look beyond myself.”

  The powder on Mortalo’s face shook off as he nodded, mouth open. “Yes. Yes, that’s a good attitude to have.”

  “We have to combine to fight the Scourge. Blackrose is our home.”

  “What’re you doing?” Bane bur
rowed in. “Kill him!”

  Canis’ arm struggled and shook, but Bane couldn’t move it. He turned to Vann. “Are you with me?”

  “Yes. Of course, Canis,” said Vann, his gaze flicking to Mortalo’s before looking at the ground in defeat.

  “But we must hurry,” Mortalo said, placing a hand on Canis’ shoulder. “The Scourge have already found a way in.”

  Canis snapped back and the arm dropped. “Don’t ever touch me. I may understand why you do what you do, but that doesn’t justify anything. You’re a sick fiend, and these people deserve a hero, not a tyrant.”

  “Without me, you wouldn’t be who you are. Without me, Blackrose wouldn’t have found its hero. They need to see you fighting Wardens and crushing Scourge. I can only dream of such feats.”

  Canis waved Mortalo away but he refused to move, a slight smile creeping onto his face. “To the citadel!” Mortalo shouted.

  Mortalo’s Iron Hands locked into formation—a wall of slaves around the three of them.

  “My dear Canis,” Mortalo said. “You must tell me how you survived on the outside. How you survived amongst them. Did you bring me back one of the Scourge, a sample? Tell me!”

  Bane pressed into Canis’ spine. “You say one word about me and we’ll be on the autopsy slab.”

  Canis kept his eyes forward. “By the grace of the maker.”

  Mortalo turned his back on Canis with a snigger, and Vann moved in. “What’s going on in your head? You sound like him and you’re letting his ideas of saving this city cloud your mind.”

  “If we don’t help these people, who will? We can’t be that selfish, Vann. The Scourge-freaks have invaded the city, and right now, Mortalo is the only one who gives a scat about it. We can think about our future once the city is safe. Please don’t back out on me now, brother. I need you.”

  “I’m with you. I just don’t understand you.”

  “I’m not sure I do myself. I think the difference is that it’s an obsession for him, but we’re going to do it for the right reasons. However sick and twisted the people in this city are, they deserve more than this.”

  Vann hugged him. Mortalo watched them as Canis squeezed back. What have I done?

  Chapter 16

  Mortalo the Ninth looked back at Canis Rayne as they navigated their way to the citadel, Canis’ smooth face and innocent blue eyes calling him over. He took a step toward him, but as soon as Canis noticed, the young lad turned his head away. You’re our only hope, thought Mortalo, and you don’t realize the weight on your shoulders.

  Mortalo looked to the rest of his men. They were loyal like Canis used to be. Vann had never been his, but he had kept him alive to keep Canis happy. The boy had always been happy, even when undergoing experiments and surgery, always happy to please his master. What happened outside these walls? What did the Scourge do to you?

  Teller Redmaw limped to him.

  “Go away,” said Mortalo.

  Teller turned on the spot. Heat prickled the skin beneath Mortalo’s powdered face.

  “If you have something to say,” Mortalo said to Teller’s back, “then say it! Don’t waste my time if it’s not important.”

  “But,” Teller said as he turned.

  Mortalo clicked his fingers to his left and, as Teller’s head followed the sound, Mortalo hit out with his right hand, the slap knocking Teller to the cobbled street. The slave cowered.

  “Get up!” said Mortalo. Teller rose, avoiding any eye contact.

  Mortalo glanced at Canis and Vann. I wish the others had the same fight you do. It was Canis’ spark he so admired. Other slaves came to see if their master was in trouble, and he realized, if they were all alike, then they’d have died years ago. I need people like Teller, but I love Canis. When he hadn’t returned, it was as if a part of him had died. Canis’ rejection from earlier replayed in his mind.

  The Scourge had taken away Mortalo’s boy and given him back a man. If I want my boy back, I’m going to have to kill Vann. He must be poisoning Canis against me. There’s no other explanation. I need to get him back to the citadel.

  Teller still stood there, and Mortalo pushed him out of the way. “Get my axe. Get the cleaver—now!”

  As Teller disappeared into the crowd of slaves, it dawned on Mortalo that Canis wouldn’t stand by and watch his brother die. Not now he was a man. If he could just get them back to the citadel, get them back into their cells, they would understand. Everything would go back to normal. If I force him, I’ve got no chance of taking back his mind. No, I have to be smart.

  “Canis,” Mortalo called.

  Canis detached himself from Vann and came to stand in front of Mortalo. “What do you want?”

  “I want you to understand why I do what I do.”

  “I understand just fine, but nobody has the right to torture another human being. You’re no better than the Imperium for locking us up.”

  “I had no choice.”

  Canis’ face turned into a frown, the veins on his neck bulging. “You had no choice?”

  Mortalo raised his hand to calm him. “I am meant for more than this. Just like you were meant for more than my cells. I can’t see a future for me, for us, inside this city. I am consumed by the chittering of those Scourge-freaks hounding my city’s walls. We need to escape. Escape to somewhere more than this.”

  “It’s you the people need to escape from. The Scourge may be a threat to us right now, but you’ve always been a threat. You’re known as the King of Demons for a reason.”

  “I didn’t give myself that name. And if anything, you are the Prince of Demons, Canis.”

  “The people of Blackrose did when you came swooping down from the citadel, stealing their children.”

  Mortalo laughed. “I did them a favor. Do you know how many people eat their young or sell the meat on the markets? You don’t know what goes on. I paid for your mother’s womb.”

  “You’re lying,” said Canis. “Nobody is that far gone, they can’t be…”

  “They are. Your own mother was ready to sell you even before you were born, but I came to collect years after. She resented you. I take because I’m the only person in this city who actually wants to help. I could rule over any Company I want. I could dictate food, water. But I don’t. I sit in my citadel, writing in my journal.”

  “To what end?” Canis spat. “You’ll be long dead before this city sees anything of the outside. It’ll take someone else from another city to—”

  Mortalo jerked forward. “Someone from another city? Tell me what you know! Now!”

  Canis backed off, but Mortalo grabbed his hand. “Get off me! You don’t have control over me anymore.”

  Mortalo let go. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Canis.”

  Mortalo’s slaves circled around them. Vann untied his gauntlets from his belt.

  I’ll learn what is in your mind. Mortalo crossed his arms. And I’ll see you in your cell consumed by mooncap, ready to tell me everything.

  Mortalo nodded to Teller, who gestured for his men to stand down.

  Canis and Vann hesitated a moment, argued. Mortalo couldn’t hear what was being said but hoped he didn’t have to force them back to the citadel. Vann threw his hands into the air, leaving his gauntlets tied to his belt. Mortalo smiled at Canis.

  Teller passed Mortalo his axe as requested, but Mortalo lashed out. “Get out of my face, you inbred swine!”

  You’re not him, Teller, but I wish you were. Canis, you’re still my boy, are you not? I will keep you safe. Please let me keep you safe. I’ll learn the secrets you’re harboring inside. I can help you, if you let me.

  He held the Butcher’s Cleaver, the energy sparking off the axe’s head, hot on his unblinking eyes.

  Chapter 17

  Thoughts of being locked up and alone flitted through Canis Rayne’s mind and, although he knew Bane tried to influence him, the idea of it could soon become a reality. Agrim the spider crawled o
nto his shoulder and put its front legs in the air. It happened every time Mortalo came close, but they couldn’t strike just yet. He tried to send soothing thoughts to the beast.

  He heard shouting.

  “Big’un!” Beatrix Thorne’s call echoed from around the corner of a derelict building.

  “Thorne?” Canis shouted back, his head whipping from left to right, scanning the area for the redhead.

  Canis pushed through the Iron Hands. Teller Redmaw maneuveredto stop him, but Mortalo gestured him aside.

  Thorne skidded to a halt in front of them. She dropped a rope, her eyes widening at the sight of Mortalo and his men. Canis’ gaze met hers from the crowd. She stopped mid-turn.

  “They won’t hurt you,” said Canis, holding out his hand.

  “What are you doing with him?”

  “He helped us out of the trench. We’ve entered into a temporary truce whilst we’re under attack.”

  “Temporary?” Mortalo asked with a laugh.

  “Trust me, Thorne.”

  “We might need his help anyway. Something’s happening near the third Company at the foot of the guard tower.” Thorne tried to catch her breath. “Scourge everywhere. Being overrun. C’mon!”

  Canis turned to Mortalo. “Are you with me?”

  “Are you with me?” Mortalo replied, his arms folded.

  Canis nodded.

  Mortalo thrust his hand forward, and his men raised their weapons in the air, roaring in unison. The beat of Blackrose’s heart was lost beneath the pounding of his brothers’ feet.

  Canis followed them. He was one of many charging into battle. Something he had craved whilst growing up, something he never thought he’d get to do. He noticed at least half the men popping mooncap into their mouths as they tried to keep pace with Thorne. He snaked his hand into his pocket, but it was empty, and his skin went cold.

  He clutched his sword. The bulky chunk of steel Vann had given him felt weightless.

  Canis had started to become familiar with his surroundings and, as they passed the ruins of a temple, he remembered the landmarks from his previous excursion with Mortalo. He knew they were close.